‘ESSENCE OF TRUE HEROISM’ U.S. OPEN OPENS Afghan war veteran gets Medal of Honor, A6 First round wins for Williams sisters, B1 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 TUESDAY,AUGUST 27,2013 theworldlink.com I 75¢ ORCCA probe finds no misuse of funds BY EMILY THORNTON federal funds accordingly to be attributed to changes in funding $120,000 deficit, but he planned to Increased salaries needed The World compliant. parameters of the Food Share facil- use grants and donations to fill the adjusting to “bring them in line OHCS’ review concluded “a ity. ORCCA provided a proposal to gap. He said he would use money with counterparts in other similar COOS BAY — There was no mis- small number of hours were offset the amount by re-allocating from other programs, such as Park organizations,” according to use of federal funds by Oregon charged between programs.” John funds. West Apartments, corporate funds, OHCS. ORCCA allegedly increased Coast Community Action, accord- Misterly, essential services direc- Lehman said Food Share con- or its campus account as a last salaries of some employees. ing to Oregon Housing and Com- tor, was cross-training an employ- stantly drained funds, but attrib- resort. Lehman said when the Food Share munity Services. ee, said Mike Lehman, executive uted that to the mission of the ORCCA has applied for 15 director left, the salaries were OHCS investigated ORCCA after director of ORCCA. Lehman said organization. grants, five of which were new, in spread out among the other a former ORCCA employee the employee had nine and a half “When you’re giving food to the past one and a half months, employees. accused the agency of wrongdoing. hours of cross-training in the ener- hungry people, you’re going to Lehman said. He attributed the “The total salary cost is lower One accusation said ORCCA used gy department. The review found it have a deficit,” Lehman said. “I’m increased applications to Deborah than a year ago,” Lehman said. He federal funds from Housing and “did not rise to the level of misap- not worried about us not surviv- Ross, the new development coordi- said the average salary at ORCCA Urban Development to pay for propriation by any definition.” ing.” nator. was lower than other comparable South Coast Food Share workers’ The report found that a $177,000 Lehman said Food Share actual- “She’s impressive,” Lehman salaries. ORCCA must use certain South Coast Food Share deficit was ly had about a $110,000 to said. SEE ORCCA | A10 Curry to One way to beat the heat attempt another tax vote GRANTS PASS (AP) — Hoping to stave off bankruptcy and a state takeover, Curry County commis- sioners are again asking voters approve a tax increase to keep sher- iff’s patrols on the road and the jail open. County Commission Chairman David Brock Smith said Monday he hopes two things that have hap- pened since a tax hike was voted down last May will make a differ- ence come November. The county is asking for less this time — $3.2 million over three years. And a new law allows the gover- nor to declare an emergency in counties where citizens refuse to pay for minimum public services. That opens the way for county officials to impose new taxes. If voters turn down the levy, Curry County is in line to be the first test of the new law. By Lou Sennick, The World No better way to spend the last week of summer vacation from school than at the Coquille Pool. Lots of youngsters were sliding, splashing and keeping cool in the pool before the start of the new school year next week. In North Bend on Monday, the temperatures reached 77 degrees, tying the record high for Aug. 26, set back Showers in 1935. help fight wildfires Signs of Chemical PORTLAND (AP) — Unusual late-summer rains are helping work attack is crews battle wildfires in south- western Oregon and the Columbia around Gorge — and even driving some alleged from soaked tents to bed down indoors. Chandler Some firefighters at the Govern- BY ALBERT AJI ment Flats complex southwest of The Associated Press The Dalles reported leaky tents and BY TIM NOVOTNY wet bedding on Sunday, the Oregon The World DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s Department of Forestry said. foreign minister said Tuesday his They were given dry sleeping COOS BAY — The drooping country would defend itself using bags and moved indoors to sleep in Chandler Building in downtown “all means available” in case of a the gym at Wahtonka High School, Coos Bay is getting some much U.S. strike, denying his where the department observed in needed attention. Workers in red By Thomas Moriarty, The World Inside its daily fire summary Monday were visible throughout the day on Construction workers chat next to idle machinery outside the Chandler Building in government that the “floor may be harder, but Monday, after getting some prep downtown Coos Bay on Monday afternoon. was behind Secretary of Defense it is dry and warm.” work done on Friday. an alleged says U.S. is ready to chemical strike. Page A6 The fire has destroyed four Jim Hossley, Coos Bay public state,”as movement was starting to time to try and keep it propped up. homes. It’s burning on about 19 works and development director, w e apons become more and more noticeable Hossley says they are now work- attack near square miles, or 12,000 acres. said he spoke with the contractor on the outside of the building. ing to put stabilizing pilings The state agency says the cool, on Monday.He said a spokesperson Damascus and challenging Wash- The Chandler was built in 1909 beneath the exterior wall of the ington to present proof backing up wet weather has helped the crews for Ram Jack told him that the work and served as a hotel for years. building to help correct the sinking its accusations. in the gorge, and the fires are con- had indeed commenced. Added to the National Register of northwest corner of the historic Walid al-Moallem spoke at a sidered 45 percent contained. Fire “He said they are on site, start- Historic Places in 1984, the build- structure. The contractors will not, press conference in Damascus as ing work, and plan to keep going crews are being redeployed to ing started showing signs of stress however, be at work on Wednes- condemnation of President Bashar other parts of the fire, demobilized until they are done,”he added. on the northwest corner about four days in order to allow for the farm- In July, the city said the building years ago. Some work was done ers market to continue without SEE WILDFIRES | A10 was “bordering on a dangerous underneath the building at the interruption. SEE SYRIA | A10 Delsie Lang, Langlois Now that’s bling Police reports . A2 Comics . A8 Dean Russell, Bandon T S S E Emma Joy Hawkins, 9, outlasts several E A H Elizabeth Andruss, Lakeside D What’s Up. A3 Puzzles . A8 T I other competitors to win an unusual C T Gordon Elroy, Salem A E A S Mostly cloudy South Coast. A3 Sports . B1 T contest at the state fair. E R N Ronald Hollingsworth, Coos Bay S 70/57 I D Opinion. A4 Classifieds . C3 O Obituaries | A5 Page A5 F Weather | A10 WE CAN DELIVER YOUR Need to sell something? MESSAGE OVER 100,000 TIMES! Call Valerie Today! 541-267-6278 A2 •The World • Tuesday, August 27,2013 South Coast Executive Editor Larry Campbell • 541-269-1222, ext. 251 theworldlink.com/news/local Setting the lights Hospital wins energy grant I Designs for expansion will save electricity, gas BY EMILY THORNTON The World COOS BAY — Energy Trust of Oregon awarded Bay Area Hospital $93,194 on Monday for making energy conscious decisions when designing its new wing. The hospital expects to save 390,833 kilowatt hours of electricity and 47,339 therms of natural gas per year. It also expects to save $70,000 in heating costs because of its energy saving compressor. The LED lights should save BAH 30 percent in electricity, hospital offi- cials said. Edgar Wales, government sector account manager for Energy Trust, said his com- pany “helped customers invest in energy efficiency.” He also said they made pay- ments to those who made efforts to save energy. “Bay Area Hospital created By Alysha Beck, The World a well-designed, efficient Sam Schwarz hangs up part of his hop-shaped chandelier with handblown glass bulbs and copper leaves in the 7 Devils Brewery, which is currently under construction in Coos building,” Wales said. Bay. Brewery owner Carmen Matthews says the brewery will hopefully be open around the end of September or early October. Angalee O’Connor, out- reach manager for Energy Trust, said she walked BAH through the process of reach- ing energy saving goals. About a dozen people over- New charitable gifts saw BAH’s plan. She said companies had to take spe- SUMMER CLEARANCE cial measures to be consid- planner at OCF ered for grants, which come from entities’ charges to RED HOT BUYS! other customers. ST Anne Donnelly was new building. Prior to her “It’s a public purpose NOW THROUGH AUGUST 31 recently named as a charita- work at the Historical charge,”O’Connor said. ble gift planner for the Coos Society, Donnelly was the Wales said companies Folding Folding Bay office of The Oregon executive director of the needed to do more than the Hammock Chair Hand Truck Community Foundation.