e MOSTLY EditionCLOUDY 66 • 54 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2020 | theworldlink.com Follow us online: facebook.com/theworldnewspaper twitter.com/TheWorldLink instagram.com/theworldlink Reedsport schools go online after virus exposure The World sary time to quarantine effected individuals, deep clean our facil- REEDSPORT — Students ities, monitor the COVID cases in Reedsport public schools are and prepare for a safe return for headed back online for at least staff and students,” Zwemke two weeks after a COVID-19 wrote. case was reported in the district, Douglas County has seen an according to an announcement increase in COVID-19 cases in from the Reedsport School recent weeks. The latest state District. school reopening metrics show Students throughout the that the two-week period ending district returned to all-online Nov. 7 far exceeded the previous instruction Tuesday, and will two week periods in both cases remain under that model until at per 100,000 residents and test least Nov. 30, the district said. positivity, the data points which The World file photo determine if schools can expand “After speaking with the Reedsport Community Charter School (public health department) about their in-person activities. the status of our community and COVID-19 on Monday. Contact activities. bus parking locations, a list of According to Oregon’s new forecasting cases in the near tracers are communicating with Some district services will which is available on the dis- school metrics, districts in the future, I am concerned about the students and staff members who still be offered while students are trict’s website. Students who left county are in a “transition” health and safety of our students may have come in contact with in online classes. Meal delivery materials at school should email phase, meaning they can’t open and staff,” Superintendent Jon the staff member to inform them will continue as scheduled, but their school offices to arrange a any more classrooms to in-per- Zwemke wrote in the release. of further steps, the district said. district buildings will not serve time to pick them up, the district son instruction and should con- The change came after the The district also said it’s food. said. sider sending more students to district learned of a staff mem- assessing the staff member’s WiFi hotspots will be avail- “(The switch to online learn- online learning if cases continue ber who tested positive for mask use, social distancing and able at their designated school ing) will provide us the neces- to trend upward. Stalled by the tide North Bend approves funding for officers JOHN GUNTHER The World NORTH BEND — In a quick vote Tuesday night, the North Bend City Council approved funding for three police officers for the rest of the fiscal year by taking money from the fund for the city’s pool, which has been closed since March because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandem- ic. The unanimous vote wasn’t a surprise. The council discussed several times early in the sum- mer using money from the pool fund to pay for the three officers so the city could continue round- the-clock police coverage after voters in May cut the city’s $30 public service fee to $15, a loss John Gunther, The World of revenue to the city estimated The El Conquistador sits in Coos Bay on Tuesday after it was grounded by low tide while being moved from a dock in Coos Bay to Empire. Read more about the vessel’s at $785,000 a year. storied history in Saturday’s edition of The World. The resolution approved by the council Tuesday moves $375,050 from the pool fund to the police fund for the rest of the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The money doesn’t completely empty out the pool fund. A total High-end subdivision approved of 107,331 remains in the fund, to cover expenses for maintain- ZACK DEMARS Arizona, but is involved with all of them and will work with still have to go through the build- ing the building. There also is The World several other projects in Coos the public works department to ing permit process for each home $150,000 in pool improvement Bay, including the 400-home gain the necessary approvals for they build. funds. COOS BAY — The Coos Bay Timber Cove project on Lindy each one of these lots,” Hailey Developers have also request- The city had earlier essentially planning commission approved Lane. Originally from Seattle, Sheldon, a representative of the ed a vacation of a portion of decided to keep the pool closed the development of a high-end Woodruff said he enjoys the developer, told the planning Maxwell Avenue, though access for the fiscal year because of subdivision Tuesday night. The people and environment on the commission. “The applicant to the property would be through expected increased costs and loss developers plan to turn the prop- South Coast. intends to put large and beautiful Connecticut Street. of expected revenue due restric- erty into up to 13 homes in the “The people are nice in Coos single-family homes on these Planning commission mem- tions caused by the pandemic. city’s northwest corner. Bay and North Bend, that’s lots.” bers were supportive of the The money being transferred Brad Woodruff, the president refreshing,” Woodruff said. Unlike the Timber Cove proj- subdivision, approving it 6-0. to the police department includes of Red Moon Development & Plus, Woodruff said the area ect, which will bring 400 or more “It’s hard to argue with it, we pool expenses for personnel, Construction, hopes to begin has potential, with possible eco- manufactured homes to market get the taxes out of it and North including salaries and related construction as soon as possible. nomic and population growth on in the next few years for around Bend takes care of all the other social security, health insurance The property’s location makes the horizon. $100,000 a piece, affordability stuff,” Commissioner Jim Berg and retirement for the pool it complex: It sits at the end of “I think there’s a good oppor- isn’t the goal of the Bluffs proj- said. manager as well as money for Maxwell Avenue, on the bluffs tunity here,” Woodruff said. ect. The single-family homes, “It’s a good use of that prop- lifeguards, lights and power, just south of the North Bend The approval comes with a each with bay views, will likely erty,” Commission Chair Rex water, heating and building and Airport, where the Coos Bay number of conditions, including cost at least $875,000, Woodruff Miller added. “I’m glad to see plant supplies. city limits abut North Bend’s. certain permits, easements and said. something happening.” Because the issue had been The property is all technically environmental standards that The homes in the gated com- There’s a 15-day appeal period discussed repeatedly, it wasn’t in Coos Bay, but will use North must be satisfied prior to con- munity will be designed, built of the Planning Commission’s discussed extensively at either Bend’s sewer line, per an agree- struction. and priced one at a time to allow approval of the subdivision for the Monday work session or the ment with the city. “We’ve gone through all of the developers to adjust to market issues based on the commission’s Tuesday council meeting. Red Moon, Woodruff’s firm, conditions of approval and thing conditions, according to planning criteria, city planner Debbie Also on Tuesday, the coun- is headquartered in Scottsdale, that they’re great. We accept documents. The developers will Erler said Tuesday. cil made a presentation to Fire Chief Jim Brown for 30 years of service to the city. Democrats retain control of House, majority shrinks “I want to congratulate Jim Brown for his 30 years of ser- WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats were all but certain ers last week, “We’ve lost some compromises with the GOP. vice,” Councilor Timm Slater Democrats clinched two more to see their current 232-seat battles but we’ve won the war.” As the bad news sunk in, Rep. said, adding that such service years of controlling the House on majority shrink after an unfore- By retaining the House, Dem- Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., who led is not uncommon. “We have Tuesday but with a potentially seen surge of Republican voters ocrats will control the chamber House Democrats’ campaign excellent employees that like to razor-thin majority, a bittersweet transformed expected gains of for four consecutive years for committee, announced Monday be where they are and like to be finale to last week’s elections perhaps 15 seats into losses only the second time since 1995, she wouldn’t seek another term part of the city. They grow in that has left them divided and potentially approaching that when Republicans ended 40 leading that organization. Dem- their roles and they grow leaders with scant margin for error for amount. years of Democratic dominance. ocrats said privately she would around them.” advancing their agenda. “We have the gavel, we have Yet though Joe Biden won the have lost had she again sought Brown expressed thanks to the The party has now nailed the gavel,” said House Speaker presidential election, there was the post, for which the party’s fire chief who hired him 30 years down at least 218 seats, accord- Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who a strong chance Republicans lawmakers vote. ago and to the residents for sup- ing to The Associated Press, and seems all but certain to continue would keep Senate control. That Republicans have been heart- porting him and the department.