C M C M Y K Y K PLAYOFF TIME PURCHASING POWER Seniors lead Bulldogs, Pirates, B1 Yahoo buys Tumblr for $1.1B, A7 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013 theworldlink.com I 75¢ Vandals defaced the Mingus Park Vietnam War Memorial cross sometime late Sunday Vandals deface park cross night or Monday morn- ing. The cross is at the center of a potential legal battle over the BY THOMAS MORIARTY Capt. Chris Chapanar of presence of an arguably religious symbol on The World Coos Bay police said the Your reactions public property. department first received a The following comments are a small number of the responses COOS BAY — A contested report at 10:30 a.m. An offi- World readers posted on Facebook: war memorial cross in Min- cer went to the scene to take Bill Kinyoun: I don’t care where you stand on the issue.....This gus Park has apparently photos and file a report, but is just plain wrong!! become the target of vandals. Chapanar said the depart- Cheryl Crump: wow really.. how petty and selfish some people Sometime between Sunday ment has no suspects at this are. This is a slap to the face to all that have served... living and evening and Monday morning, time. “It’s basically a pending dead. How horrible!!! persons unknown wrote the investigation,”he said. Patty Kenyon: Whomever did this ridiculous act of vandalism word “remove” on the inter- The cross, which tops a did this for their own stupid and shameful reasons. All you have section of the Mingus Park memorial first installed in done is attempted to make a point that non-Christians are hate- Vietnam War Memorial cross’ 1972, has been at the center of ful vandals and given credence to those that are against you. You main beams, and drew perfo- a legal and cultural battle have hurt any cause you attempted to fight for. Kristen Hinerman-vincent: We should paint over it! ration marks at its base. An since the city received a letter Jessica Beebe: That's not fair that other people have died for By Thomas Moriarty, arrow topped with the word us and u are so rude to have done that... Have some respect The World “cut” points to the dotted line. SEE CROSS | A8 County Tornado death toll climbs taps into forest fund I Five county job vacancies are left open, but the Sheriff’s Office remains intact for now BY EMILY THORNTON The World COQUILLE — Coos County’s budget committee tapped into saved-up forest revenue Monday to help balance its 2013-2014 budget. But the Sheriff’s Office was spared further staff reduc- tions for now. Faced with a $3 million budget deficit, the committee moved $1.3 million from the county’s forestry savings fund to help plug the gap. The decision prompted an objec- tion from one committee member. The Associated Press photos “We’re looking at being bank- This aerial photo shows damage to Plaza Towers Elementary School after it was hit by a massive tornado in Moore, Okla., on Monday. A tornado roared through the rupt in two years, and we just Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on the elementary school. passed a status quo budget,” said Don Peabody, one of three appointed citizens who join the three county commissioners on Twister flattens two elementary schools the committee. “I am not com- fortable passing a status quo budget. I would be comfortable BY NOMAAN MERCHANT AND SEAN MURPHY would search the whole community at making serious cuts in this budg- The Associated Press least two more times to ensure that no sur- et.” vivors — or any of the dead — were over- “If we make too many cuts, we MOORE, Okla. — Emergency crews looked. Crews painted an ‘X’ on each can’t be responsive,” Commis- searched the broken remnants of an Okla- structure to note it had been checked. sioner Melissa Cribbins said. homa City suburb today for survivors of a “That is to confirm we have done our Cribbins called Sheriff Craig massive tornado that flattened homes and due diligence for this city, for our citizens,” Zanni during the meeting to ask demolished an elementary school. At least Bird said. whether he could afford to let any 24 people were killed, including at least The community of 56,000 people, 10 of his current job vacancies seven children, and those numbers were miles south of Oklahoma City, braced for unfilled. He reminded the com- expected to climb. another long, harrowing day. mittee that there are some days As the sun rose over the shattered com- “As long as we are here ... we are going to when a single deputy patrols the munity of Moore, the state medical exam- hold out hope that we will find survivors,” county. He remembers being that iner’s office cut the estimated death toll by said Trooper Betsy Randolph, a spokes- deputy. more than half but warned that the num- woman for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. “When you’re at a brawl outside ber was likely to climb again. More than 120 people were being treated the bar in Charleston, and you’re Spokeswoman Amy Elliott said she at hospitals, including about 50 children. the only one on duty in the county, believes some victims were counted twice Other search-and-rescue teams focused it makes you rethink what you’re in the early chaos of the storm that struck their efforts at Plaza Towers Elementary, doing for a living,”Zanni said. Monday afternoon. Downed communica- where the storm ripped off the school’s roof, Rather than weaken law tion lines and problems sharing informa- knocked down walls and turned the play- enforcement any further, the tion with officers exacerbated the problem, ground into a mass of twisted plastic and committee decided to leave five she said. metal as students and teachers huddled in other vacancies unfilled: paralegal “It was a very eventful night,” Elliott hallways and bathrooms. assistant, help front desk manager, said. “I truly expect that they’ll find more Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said she building maintenance worker, today.” watched up close late Monday as rescuers juvenile court counselor and Authorities initially said as many as 51 tried to find people in the wreckage of the finance director. Sacrificing those people were dead, including 20 children. school. jobs saves about $333,000. Addi- New search-and-rescue teams moved “It was an incredible sight to see how big tional savings were made by cut- Achild calls to his father after being pulled from the rubble of at dawn today, taking over from the 200 or the debris field was and how much destruc- ting the unemployment, settle- the Tower Plaza Elementary School following a tornado in so emergency responders who worked all tion there was,” Fallin said. “It would be ment and separation funds by Moore,Okla. Atornado as much as half a mile wide with winds night. A helicopter shined a spotlight from remarkable for anyone to survive.” up to 200 mph roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs above to aid in the search. SEE BUDGET | A8 Monday. Fire Chief Gary Bird said fresh teams SEE TORNADO | A8 Phyllis Oliphant, Coquille Statue switch Police reports . A2 Sports . B1 Fred Morrison Jr., Hoonah, Alaska T S S E Oregon House votes to replace U.S. E A H Martha Gillespie, Coos Bay D What’s Up. A3 Comics . C3 T I Capitol statue of pioneer Jason Lee with C T Mary Johnson, North Bend A E A S Rain South Coast. A3 Puzzles. C3 T one of politician Mark Hatfield. E R N Harriett Denman, Lakeside S 52/46 I D Opinion. A4 Classifieds . C4 O Obituaries | A5 Page A5 F Weather | A8 WE CAN DELIVER YOUR Need to sell your vehicle? MESSAGE OVER 71,000 TIMES! Call Valerie Today! 541-267-6278 C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 •The World • Tuesday, May21,2013 Y K South Coast City Editor Ryan Haas • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Thefts & Mischief Coquille PD sorts out trucker squabble COOS COUNTY boat trapped on oyster beds in the bay, Kentuck Channel. May 19, 3:02 p.m., woman arrest- I Police chief claims they felt unfairly singled ers on May 10. The problem City Manager Benjamin ed for stealing a neighbor’s May 19, 7:21 p.m., gold watch out. has stopped, Blue said. Marchant. dog, 93600 block of Carlisle missing, believed stolen, 3700 truckers harassed Blue said she and her One local trucking com- “When they choose to Lane. block of Chester Street. her family, officer daughter were personally pany owner refused to be not follow the posted speed May 19, 3:12 p.m., theft and bur- harassed by truckers in the interviewed on the record. limit and stop signs, they’re glary of residence, 90900 block COOS BAY ensuing weeks. One trucker At another company, Vern putting the public at danger of Caraway Lane. May 19, 8:21 a.m., heard a gun- BY GEORGE ARTSITAS screamed expletives at one Gaedecke of Ireland Truck- knowingly,” Marchant said. shot, 200 block of North Was- The World of her officers at the High- ing said his company didn’t “This all comes down to May 19, 9:26 p.m., caller has way Deli. In another inci- receive the memo from upholding the laws to help heard two large booms, 46900 son Street.