C M C M Y K Y K VIKING VICTORY HOLIDAY TREAT Siuslaw tops Pirates, B1 Stuffed French toast, C2 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 theworldlink.com I 75¢ OSAA drops Marshfield to 4A with NB BY JOHN GUNTHER the Far West League with North The OSAA Executive Board has upper limit of 869 for Class 4A. “Every program is going to benefit.” The World Bend and fellow South Coast not often moved schools in the final The only three Class 5A schools Marshfield’s student population schools Siuslaw and Brookings- year of a four-year time block, but smaller than Marshfield all choose has dropped rapidly in recent years, COOS BAY — Marshfield High Harbor. decided to move the Pirates now. to participate at that level — Marist, much like other South Coast School’s days of competing against “I think it was certainly good for The board also dropped Toledo from a private school from Eugene, and schools. As recently as 2005-2006, the bigger Eugene-area schools for our kids, our coaches and our com- Class 3A to Class 2A, but did not Portland Interscholastic League Marshfield still was listed at more Midwestern League titles are com- munity to be placed in a league that move any other schools up or down. schools Roosevelt and Jefferson. than 1,100 students, though ing to an end. is appropriate for our size,” said OSAA uses average student Central (844) and Molalla (776) were enrollment has dropped every year The Oregon School Activities Boyd Bjorkquist, Marshfield’s co- enrollment numbers to determine Class 4A schools larger than Marsh- since the 2003-2004 school year. Association’s executive board athletic director. “With what’s hap- which classifications schools should field last year. The enrollment fell under 1,000 voted Monday to drop Marshfield pened with our enrollment, it gives be placed in. Marshfield’s average “I think it evens out the playing for the first time in 2009-2010, from Class 5A to Class 4A. Starting our kids a chance to be competitive. for last year was 766 students, field a little bit for us,”said Marsh- next fall, the Pirates will compete in That’s what we’re hoping for.” which is well under the current field softball coach Floyd Montiel. SEE MARSHFIELD | A3 45 workers Inferno destroys airport hangar will lose jobs at ORC BY DANIEL SIMMONS-RITCHIE The World COOS BAY — A Coos County mining company temporarily sus- pended its operations Monday, which will leave 45 employees unemployed next week. Financial difficulties forced Oregon Resources Corp. to halt its mining operation Monday morn- ing. Work at its Bunker Hill pro- cessing plant will cease next Wednesday. Wayne Knott, CEO of ORC’s parent company, IDM Interna- tional, said the company would maintain a “core” workforce of 15 employees who will continue min- eral exploration, marketing and commitments to state regulators. Knott stressed that the closure was temporary and he hoped to restart operations within six to 12 months. “The intent is that we reorgan- ize the business, try and secure funding to allow us to develop the By Lou Sennick, The World An excavator is in the middle of the flames of what was the old airport hanger at the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport early Tuesday morning. The fire was reported SEE ORC | A8 about 12:20 a.m. and the old wooden structure was destroyed quickly. The hanger and its North Bend lettering was visible all over the area and from the McCullough Seven is Bridge. It was in the process of being demolished. enough — Fire razes WWII structure DUIIs that is BY JESSIE HIGGINS a good job of keeping that in control and using The fire’s cause is still unknown. The World all our skills and training.” A few nearby planes on the airport’s tarmac BY TYLER RICHARDSON A small part of the building that contained were damaged, and firefighters evacuated a The World NORTH BEND — Firefighters overnight the fuel farm did catch fire, Brown said, but nearby apartment building as a precaution, battled a fast-burning inferno that started in firefighters were able to quickly extinguish Brown said. COQUILLE — A Coos Bay man the abandoned airport hanger near Southwest those flames. The fire also knocked out a nearby power was sentenced to jail after pleading Oregon Regional Airport. The old airport hanger on the 1300 block of line, killing power to hundreds of residents in guilty to his seventh DUII Monday. Despite powerful winds, crews were able to East Airport Way was almost completely con- the Airport Heights and surrounding areas, Michael Jay Hull, 65, received keep the fire from spreading to nearby struc- sumed by the fire. Its remnants still burned at according to Pacific Power. 30 days in jail and lifetime suspen- tures, one of which housed a fuel farm with 8 a.m. this morning. Firefighters had the blaze satisfactorily sion of his license following a July tanks of flammables, including jet fuel. The fire call came in just after midnight controlled within a couple hours of their 4 arrest when he crashed a van “The fire was contained through a huge Tuesday, and within 20 minutes of the Fire arrival on scene. while intoxicated at Bastendorff effort from our people,” said North Bend Department’s arrival the structure collapsed, Beach. Assistant Fire Chief Jim Brown. “Our guys did Brown said. SEE HANGAR | A8 Coos County Deputy District Attorney Sarah Lundstedt said in court that this was Hull’s seventh conviction for DUII, dating back to 1982. Three of the seven convic- Police chase ends in tions came in 1982 and the others happened in 1994, 1996, 2001 and 2012. Hull’s attorney Nick Nylander crash, bridge closure said in Hull’s 2001 conviction he was driving a bicycle, not a motor BY THOMAS MORIARTY assault, driving under the influence vehicle. The World of intoxicants, two counts of Lundstedt said Hull crashed the wreckless endangering, two counts van into a ditch after he and a NORTH BEND — A North Bend of first-degree criminal mischief, friend drove to see fireworks. Hull man is in the Coos County jail after attempt to elude and unauthorized told officers he made a mistake and an attempted stop of a stolen vehi- use of a motor vehicle. Schuster also shouldn’t have been drinking, cle Monday, that ended in a wreck is being held on warrants out of Lundstedt said. By Lou Sennick, The World on the McCullough Bridge. Deschutes County. Traffic moves slowly southbound on the McCullough Bridge early Monday Stephen Schuster, 36, is being SEE DUII | A8 afternoon, after an accident shut down the bridge earlier in the morning. held on charges of second-degree SEE CHASE | A8 Police reports . A2 Sports . B1 T S S Nancy Larsen, Seattle, Wash. E Mary Crawford, Coos Bay A H D What’s Up. A3 Comics . C3 Phillip Crew, Coquille I Patricia Simpson, North Bend C T E A S South Coast. A3 Puzzles. C3 Arnold Schondelmaier, Coos Bay Rain E | Obituaries A5 R N Anne Larmer, Coos Bay 55/47 I D Opinion. A4 Classifieds . C4 O F Weather | A8 GGiiveivvee aa GGiftGiifftt ffromfrroomm tthethhee Sea!SSeeaa!! Nautical gifts Smoked Albacore • Albacore Tuna • Chinook Salmon just arrived! Shipped direct from our Mix or Match a Case of 24 cans! Seafood Market on the dock. 63534 Kingfisher Rd on D Dock, Charleston 5441-888-TUNA1--888--TUNA ((8862)8862) www.FishermensWharfOregon.com C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 •The World • Tuesday, December 4,2012 Y K South Coast City Editor Ryan Haas • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Thefts & Mischief Suicidal man allegedly assaults officer COOS COUNTY Nov. 30, 2:52 p.m., criminal mis- chief, 3000 block of Tremont THE WORLD James Jasman in a front yard. Parker allegedly injured Dec. 2, 1:40 p.m., man arrested Woman pleads not Avenue. Bennett said Jasman was Eric Kuntz with a dangerous for domestic menacing, 64600 guilty on assault NORTH BEND — Police aggressive with officers and weapon Nov.22, according to block of Wygant Road. Nov. 30, 3:46 p.m., phone harass- say a suicidal man with a rifle struck one officer with his COQUILLE — A woman the indictment. ment, 2900 block of Myrtle faces a Ballot Measure 11 Street. assaulted an officer as he was elbow as he was being taken Parker is charged with NORTH BEND being arrested Monday in charge after a grand jury Dec. 1, 1:37 p.m., dispute, 2100 into custody. second-degree assault, a Nov. 30, 9 a.m., fraud, 2100 block North Bend. indicted her block of Everett Street. Police found a rifle in on a domes- Measure 11 offense, and of Everett Street. Sgt. Curt Jasman’s residence when unlawful use of weapon, Dec. 1, 2:13 p.m., man arrested on Bennett tic assault Nov. 30, 9:05 a.m., criminal mis- they searched it. Several offi- charge last which is a Class C felony. domestic menacing charge, with the cers were on scene when The presumptive sentence chief, possible slashed tire, 3300 block of Broadway week. 2300 block of Brussells Street. North Bend Jasman was taken into cus- for a second-degree assault Avenue. P olice Delores tody after resisting arrest. Anne conviction is 70 months. Nov. 30, 9:12 a.m., criminal mis- Dec. 1, 5:58 p.m., disorderly con- Department After the incident, Parker, 51, of Measure 11 offenses carry chief, Broadway Garden. duct, man walking in the road- said officers Jasman was taken to Bay Coos Bay, the strictest penalty under Nov.