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Airport says there will be no impact on air service Boice is ready to get to work

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A TSA checkpoint is seen at the Southwestern Oregon Regional Airport. TSA handles all passenger screenings for flights leaving the airport.

United Airlines offers flights to San Francisco, and beginning in March, to Denver from the airport in North Bend.

coverage continues seamlessly,” Cook said. “The Coos County For The World Airport District’s highest priority North Bend’s decision to cancel is that commercial air service an intergovernmental agreement continues uninterrupted because with the Coos County Airport we understand its importance for District will have no impact on business travelers and tourists, commercial air service to and from meeting individual medical needs, Southwestern Oregon Regional and community commerce on the Airport. South Coast.” That’s the message the airport Cook explained local law district sent this week, with CCAD enforcement is only needed in Executive Director Theresa Cook an unexpected emergency. TSA saying the district was expecting the operates checkpoints to screen move the North Bend City Council passengers when they are boarding a made. commercial flight. “We’ll do what needs to be done The IGA between North Bend to ensure that TSA Passenger callout and the airport district only covered

those rare occasions when a callout to law enforcement was necessary. “Over the last five years, the airport has seen an average of four callouts to the North Bend Police Department per year from the TSA,” Cook said. Despite cancelling the intergovernmental agreement, which required North Bend police to respond to any call within 15 minutes, North Bend Police Chief Gary McCullough said his department would continue to respond to any legitimate emergencies at the airport. While briefing the city council, McCullough said North Bend will

By DAVID RUPKALVIS

respond to an emergency call at the airport just as they would to any call in the city. Thousands of passengers use the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport for safe, convenient, and efficient travel each year. TSA Passenger Screening occurs at all commercial airports, including the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport, which is one of only six in the state of Oregon. United Airlines currently operates weekly flights to San Francisco. Direct, non-stop flights to Denver are scheduled to begin May 7 and run through September 27 on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Merkley: Funding still available for container facility BY DAVID RUPKALVIS For The World

Weeks after the International Port of Coos Bay learned it was not getting a mega grant this year to help bring a shipping container facility to the region, Senator Jeff Merkley said the fight for federal funding is not over. During a town hall in Coos Bay on Saturday, Merkley told The World he was continuing to work with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to make sure he knows what an impact a new shipping container facility could have. “It’s a five-year program,” Merkley said. “I organized a call with Pete Buttigieg because were all frustrated and angry because grant program was supposed to fix a regional problem. The container port would fix a regional problem.

Val Hoyle, Senator Wyden and I talked to him. We were pretty frustrated. There’s a round two, and we are hopeful we will get it in round two.” Merkley said he has supported the proposal of a shipping container facility in Coos Bay for years, pointing to his time in the Oregon Legislature when he helped get funding to keep the Coos Bay Rail Line alive. Merkley said 2023 has started slowly on Capital Hill, but he expects things to pick up rapidly. “Everything is getting off to a slow start,” Merkley said. “We were waiting for the Senate GOP to name their committee members, and they didn’t do that until Thursday.” After Republicans took control of the U.S. House in the 2022 election, Merkley said getting

major proposals done is not likely, but he said there are important areas where Republicans and Democrats can agree. “The agriculture bill has real potential for bipartisan support,” Merkley said. “Somehow, we have to figure out the spending bills. I don’t see anything like the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.” Merkley said housing, especially affordable housing, is a priority because of the great need in Oregon. He said there are ways the federal government can help. “There’s a whole series of funds that do things like vouchers for veterans and low-income housing, but we should do more than that,” Merkley said. “In addition, I’m saying we should get the hedge

Photos by David Rupkalvis/For The World

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley takes questions during a Please see MERKLEY, Page A2 town hall in Coos Bay on Saturday.

Coos Bay man jailed after stealing vehicle, then fleeing from police By DAVID RUPKALVIS For The World

A Coos Bay man is behind bars after stealing a vehicle and leading police on a high-speed chase Monday morning. Coos Bay Police Chief Chris Chapanar reported Aaron Howley, a local homeless man, is facing multiple felony charges after he was arrested Monday evening in Newport with the stolen vehicle. Chapanar reported police were dispatched to the Bay Area Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge dealership on Ocean Boulevard around 6:30 a.m. Monday after an alarm was activated. When officers arrived, they ob-

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served a man inside the dealership attempting to steal a vehicle. The man was later identified as Howley, 45. As officers watched, Howley backed a white 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoner through the closed bay doors and sped off. Coos Bay and North Bend police began to pursue Howley through Coos Bay and North Bend before ending the pursuit due to safety concerns. Police last saw Howley and the Jeep traveling north of Highway 101 near the Hauser scales. Chapanar reported at around 6 p.m. Monday, a person in Newport who had seen a report of the stolen

vehicle on Facebook saw the Jeep parked at a Walmart in Newport. After a 9-1-1 call, Newport police responded to Walmart and located the Jeep. Howley was arrested at the scene on the Coos Bay charges. The owner of the vehicle was contacted and arrangements were made to return the Jeep. Howley was transported back to Coos County, where he was booked on charges of burglary II, criminal mischief 1, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, attempt to elude in a vehicle and reckless driving. As of Tuesday morning, he remained in custody while awaiting an initial court appearance.

By DAVID RUPKALVIS For The World

Court Boice is taking his political talents to Salem beginning this week after county commissioners in Curry, Coos and Douglas counties voted 7-1 to appoint Boice to the vacant House District 1 seat in the Oregon Legislature. Boice, who has served six years as Curry County commissioner, sent a notice to Secretary of State Shernia Fagan and Curry County Clerk Shelley Denney informing them he was resigning as commissioner as of 10:59 a.m. Thursday, February 9. One minute later, he is scheduled to be sworn in as the state representative. Curry County commissioners are moving quickly to find a replacement for Boice and will accept letters of interest through Friday with an appointment likely early next week. The decision to appoint Boice to the state House was the latest move that started when former State Senator Dallas Heard announced he was resigning late last year. Commissioners from Coos, Curry and Douglas counties met and appointed then State Rep. David Brock Smith to the Senate seat, which left the District 1 House seat vacant. Precinct Committee Members from the three counties met and nominated four candidates as potential choices to fill the House vacancy, and commissioners voted 7-1 in favor of Boice. Coos County Commissioner Rod Taylor was the lone no vote, and Boice abstained from the choice. Boice said deciding to pursue the House seat was not an easy choice. “My wife and I wrestled with it,” Boice said. “We did the pros and cons. We got counsel from many people. There’s so much to it.” Boice said he and his wife went to church last week, and while at church he felt a peace that joining the House was the right move. “My struggles weren’t because I did want to do it,” he said. “It’s just where can I be most effective.” Boice said with the decision made, he is ready to get to Salem and get to work. “I have a lot of experience at the Capital,” he said. “People think I ran for governor because I had the ego, but no. We almost lost Brookings in a fire a few years ago.” Boice said he was excited after being named to the Natural Resources, Water and Agriculture Committee and the Housing and Homeless Committee. “My biggest issue will always be catastrophic wildfires,” Boice said. “We’ve got to get the housing thing solved.” Boice said one thing he is very happy about is both the state senator in Brock Smith and the state representative in himself are from Curry County. Please see BOICE, Page A12

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