C M C M Y K Y K FREEZE DRY A SHIP? ROOKIE STARTER College will try to rebuild wreck, A7 Browns turn to Weeden at QB, B1 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 WEDNESDAY,AUGUST 15, 2012 theworldlink.com I 75¢ ACS Denise Cacace, left, and Jan settles Dilley work Confidence through their tai chi exercises wage-hour Tuesday at the North Bend complaint Senior Center. builder I File claims by Sept. 1 BY GAIL ELBER The World If you worked for call center company ACS in Oregon between April 2, 2005, and April 25, 2012, you might be entitled to some money as part of the company’s settlement of a class action lawsuit concerning its wage and hour practices. Spread the word to other former ACS employees — and don’t delay, because any money that’s not claimed by Sept. 1 will go back to ACS. The suit, Bell et al. v. Affiliated Computer Services Inc., ACS Commercial Solutions Inc., and Livebridge Inc., was filed in December 2009 by four ACS employees. ACS settled on July 12. The employees said ACS had required them to be at work with- out a computer workstation avail- able on which to clock in, and that the company’s manual time cor- rection forms didn’t capture all work time. They also said ACS didn’t pay employees all the bonuses they earned and didn’t correctly calculate overtime pay. In the settlement agreement, ACS said it denies the plantiffs’ allegations, but it agreed to a set- tlement because of the expense of defending against them. In U.S. District Court in Port- land, Magistrate Judge Thomas Photos by Lou Sennick, The World Coffin mediated a settlement in Ann Fillmore, right,works with one of the aikido class participants Tuesday at the North Bend Senior Center.She is teaching a class on both this form of self-defense and tai chi. which ACS would pay $4.5 million, divided as follows: I $85,000 divided among the four plaintiffs, one of whom is Seniors learn through deceased. I $1.7 million to the plaintiffs’law firm, Bailey Pinney & Associates. I $100,000 to a Rhode Island self-defense course firm that will administer the claim. I $2.565 million to the affected employees. BY JESSIE HIGGINS the seniors never master a martial art, People who worked for ACS in The World Fillmore said her 10-week class will Oregon are eligible for payout empower her students to prevent attacks. amounts as follows: NORTH BEND — Looking far younger After all, the best time to fend off an I Employed by ACS in Oregon than her 70 years, Ann Fillmore crouches attack is before it happens, Fillmore said. as of April 25, 2012: $125. barefoot in the grass, demonstrating aiki- The seniors leave her class with confi- I Employed by ACS in Oregon do stick fighting techniques. dence, readiness and walking forward, she and employment ended between Her long bamboo cane whirls through said. Nov. 6, 2006 and April 24, 2012: the air, jabbing, smacking, attacking an “I like feeling like I have power,”Lori $260. invisible target from all Benn, 51, said after Tues- I Employed by ACS in Oregon directions. day’s class. “That physical and employment ended between Gathered behind her, New classes empowerment.” April 2, 2005 and Nov. 5, 2006: $50. her silver-haired pupils Ann Fillmore will teach another Fillmore’s class com- lightly grip their own 10-week tai chi/Aikido stick fight- bines tai chi with the Mailing to old addresses canes, mimicking Fill- ing class in the fall. To sign up for Japanese art of aikido stick Under the terms of the settle- more’s movements. the class, call Jan Dilley at 541-756- fighting. Most of her stu- ment, the claims administrator — “You are much faster 4802. dents are women, and most Kurtzman Carson Consultants in than you think you are,” The class meets Tuesdays at the are senior citizens. Providence, R.I. — was to mail Fillmore tells her students. North Bend Senior Center and At the beginning of notice of the settlement agreement She glides among them, costs $30. every 10-week course, new to all the employees eligible for demonstrating the wrist students may appear frail payment, using a list of their last slap, which fends off a knife-wielding and shaky. They stumble through the tai known addresses provided by ACS. attacker by targeting “the most sensitive chi movements. But over time, their cores That’s how one North Bend part of the hand.”Then the gut jab, the strengthen, their bodies learn balance, woman, who asked to remain chin smack, the ankle sweep. and then, suddenly, they can do it. The anonymous, found out about the Sticks whirl and whoosh around the stumbling stops, confidence builds. settlement. yard behind the North Bend Senior Cen- “The confidence is astounding,” she Fillmore, right, works with one of the aikido class participants ter. Tuesday at the North Bend Senior Center. She is teaching anoth- SEE ACS | A10 The moves are important. But even if SEE CLASSES | A10 er self-defense course in the fall. Drawing the line against whooping cough BY TIM NOVOTNY young to be fully immunized.” characterized by coughing spasms ing that same period in 2011. The World While health officials want par- Getting shot that end with a gasp or whoop. With so many cases of a highly ents to make sure children get their Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) The Pacific Northwest has been contagious disease just above our NORTH BEND - A disease that shots, Smith says adults need to be shots are available at Coos County Public hit particularly hard this year. On northern border, Smith says it is can be particularly harmful to immunized too. Health. For uninsured people, they cost April 3, 2012, the Washington state cause for concern. Particularly,she young children is on the rise in our “It’s the role of adults to protect $15.19. secretary of health declared a per- adds, with how mobile we are as a area, and health officials say it is the health of our children. When People who are insured can get shots tussis epidemic. By June 16, the society. time to make a stand. we see a growing number of cases, through pharmacies, which will bill their number of confirmed cases had “It’s not a call for alarm, but it is In some years, Coos County does we really want to get the word out.” insurance companies for them. reached 2,520 — a 1,300-percent an alert that we need to take care of not see five cases of pertussis For more information on pertussis or the increase over the same period in this to keep it from getting worse.” vaccine, call the health department at 541- (whooping cough) in total, but that’s Rib-cracking cough 2011. Vaccination, according to the 751-2400. how many cases were confirmed in Besides, pertussis is no picnic health department, is the best way the last week of July alone. for anyone who comes down with Oregon: 3-fold increase to prevent whooping cough. “This is a serious disease,” says the symptoms. Smith says. Even in It also is highly contagious, usu- Oregon, while not seeing that Frances Smith, Coos County Public adults, the cough can stick around ally beginning with a runny nose, many, still has seen a jump of its Boost your Tdap Health administrator, “and it can for about three months and sneezing, low-grade fever and mild own. Through July 30, Oregon reg- The health department encour- be particularly dangerous — even become so severe it can induce cough. After a week or two, the istered 547 confirmed cases of fatal — for infants who are too vomiting and even crack ribs. second stage of the illness begins, whooping cough, up from 178 dur- SEE COUGH | A10 Police reports . A2 Comics . A8 T S S Dick Murray, Bridge E James Adamek, Myrtle Point A H D What’s Up. A3 Sports . B1 Helen Johnson, Coos Bay I Richard Goldfinch, Florence C T E A S South Coast. A3 Classifieds . B4 Phyllis Anderson, Portland Mostly sunny E | Obituaries A5 R N Margaret Andreasen, Lakeside 64/53 I D Opinion. A4 Puzzles . B5 O F Weather | A10 C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 •The World • Wednesday, August 15,2012 Y K South Coast Managing Editor James Casey • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Thefts & Mischief Reedsport police search COOS BAY Highway 42. Aug. 13, 8:24 a.m., arrest for Aug. 12, 9:19 p.m., criminal tres- shoplifting, Walmart, 2051 New- pass, 58000 block of Old Beaver mark Ave. Hill Road. for unknown home invader Aug. 13, 9:08 a.m., criminal mis- Aug. 12, 10:37 p.m., burglary, chief, 200 block of South Broad- 63000 block of Harriett Road. leg with a shard of glass. The Fandrey said the suspect areas near where the inci- way Street. I Intruder stabbed Aug. 13, 12:26 a.m., dispute, victim described the attacker in the second attempted dences occurred. Aug. 13, 9:59 a.m., criminal mis- 93000 block of McKenna Lane. 14-year-old girl and as 6-feet tall, slim build, break-in was described as a “Hopefully the saturation chief, 1000 block of Commercial Aug. 13, 2:24 a.m., dispute, 94000 wearing jeans, a black zip-up black man about 6-feet tall, and tactical patrols have Avenue.