Search Uncovers Bombs Population Declines in Rural U.S
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C M C M Y K Y K SHUTTING OFF THE WATER RAIN DELAY Irrigation taps in Klamath basin being switched off, A5 Weather winning first day of U.S. Open, B1 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 THURSDAY,JUNE 13, 2013 theworldlink.com I 75¢ ‘I have to pay,’ says remorseful ex-cop BY TIM NOVOTNY By itself, that may not have been “But, more than anything, I The World a big deal. But when Downing’s want to say I’m sorry to the city of secret became collateral damage in North Bend,” he added, fighting NORTH BEND — For eight a separate federal investigation, it back emotion. “I did a lot of good years, Bill Downing served and would cost him his career and two things for this city, worked hard, protected North Bend as a police years of public disgrace. and I let people down — and that officer, the last five as the depart- “I know what I did was flat was the toughest part. ” ment’s dog handler. He also had a wrong, and I have to pay for it,” Downing was in Eugene on secret that he knew he someday Downing said during an interview Tuesday, pleading guilty in federal By Alysha Beck, The World would have to answer for. He was Wednesday at a friend’s North Former North Bend police officer William Downing pleaded guilty Tuesday to tipping taking steroids. Bend home. SEE DOWNING | A8 off a distributor of illegal steroids about a federal investigation. Search uncovers bombs Population declines in rural U.S. BY HOPE YEN AND HANNAH DREIER The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Rural America is losing population for the first time ever,largely because of waning interest among baby boomers in moving to far-flung locations for retire- ment and recreation, according to new census estimates. Long weighed down by dwindling populations in farm- ing and coal communities and the movement of young peo- ple to cities, rural counties are being hit by sputtering growth in retirement and recreation areas, once residential hot spots for baby boomers. The new estimates, as of July 2012, show that would-be retirees are opting to stay put in urban areas near jobs. Recent weakness in the economy means some boomers have less savings than a decade ago to buy a vacation home in the countryside, which often becomes a full-time resi- dence after retirement. Cities are also boosting urban liv- ing, a potential draw for boomers who may prefer to age closer to accessible health care. About 46.2 million people, or 15 percent of the U.S. pop- Photos by Alysha Beck, The World ulation, reside in rural counties, which spread across 72 The Oregon State Police bomb squad arrives from Medford on Wednesday afternoon after Coos Bay police learned of explosive devices percent of the nation’s land area. From 2011 to 2012, those non-metro areas lost more than 40,000 people, a 0.1 per- cent drop. The Census Bureau reported a minuscule 0.01 percent loss from 2010 to 2011, but that was not considered Police find guns, ammo, meth statistically significant and could be adjusted later. Rural areas, which include manufacturing and farming as well as scenic retirement spots, have seen substantial movement of residents to urban areas before. But the BY GEORGE ARTSITAS AND THOMAS MORIARTY The World SEE RURAL | A8 COOS BAY — Police are searching for a Coos Bay man fol- lowing the discovery of homemade explosives Wednesday afternoon. Coos Bay police responding to a domestic violence call at Privacy — the online 148 Hull St. discovered a cache of firearms, ammunition, seven suspected improvised explosive devices and materials for creating explosives. They also found methamphetamine. generation wants it The home belongs to Jay Kenneth Yarbrough, 38, of Coos Bay. Police are seeking Yarbrough, who is approximately 6 BY MARTHA IRVINE feet tall, weighs about 175 pounds, has long brown hair and The Associated Press brown eyes. Police describe Yarbrough as “untrusting of government” CHICAGO — Amid the debate over government surveil- and aware that police are looking for him. They urge extreme lance, there’s been an assumption: Young people don’t care caution to anyone encountering Yarbrough. about privacy. After discovering the alleged explosives Wednesday, Turns out, the generation that puts much of the “social” police retreated from the residence, sealed off the street’s in social networking is much more complex when deter- Newmark Avenue entrance and evacuated neighboring mining what personal information they want to share. homes. Sure, they’re as likely as ever to post photos of themselves Some neighbors were briefly allowed back into their online, as well as their location and even phone numbers, homes throughout the afternoon to retrieve belongings — say those who track their high-tech habits. But as they including diapers and a young pit bull terrier. approach adulthood, they’re also getting more adept at hid- Because Coos County has no bomb squad of its own, ing and pruning their online lives. police called in the Oregon State Police Explosives Unit based Despite their propensity for sharing, many young adults in Medford. also are surprisingly big advocates for privacy — in some Shortly after 8 p.m., bomb squad technicians blasted cases, more than their elders. holes in the devices with a shotgun. That attitude showed up most recently in a poll done over Coos Bay Police Chief Gary McCullough said the proce- the weekend for the Pew Research Center for the People & dure is intended to break open the device without detonat- the Press and The Washington Post. The poll, tied to the ing it. disclosure of broad federal surveillance, found that young Police said a woman living at the house reported a domes- adults were much more divided than older generations tic assault and then showed police the guns. Top, the Oregon State Police bomb squad enters a home in Empire when asked if the government should tread on their privacy Yarbrough lives at the home with his wife.The couple have Wednesday afternoon to disable and remove explosive devices. to thwart terrorism. Above, a Coos Bay policeman removes a pit bull from an Empire SEE BOMB | A8 home. SEE PRIVACY | A8 Larry Dorland, Coquille Unsafe factories Police reports . A3 Sports . B1 Richard Norris Jr., North Bend T S S E D Survey of Bangladesh’s garment factories A H Edward McDaniel, North Bend L D What’s Up. A2 Comics . B4 I finds that up to 300 of the factories are C T Sally Roberts, North Bend R E A S Rain likely South Coast. A3 Puzzles. B4 O unsafe and 20 were closed down . E R N Franklin Turner, Fairview 60/49 W I D Opinion. A4 Classifieds . C1 O Obituaries | A5 Page A7 F Weather | A8 Something Special… for that Special Dad! and so much more! COOS BAY COQUILLE 541-267-2137 541-396-3161 A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS SERVING COOS COUNTY FOR OVER 97 YEARS. C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 • The World • Thursday, June 13,2013 Y K South Coast City Editor Ryan Haas • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 Weekend theworldlink.com/lifestyles y g a n d i O HARTER ISHING O RING ETS O AISE THE EAD r G ! C F G ! B P G ! R D u m t o a Coastal summer offers large catch of fun Clam Scram opens to animals this year Relay for Life Zombie Run is coming C S Gentlemen, start your saws TODAY dren ages 1-5. Maximum of 15, $1 each. Register at 541- Singles Bowling 9:15 a.m., 888-5558 North Bend Lanes, 1225 Vir- ginia Ave., North Bend. Daddy Dance Off and Kids Free Fishing 10 a.m. to 4 Art Walk 5-8 p.m., Downtown p.m., Pony Village Mall, 1611 North Bend and Pony Village Virginia Ave., North Bend. Mall, 1611 Virginia Ave., North Bend. Dads and Grads Free Umpqua River Lighthouse Tours 10 14th Annual Oregon Divisional a.m. to 4 p.m., Umpqua River Chainsaw Sculpting Champi- Lighthouse, 120 Lighthouse onships 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Road, Winchester Bay. Tours Reedsport Rainbow Plaza, limited to 10. Adults, $5; stu- Riverfront Way and state dents and seniors, $3 and Highway 38, Reedsport. ages 3-5, free. 541-271-4631 Admission is $3. No Lazy Kates 1 p.m., Wool Christian Women’s Let’s Do Company, 990 Highway 101, Lunch 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bandon. Visitors are wel- Red LIon Hotel, 1313 N. come. 541-347-3115. Bayshore Dr., Coos Bay. $13 inclusive. RSVP and arrange Old Town Reedsport Art Walk child care 541-808-0625 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rainbow Plaza area, Old town Reed- FRIDAY sport, Riverfront Way and state Highway 38. 14th Annual Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Champi- Roleplaying Game Night 5:30- onships 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 9:30 p.m., Coquille Commu- p.m., Reedsport Rainbow nity Building, 105 N. Birch, Plaza, Riverfront Way and Coquille. Bring snacks to state Highway 38, Reedsport. share during tabletop role- Admission is $3. playing games. 541-396- Dolphin Playhouse “Greater Leading Ladies 7 p.m., Flo- By Lou Sennick, The World rence Events Center, 715 Minutes after the airhorn announced the start of carving,TerryAhola, Grants Pass, starts to work on his chainsaw sculpture Thursday morning in Tuna” 8 p.m., The Dolphin Playhouse, 580 Newmark Quince St., Florence. Limited Reedsport. He joins others for the 14th annual Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championships in Reedsport.