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Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024

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Mayors, chamber endorse Public Safety Levy BY DEAN BRICKEY For The World

COQUILLE — Every mayor in Coos County and the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce have endorsed the Public Safety Levy that Coos County Commissioners have placed on the May 21 Primary Election ballot. John Sweet, Coos County commissioner, said the leaders of the Coos County Democratic Party also have endorsed the levy, which asks county voters to approve a fiveyear tax levy of 98 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. County officials say the measure would raise $5.7 million the first year. The money would be dedicated to increasing the capacity of the Coos County Jail and hiring two new deputy district attorneys. “One thing that I sense

has been under-discussed is the positive impact of the levy on people whose crimes do not warrant incarceration,” Sweet said. Our Parole and Probation

Department has signiﬁcant addiction and behavioral counseling available, particularly to those whose crimes and behavior do not warrant incarceration.

Right now, the county has over eight times more people in Parole and Probation than in jail.” Sweet said the county Parole & Probation

Department’s capacity is for more than 600 people, yet the staff is serving just a few more than 400. That’s because “the county cannot afford

Guns, money, drugs recovered after arrest The Coos Bay Police Department made an arrest and recovered a significant amount of cash, firearms, and suspected drugs after executing search warrants on 36-year-old Matthew Medeiros in Coos Bay. In the afternoon on Saturday April 13, 2024, the North Coos 9-1-1 Center received a tip that a man was idling his car in the parking lot of the Boys & Girls Club of Southwestern Oregon in Coos Bay. The caller described that the man seemed unable to stay awake and inferred drugs may be involved. Before officers arrived on the scene, the man fled the vehicle leaving a bottle of suspected drugs behind. After arriving, officers were able to track down and detain Medeiros. They found a taser and a large quantity of cash, which prompted CBPD to apply for and execute a search warrant on the vehicle. The search yielded multiple suspected narcotics and four firearms, one of which turned out to be stolen. Upon executing a warrant on Medeiros’ home in Coos Bay, they discovered 21 firearms, a substantial load of cash, and substances suspected to be fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, and heroin. Officers also found property both suspected and confirmed to be stolen. Medeiros was transported to Coos County Jaul and held on a number of charges:

Please see SAFETY Page 10

Coos County total payroll employment rose by 130 jobs in March STAFF REPORT

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• Unlawful Possession of Fentanyl

• Attempted Delivery of Fentanyl

• Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine

• Attempted Delivery of Methamphetamine

• 25 counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm

• Unlawful Possession of Heroin

• Attempted Delivery of Heroin

• Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon

• Theft 1 by Receiving Oregon State Police and the North Bend Police Department aided the CBPD in this investigation. Anyone with more information is encouraged to reach out to local authorities.

Coast Guard Cutter Orcas decommissioned after 35 years of service in Coos Bay

The Coast Guard decommissioned the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Orcas (WPB1327) during a ceremony, Tuesday. Rear Adm. Charles Fosse, the commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District, presided over the ceremony honoring the 35 years of service Orcas and its crews provided to the nation. Commissioned on April 14, 1989, Orcas was the twentyseventh Island-Class cutter to join the fleet. Orcas has been stationed in Coos Bay, Oregon, since 1989 and is the sixth Coast Guard cutter to be stationed in Coos Bay since 1935. The Orcas was a multimission platform that

enough prosecutors to handle the level of criminal activity we are experiencing,” he said.

conducted operations to support search and rescue response, marine environmental protection, and national defense. “From training allied nation maritime forces, conducting the largest-ever cocaine seizure in the history of the Pacific Northwest, and saving countless lives and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of property on the Pacific Ocean Orcas has done it all,” said Lt. Brendan O’Farrell, the commanding officer of the Orcas. “This ship, one of the last of its kind, is an old American-made workhorse built to endure the harsh Pacific waves. I’m extremely proud and blessed to have served with the finest crew in the fleet.”

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Job gains were small but dispersed among several industries. Those adding jobs included leisure and hospitality; transportation, warehousing, and utilities; and retail trade, each adding 20 jobs over the month. Manufacturing employment declined by 20 jobs in March. Government employment increased by 50 jobs in March with jobs added in local (+30), state (+10), and federal government (+10). Coos County payroll employment rose by 220 jobs over the past year. Gains were estimated in professional and business services (+50), private education and health services (+40), leisure and hospitality (+40), and wholesale trade (+40). Industries with job losses since March 2023 included manufacturing (-70); retail trade (-70); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-60). Curry County payroll employment was unchanged in March. Leisure and hospitality added 30 jobs, the only published sector with a notable employment gain. Slight decreases in other sectors left the total nonfarm payroll count at 6,520. Over the past year, Curry County lost 190payroll employment jobs. Industries with estimated job gains included private education and health services (+30) and wood product manufacturing (+30). Industries showing slight job losses since March 2023 included retail trade (-120), construction (-60), and leisure and hospitality (-40).

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