C M C M Y K Y K BULLDOG VICTORY North Bend topspins Pirates, B1 We Deliver! Limited deliver S y area. ummer sta Hours rting 3/ Coos 11a 10/13 Bay • m – 10 (5 789 S. pm 41) Broadw No ) 26 ay rth Be 6-9 nd • 2 595 (54 233 Ne 41) 7 wmark 756-5 Ave. 5656 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2013 Saying goodbye Memorial honors the life of Holly Berry BY GEORGE ARTSITAS who went missing in January. Nearly the entire crowd wore The World Dozens of people braved the Berry’s two favorite colors. weather to show their respects Some fashioned purple candle COOS BAY — Rain began to near the site were Berry’s body memorials with Berry’s picture. pour in an Empire-area parking was found a week ago. Pennington said she had lot Wednesday, as a crowd Berry’s out-of-state parents expected the large turnout. draped in purple and pink sang weren’t able to attend, but they “I figured people would “On Eagle’s Wings.” sent a written statement thank- come rain or shine,”Pennington “Even the sky is crying,”said ing all the people who came to said. Berry, she said, “was very familiar around town and a very Dianne DeVillier, one the pay their respects. Authorities friendly, sweet person.” friends gathered to honor the say her death was accidental. As the service ended, the By Alysha Beck, The World memory of Holly Berry. “Holly, you saw the world in crowd released 34 balloons in A group of friends clad in pink and purple released 34 balloons in the parking lot behind the for- A memorial was held pink and purple,” said Cathy mer DV8 nightclub in Empire on Wednesday morning, during a memorial service for Holly Berry. Wednesday morning for Berry, Pennington, who led the serv- Berry, 34, died from drowning in a creek in the woods behind the nightclub. a 34-year-old Coos Bay woman ice. SEE HOLLY | A10 To catch a thief, hotel manager Toxic trap arranges surprise BY GEORGE ARTSITAS “They’re not rocket scientists.” The World Break-ins have been reported at other hotels around the area, COOS BAY — Red Lion man- including Motel 6, Captain ager Joe Monahan has spent the John’s and Best Western. Coos past six weeks trying to catch Bay Police finally staked out the whoever who had been breaking Red Lion Hotel into his guests’ cars. on Friday night. He spent a week watching the Officers arrest- parking lot from midnight to 7 ed Corbin a.m. and didn’t find anything. Seamen, 21, He heightened security cameras. early Saturday He even tried setting bait: an morning. Seamen was unlocked rental car with a purse booked at the inside. He loaded the purse with Corbin Seamen Coos County old dog droppings. Arrested jail on charges “I wish I could see their of criminal faces,”Monahan said. trespass II, unlawful entry into a The thief got the purse, but motor vehicle, unlawful posses- Monahan missed the thief.In sion of meth and two charges of spite of the purse’s unsavory contents, he figured the culprit would be back. SEE THEFT | A10 Photos by Alysha Beck, The World Richard York goes through more than 100 pounds of oxygen a week because he was diagnosed with porphyria, a disorder that affects the nervous system and skin. He says the disorder was caused by chemical exposure. Five weeks ago,York says, his health got worse when contractors with the Coos-Curry/North Bend City Housing Authority used polyurethane grout on the hallway floor Farm, Opitz join port outside his apartment at Hamilton Court in North Bend. commission tonight Remodeling causes crisis BY GAIL ELBER for North Bend couple The World COOS BAY — The Oregon BY GEORGE ARTSITAS The Yorks took the issue to Oregon’s Bureau of International Port of Coos Bay The World Labor and Industries on Feb. 5. After a month passed will seat its newest commission- without resolution, they filed a formal complaint ers, Donna Opitz and Eric Farm, NORTH BEND — Sickened by materials used in against the housing authority. at a meeting starting at 7 remodeling their public housing complex, a North “They’ve refused to communicate with us. They tonight. Donna Opitz Eric Farm Bend couple say they feel trapped and left for dead. refuse to take us seriously,” Jana York said. “I think After retiring from a 20-year New port commissioners Jana and Richard York they think it’s fake.” career as a financial consultant both have been diagnosed A week ago, Beman told with Smith Barney, Opitz going to get more out of the with acute intermittent por- The World the housing became a real estate agent. She state.” phyria and porphyria authority would fix the prob- served 14 years on the Coos Bay Eric Farm, a contract logging cutanea tarda, a chemical lem within the next week. School Board and is currently on supervisor for The Campbell sensitivity that makes their But he now says there’s no the board of the Boys and Girls Group, has also had a longstand- lives unlivable if they’re quick solution. Club. forced to be around non- “We’ve worked the Opitz said she’s had a long- ing interest in the port’s efforts to create opportunities for natural products. Since their process the best we can to standing interest in economic public housing building was accommodate them,”Beman industry. A former board mem- development and favors the remodeled, they’ve felt said. “We’re trying to development of a liquefied nat- ber and president of the Coos physically ill and have had to accommodate them in the ural gas terminal, the corner- Bay Area Chamber of Com- increase their medications. most amicable way for the merce, he chairs the chamber’s stone of the port’s plans to “Our options are to sit Richard York was diagnosed with porphyria, a disorder both of us. We’re still work- upgrade the area’s rail and ship- legislative action team. here and die or move out and ing with their attorneys to try He sees “exciting opportuni- that affects the nervous system and skin.Yorkbreathes ping facilities. Her late husband, be homeless,”Jana York said. through an oxygen mask and says the pain feels like and resolve this issue.” Ron Opitz, was executive direc- ties” for the port. The problem began after having an iron rod jammed through his body. Charlie Burr, communica- tor of the South Coast Develop- “They have such a wide mis- the North Bend Housing tion director for the Bureau of ment Council. sion, supporting the traditional Authority undertook a Labor and Industries, said he “We need a stronger economy industries, and we also have new $140,000 renovation of the building where the Yorks can’t speculate when the situation will be complete. here that would help fund industries and new opportuni- live. Floor tiles were grouted with a polyurethane “A remedy really runs the gamut,”Burr said. “We’ll schools and the Boys and Girls ties that are exciting also,” he product called SQ Quartzlock 2, which the housing see if the parties can agree on a settlement, and if not, Club,” she said. “We need more said. authority’s executive director, Ned Beman, says was we’ll see if prosecution is warranted.” economic development rather specifically picked for people with chemical sensitivi- than trying to expect that we’re SEE PORT | A10 ty. SEE TOXIC | A10 Rigging rates Police reports . A2 Sports . B1 Robert Brown, Gardiner T S S E N Freddie Mac is suing 15 banks for rig- A H Lyle Earle, Reedsport O D What’s Up. A3 Comics . B4 I I ging interest rates and causing huge C T Francis Rodriguez, Coos Bay T E A S South Coast. A3 Puzzles. B4 losses for the government program. Chance of rain A E R N | 49/36 I Obituaries A5 N D Opinion. A4 Classifieds . B5 O Page A7 F Weather | A10 GARDEN TOOLS SKU# 296889 COOS BAY COQUILLE SKU# 482163 541-267-2137 541-396-3161 A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS SERVING COOS COUNTY FOR OVER 96 YEARS. C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 •The World • Thursday, March 21,2013 Y K South Coast City Editor Ryan Haas • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Tribe: Land transfer will boost local jobs BY THOMAS MORIARTY stewardship of culturally millions of acres of timber than it does under current The World important lands. We’re talking about how we can put land for economic activity in federal forest planning. And “We believe our active “ 18 Oregon counties. The act that means more jobs. COOS BAY — The chair- management will put more people to work and how we can make covers land reclaimed by the The chairman said he man of a local Indian tribe people on the ground than government in 1916 from the believes the tribes and the says its proposed acquisition are currently there,” Garcia Oregon counties prosper.” defunct Oregon & California O&C counties ultimately of more than 14,000 acres of said. “We’re talking more Railroad Co. Bob Garcia have similar intentions. federal timberlands will ulti- foresters, more biologists, In a statement Wednes- Tribal council chairman “We’re talking about how mately benefit Oregon tim- people working on stream day, Sen. Wyden committed we can put people to work ber counties. restorations.” to a no-net-loss policy and how we can make Ore- The tribe could receive None of the lands under regarding O&C lands.