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Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878

TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2025

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Bay Area Chamber highlights growth, heritage, and community engagement to City Council BY NATE SCHWARTZ Editor

At the July 1 Coos Bay City Council meeting the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Director Rosey Thomas gave the semi-annual presentation on what the chamber has been up to and how it ties into the City’s mission to grow local businesses. Thomas, who has brought her infectious energy to a second year in the role, spoke ﬁrst about what members wanted to see from the chamber. A member survey was conducted at the start of the year. “Keeping them informed was a top priority,” said Thomas on the survey results. “Staying engaged in legislative efforts. They were See CHAMBER Continued on Page 16

Paciﬁc Coast Intermodal Port Project gets $100 million state grant

North Bend Scholarship Fund announces $360,866 in awards

STAFF REPORT

Planning for the Port of Coos Bay’s massive Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) project just got an equally massive amount of backing from the Oregon State Legislature in the form of a $100 million grant. The project has previously secured two large packages of federal funding as Oregon’s delegation in Washington has continued to champion the project. This most recent state backing will combine with the $25 million granted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects program (INFRA), and another $29 million through the Consolidated Rail and Infrastructure Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. “This project reflects the kind of bold, future-focused investment that Oregon needs,” said Melissa Cribbins, Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port project in a press release. “For too long, rural communities like those on the South Coast have been left behind. This project gives us a path forward — one grounded in good jobs, sustainable freight infrastructure, and long-term community stability.” The project is estimated by the Port to bring thousands of jobs to the area. They say 2,600 for construction and another 2,500 permanent direct jobs, with upwards of 8,000 total across different sectors. As part of the public-private partnership, private developer North Point out of Kansas City is supposedly on the hook for building a requisite number of housing units to help with the expected influx of workers. “This project is about building something real and lasting — not just for the region, but for the working people of Oregon,” said Chad Meyer, CEO at NorthPoint Development. “It reflects the power of public-private collaboration, and we’re grateful for

the confidence the Legislature has placed in us. Together, we’re bringing modern logistics capacity to the South Coast in a way that benefits the entire country.” The PCIP project is meant to be the first of its kind on the West Coast, a ship-to-rail container terminal described as a more environmentally friendly kind of port. The ship-to-rail component is meant to reduce the number of large trucks on the road while bolstering national supply chains which struggled evidently during the Covid-19 pandemic. Containers would leave the North Spit via the Coos bay Rail Line bound for Eugene where they would then head for the Midwest. The rail line and Eugene rail yard would need substantial upgrades along with the Coos Bay Federal Navigation Channel needing to be dredged and deepened. The project isn’t without its detractors. Local groups of concerned citizens have held forums to discuss impacts on the native environment, property values for homes in Empire, and the preservation of culturally significant sites. The Hollering Place,

The North Bend Community Scholarship Fund will be sending $360,866 to 32 colleges/universities and/ or technical /vocational schools this fall. The financial assistance will help 100 NBHS students meet the ever-rising costs of higher education. Money for the awards are based on investment earnings and special one-time or shortterm gifts such as memorials. There are currently 41 long term endowments in the investment pool. Any NBHS graduate is eligible to apply. Information and forms are available on the website nbcsf.org. The NBCSF is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the State of Oregon. Gifts of any amount are accepted at any time.

a heritage site for local tribes, is located directly across the spit from the proposed location of the terminal. The biggest call has been for transparency and communication with the community. The Port contracted with public outreach consultants JLA on how to best conduct that communication and have committed to hosting town

halls, open houses, and developing a Project Advisory Group consisting of stake holders. Those are expected to start in the Fall of this year. Still in the planning, surveying, and permitting stage, there is a long road ahead for the PCIP project. The World will continue to follow this story as things develop.

Class of 2025 Learns of Awards at Class Night Seniors were called forward to receive their awards during the class night ceremonies, the evening before graduation. Later, each recipient received an email with information on how to claim their award. The forms must be filled out and submitted to the NBCSF by the deadline before funds can be sent to the financial aid office of the school they will be attending. According to current plans, the entering freshmen class will enroll in 13 schools with Oregon State University and Southwestern Oregon Community College being the most popular choices. This year’s graduates make up $118,886 in awards from the fund, with $127,500 going to past graduates as a part of rolling scholarships.

2025 Current Graduates Awards: • Isaac Adams, Philip Scheideman, $2,000, NBCSF General Fund, $1,000, University of Oregon, Veterinarian See SCHOLARSHIP Continued on Page 2

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