C M C M Y K Y K FOCUS FOR DISTRICT END OF THE DRIVE Bobcat senior eyes state berth, B1 Kidney patients can now get treated here, THRIVE Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2013 theworldlink.com I 75¢ ‘Please don’t send me there’ Opposition gathers to halt North Bend school split BY THOMAS MORIARTY a hundred parents and community grades K-5. The World members who packed the North During an April 30 work session, Bend City Council Chambers to Hollensteiner told the board they NORTH BEND — If you don’t give input on a proposed school would have to reconfigure class- live in our town, don’t try to reconfiguration that would split room and building assignments to rearrange our lives. grades K-5 between two different accommodate full-day kinder- That was the message North buildings. garten. Beginning this coming Bend parent Julie Batchelor had for By 5:45 — 15 minutes before the school year, the state will fund all- Superintendent B.J. Hollensteiner meeting’s scheduled start — the day programs at any districts that at the school board’s Wednesday audience was overflowing into the want them. night special meeting. hallway. Implementation of full-day “She continues to commute to At its regular board meeting kindergarten is an important part and from her home in Salem each Monday, Hollensteiner formally of meeting both Gov. John By Thomas Moriarty, The World week,”Batchelor told the audience. presented a proposal that would Kitzhaber’s 40-40-20 goal and the North Bend School Board member Anthony Collins listens to 8-year-old Emily Engelke “How can we leave it to her to be send grades K-2 to Hillcrest Ele- 2010 Common Core State Stan- explain why she doesn’t want the district to split grades K-5 between North Bay and the voice of our community?” mentary and grades 3-5 to North Hillcrest Elementary schools on Wednesday night at North Bend City Hall. Batchelor was one of more than Bay. Both schools currently teach SEE SPLIT | A8 President for the night Rebeck accepts plea agreement BY GEORGE ARTSITAS person is classified as a Class A mis- The World demeanor. Rebeck’s attorney Laura Fine COQUILLE — A Bandon midwife Moro contends that the only reason who had a baby die under her watch Rebeck was charged in the first place in 2011 pleaded guilty today to reck- was because of discrimination. lessly endangering another person. “We usually do not bring criminal Marcene Rebeck, an unlicensed charges against health care providers midwife for the past 31 years, for their judgement calls in the inex- received a five-year deferred sen- act matter of providing health care,” tence as part of her plea agreement Moro said. “In this case, it is clear with the state. She also must that criminal charges were brought become licensed as part of the plea against Ms. Rebeck for perceived deal. mistakes only because, as an unli- The plea deal dismissed Rebeck’s censed midwife, there was no gov- charges of second-degree erning board to sanction her.” manslaughter and negligent homi- Outside the courthouse, Rebeck cide. If convicted, the negligent collapsed in tears into the arms of homicide charge could’ve netted her one of her supporters. 75 months mandatory prison sen- Moro said now Rebeck can get tence. back to work. “This is obviously a unique case, “By taking this offer, Ms. Rebeck one of which the court has never ensures her family and community seen,”Judge Richard L. Barron said. Recklessly endangering another SEE REBECK | A8 By Lou Sennick, The World Joe Wiegand portrays the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt in a one-man show Wednesday evening at the Hales Center for the Performing Arts in Coos Bay.This is the second year he has been touring Oregon with the Oregon Historical Society.The local stop was a benefit for the Coos Historical & Maritime Museum. Public defender closes the book on 30 years in law BY GEORGE ARTSITAS The World COOS BAY — John Meynink, a Coos County public defender, is on Contributed photo the verge of the longest vacation of Chief Petty Officer Benjamin Snider,from Coast Guard Station Umpqua River,receives his his life. rank from his wife,Jessie,and Master Chief James Clemons in a ceremony in Washington, Retirement. After more then three decades in D.C.on May10.Snider was meritoriouslypromoted after receiving the Coast Guard’s 2012 law, Meynink is retiring from the Enlisted Person of the Year. He’s been in Winchester Bay for five years. Southwestern Oregon Public Defender Services at the end of the month and will be without a job for WB Coast Guardsman is the first time since he was 8. “It’s a huge change in my life,” Meynink said. “I started picking enlisted man of the year berries and beans when I was in third grade.” By Alysha Beck, The World Meynink, 67, has been registered John Meynink, with the Southwestern Oregon Public Defender Office in Coos Bay, is BY STEVE LINDSLEY meritoriously promoted to Chief to practice law in Oregon since 1979. retiring after 30 years of service. The World Petty Officer. He was a teacher and in the U.S. Snider is the operations Petty Peace Corps before he ever sat on the University of Utah. teach for two years until finally, in WINCHESTER BAY — The top Officer for Coast Guard Station bench. But his real love was the law. 1983, he found a job here as a public enlisted man for the entire U.S. Umpqua River. He lives in North Bend now, but “For me, law was a better fit than defender. Five years later, he was Coast Guard for 2012 is stationed “I was very surprised,” Snider Meynink was raised in Newburg and teaching,” Meynink said. “I feel like I named director and was running the at Winchester Bay. said in his Winchester Bay office. got degrees in Middle East studies do a better job as a lawyer than I did place. Benjamin Snider, 30, received “It is a tremendous honor and and political science from Portland as a teacher.” Ron Cox has worked with the award at a ceremony in privilege to both receive this award State University. He also earned a Before he pursued a career in law, Washington D.C. on May 10 with master’s degree in teaching from the he followed his wife to Venezuela to SEE MEYNINK | A8 his family watching. He was also SEE USCG | A8 Make the coaches pay Police reports . A2 Sports . B1 T S S E New bill would make coaches personally E A H Fred Morrison, Hoonah, Alaska D What’s Up. A3 Classifieds . C1 T I responsible for college’s legal fees in the C T A E A S | Rain likely South Coast. A3 Puzzles. C6 Obituaries A5 T event of NCAA sanctions. E R N S 57/50 I D Opinion. A4 Comics . C6 O Page A5 F Weather | A8 We carry Culligan Water Filters COOS BAY COQUILLE All sizes and types 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, May16,2013 Y K South Coast City Editor Ryan Haas • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Bill for small Dressed up for a good cause port dredging Southwestern Oregon Community College ath- letes and community chugs ahead members donned heels of varying hues and sizes for the “Walk a Mile in THE WORLD Development Act. The bill Her Shoes”event at the will now head to the House. college Wednesday.The COOS BAY — The U.S. The Senate version of the Senate passed a water event was put on by the bill provides $1.6 billion in Zonta Club of Coos Bay resources bill Wednesday long-term infrastructure and the Women’s Safety that includes an amendment funding to ports including to pay for maintenance and and Resource Center to Brookings Harbor, Gold dredging in small Oregon raise awareness about Beach, Port Orford, Coos ports, including Coos Bay. gender violence preven- Bay, Charleston Harbor, The amendment, spon- tion. sored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D- Umpqua, Siuslaw, Toledo, Ore., was included in the Newport, Depoe Bay and Water Resources Garibaldi. Thefts & Mischief By Alysha Beck, The World COOS BAY block of 13th Street. May 14, 8:20 a.m., theft, 1000 May 14, 7:46 p.m., theft, medica- block of Ingersoll Avenue. tion, 800 block of Fourth May 14, 8:56 a.m., menacing, Street. 1100 block of Baxter Street. May 15, 12:01 a.m., theft, lottery Scammers scour for summer score May 14, 9:40 a.m, theft, medica- ticket, 400 block of Newmark Avenue. tion, 100 block of Norman It’s May. Summer is right anything with a strange a likely sign the company getting tickets below face Avenue. May 15, 1:39 a.m., theft, 2000 around the corner. Kids are business, call the attorney isn’t legitimate. The desti- value, people are willing to May 14, 11:09 a.m., unlawful block of Newmark Avenue. out of school and you’ve general’s office and con- nations and dates available trade travel vouchers for entry into motor vehicle, 1000 May 15, 2:17 a.m., unlawful entry been saving up all your sick sumer protection agencies in for travel are limited with below-cost on classified block of Newmark Avenue.