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TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2025

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Tourism insights from the Visitor & Convention Bureau BY NATE SCHWARTZ Editor

On March 24th, at a North Bend City Council work session Janice Langlinais, Executive Director of the local Visitors & Convention Bureau (VCB), gave their semi-annual presentation outlining insights and statistics from Coos County’s tourism sector. Branded as Oregon’s Adventure Coast by the VCB, Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston bring in thousands of visitors a year, as tourism and hospitality remains one of Oregon’s biggest employers and economic drivers. As Langlinais points out using a car dealership as an example, it’s not just the tourism-focused business that beneﬁt from tourism, thanks to the large base of employees. See TOURISM Continued on Page 9

Coos County Urban Renewal Agency holds crucial discussion on its future

Coos Bay man faces federal charges for allegedly producing and distributing child pornography

BY NATE SCHWARTZ Editor

A who’s-who of Coos County local politics was on hand in the Port of Coos Bay meeting chambers on the morning of March 27th to discuss the matter of dissolving the Coos County Urban Renewal Agency (CCURA). The county, which has been under great ﬁnancial stress, wants to consider doing away with the CCURA in order to see those funds allocated elsewhere. County Commissioner John Sweet opened the meeting by outlining the county’s argument for doing so: “It seems to me, and to the other two commissioners, that we’ve kind of done the job. That maybe the $432,000 a year that we take away from other taxing districts to fund the CCURA, might be better used by the individual taxing districts. But before we make that decision, we want to see what other people have in mind for what the CCURA could do. “The county is in pretty dire straits… We’re in the position where almost every dollar counts, and the county is the sole provider of crucial services… And we’re at the point where we aren’t going to be able to do that good a job. We already laid off 13 people in December. We’re looking at a $1.8 million budget deﬁcit,” said Sweet. Sweet argues that the reported $2.84 million accrued by the

U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon

CCURA being returned to the various taxing districts would alleviate some of the county’s ﬁnancial troubles, while allowing a number of entities to be reimbursed for those taxed funds. Given that the CCURA is under the county, it is up to the commissioners to make that decision. According to the commissioners, they would stand to gain $348,000 for county operations, with a number of other local taxing

districts also getting a one-time reimbursement of funds while no longer having to pay future amounts levied by the CCURA. North Bend Mayor Jessica Engelke, who’s backgr ound is in economic and business development, asked a question that gets at the crux of the situation. Could those funds be used to develop something that can assuage budgetary concerns and pose a more long-term solution? “To me the answer is ﬁnding

A Coos Bay, Oregon man was arraigned in federal court today for allegedly possessing, distributing, attempting to produce, and producing child pornography. Thomas Owen Barnett, 39, has been charged with attempting to use and using a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and possessing and distributing child pornography. According to court documents, between September and December 2023, Barnett is alleged to have knowingly and intentionally used a minor to engage in and record sexually explicit conduct. In September 2024, Barnett is further alleged to have used Kik and Instagram, online social media platforms, to engage in chats involving child sex abuse, seek opportunities to engage in child sexual abuse, and advertise the sale of child pornography. At times, Barnett posed as a young man or a minor female to persuade his victims to produce and exchange child pornography, including requests for sexually explicit materials depicting an infant. Barnett made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on May 27, 2025. Attempting to use a minor and using a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct are each punishable by up to 30

economic development tools, and [the CCURA] is a very good economic development tool that has had some success and could beneﬁt from moving forward with other projects,” said Mayor Engelke. “Although, a one-time bump of money, $52,000 for the City of North Bend is nothing to turn our nose up at. I just think we’d be making a very shortSee FUNDS Continued on Page 16

‘Caution - Rough Roads Ahead’ ODOT states in new report of deteriorating into poor condition within the next few years. Oregon’s highway system is ODOT’s goal is to preserve the facing ongoing challenges as the condition of Oregon’s highways condition of many roads through regular maintenance. continues to decline, according to “As roads age, maintenance the Oregon Department of needs become more complex and Transportation’s 2024 Pavement costly,” ODOT states in a Condition Report. release. “Timely maintenance, The report highlights that such as resurfacing and crack while 87% of Oregon’s 18,000 sealing, are the most effective lane miles of pavement are still way to prevent roads from in fair or better condition, the further deterioration and to quality of roads is slipping, with extend their service life.” the percentage of “good” pavement reaching its lowest Background point since 2001. Pavements are load-carrying The report points to a structures that degrade over time significant decline in the number due to the cumulative effects of of roads classified as in “good” traffic, weather, and material condition. Over the past decade, aging. To keep them properly the amount of pavement rated as good has decreased, and without See ROADS adequate maintenance, many Continued on Page 3 roads in fair condition are at risk

BY JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

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