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Coos Bay Public Library asking voters for $30 million to replace sinking building damage. Cracks in the walls, Coos Bay Public support beams that are starting to split. Things like that.” Library is literally The main part of the building, sinking into the ground. which hosts the library’s main BY BRANDON SUMMERS The World

That, along with decades of general wear and degradation, has prompted CBPL to ask the community to support a $30 million bond for a new library in November’s general election. “The current building has failed,” said CBPL Director Sami Pierson. “The entire foundation of it has failed. It has outdated electrical, outdated HVAC. Very few plug-ins, and nowadays that’s a very important thing to have. We’re limited on ﬂexibility and space because of things like outlets, for instance. There’s also a lot of interior

book collection, was built in 1965. It has had two additions since then, the most recent one completed in the 1990s. The foundation itself rises and sinks, explained Pierson. “This used to be a boat turnaround area,” she said. “It used to be underwater, and it was built on ﬁll. Right behind us is a big culvert, Blossom Gulch. As tides come in and out, it sucks material from under the building, so the building rises and falls depending on what the weather is doing and the tide is doing.” Urgency over the condition

Please see SINKING Page 10

Local Barbershop Quartet raising Sweet pleads with funds to enter competition Coos County voters to support needed jail levy BY BREE LAUGHLIN The World

Coos County needs voters to support a proposed new jail levy, said County Commissioner John Sweet. BY BRANDON SUMMERS The World

Coos County needs voters to support a proposed new jail levy, said County Commissioner John Sweet. At Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s Wednesday Business Connection luncheon on Sept. 11, Sweet pleaded to the community ahead of November’s general

election. “This is really important to our county,” said Sweet. If approved, the proposed local option levy of 69-cents per $1,000 of assessed value would begin July 1, 2025, and automatically expire five years later unless renewed by Coos County voters. Sweet said commissioners have learned from their failed attempt to pass a levy for a third jail pod, which would have increased its capacity by 50%, along with other improvements. “We were hoping to improve what we have,” he said. “I was so discouraged, I thought, okay, we’ll just go back to one pod. We had two open. We had worked for years to hire the people that were required to open

A group of local musicians are holding a concert to raise funds in hopes of participating in regional and national barbershop music competitions. The community is invited to join in a fun evening of song and harmonies with John Adamson, Darren Dirk, Chuck Axelton and Ken Graber. Support from the community will contribute to the musicians’ efforts to represent Coos County at various Barbershop Harmony Society conventions. The quartet formed their group Second Wind because they enjoy singing with each other and creating vocal harmonies. “We just fell into it and really have a lot of fun doing it,” said group member Darren Dirk. Dirk says the group sings barbershop classics as well as some 50s Doo-Wop style music. They also have a vocal jazz

that second pod. Better minds prevailed, and said let’s give it one more shot.” With no ongoing flow of revenue to support the second pod, the county would have to dig into reserves, which would be unsustainable. “That’s where we are,” said Sweet. “All we’re trying to do now is maintain what we have. If we can’t get this levy passed, it’s going to be very, very difficult financially to support two jail pods.” He reiterated, “It would be very difficult, and unlikely, to sustain a second jail pod if we don’t pass this proposed levy.” Without support, the consequences could be Please see JAIL LEVY Page 3

peace. The group creates some beautiful melodies. “When you get the sound together and the chords lock in, there are overtones that they call ‘the ring.’ Sometimes you can even get undertones – a sound below whatever the bass is singing,” Dirk said. Second Wind’s performers are looking forward to heading to Portland to sing together at a regional competition in October. If they do well, they will be invited to showcase their talents in San Antonio early next year. “We went to the Evergreen District Please see CONCERT Page 8

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