JC NEWS by Matt Jarvis

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Sunrise/Sunset, Coos Bay, OR
Coos Bay, OR, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 – Sunrise: 6:59 a.m., and Sunset: 6 p.m., offering 11 hours and two-minutes of daylight.

Tides, Coos Bay, OR Estuary
Coos Bay, OR, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 – Low tide: 12:27 a.m., 3.32 ft.; High tide: 6:56 a.m., 7.47 ft. Low tide: 2:35 p.m., 0.27 ft.; High tide: 9:39 p.m., 5.06 ft.

CBPL Events
Coos Bay Public Library, 525 Anderson Ave., Coos Bay, OR - Storytime, Wednesday, February 25 in the Myrtlewood Room, 10:00am – 10:30am. Sing, read, talk, write, and play with the children in your life! Join us for a family storytime at the library for rhymes, songs, and stories for children and a parent or a caregiver. Age Bracket: Kids, Families. Community Zumba, Wednesday, February 25 in the Myrtlewood Room, 5:30pm – 6:30pm. Join us for a fun workout with Zumba Instructor Corinna Dendy. These classes are suitable for all experience and fitness levels. Wear comfortable workout clothes and shoes and bring water! Age Bracket: Teens & Adults.

WBC Forum
The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday Business Connection (WBC) Forum is held at 11:30 a.m., East Salmon Room, Ko Kwel Casino & Resort. Program for Feb. 25th, “Networking.”

NB City Administrator's Report to Council
City of North Bend release - See what North Bend is working on: housing and infrastructure planning, Highway 101 and utility updates, police hiring, library programs, budget plans, and March city events! North Bend neighbors: want the quickest way to see what your City is working on right now? The City Administrator’s Report (Feb. 23) is your go-to update for city projects, public safety, roads and utilities, grants, budgeting, hiring, library programs, and upcoming community events. If you want to know what’s happening in North Bend—and how public dollars are being put to work—grab a copy and take a look. Some highlights from the report... State-funded housing planning work is moving forward. The City received a Department of Land Conservation and Development grant to refine and implement housing production strategies and the Downtown Action Plan, with project scoping underway and kickoff expected in March. Highway 101 / Newmark storm system repair and cost-sharing discussions are underway. City and Oregon Department of Transportation staff met February 19, and the City has stated it intends to shift future maintenance responsibility to the Oregon Department of Transportation after this repair. City crews supported emergency response after a major Newmark water line break. Street Division staff assisted with flooding, debris cleanup, and traffic control on Highway 101 and nearby properties while repairs were completed. Visitor Information Center Hub construction begins March 10. The project has more than $300,000 in outside funding, Knife River has the construction contract, and the Visitor Information Center will remain open during construction. Urban Renewal housing infrastructure project (HIP2603) is out for proposals. The City is seeking consulting teams for pre-design engineering and financing strategy work tied to housing capacity, with questions due March 6 and proposals due March 16. Police hiring and cross-training updates continue. Police applicants will soon be able to take the required entrance exam locally, applications remain open, and drone cross-training with the Fire Department is expanding emergency response capability. Finance is preparing the Fiscal Year 2027 budget and fixing payroll system issues. Staff are building payroll projections and budget documents, and they resolved a 2026 software update issue affecting pay voucher withholding displays. Community programming is active across Main Street and the Library. Main Street events include Sip and Stroll and the Community Art Walk, while the Library is hiring, hosting a March dance series, and preparing for the Friends book sale.

NB City Council Special Session
The North Bend City Council will meet in a Special Session, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, Council Chambers, City Hall, 835 California Ave., North Bend.

Coquille Indian Tribe to break ground on new Travel Center this spring
Coquille Tribe release - Coos Bay – The Coquille Indian Tribe announced plans to break ground this spring on a new Travel Center that will expand services for guests, create jobs, and strengthen the Tribe’s long-term economic future. Planned along Highway 101 directly across from Ko-Kwel Casino Resort | Coos Bay, the new Travel Center will provide easy access for travelers moving through the region while complementing the Tribe’s existing hospitality and entertainment destinations. The project represents another important investment in infrastructure designed to support regional tourism while providing convenient amenities for community members and visitors. Plans for the Travel Center include fuel services, retail offerings, and additional features that will be announced as development progresses. “Every investment we make is rooted in our responsibility to provide opportunity, stability, and prosperity for our Tribal citizens,” said Brenda Meade, Chairman of the Coquille Indian Tribe. “This development strengthens our economic foundation while generating the revenue that supports essential Tribal programs, services, and opportunities for current and future generations. Investments like this strengthen the viability of our enterprises, expand economic opportunities, and provide meaningful benefits to our community. We are proud to welcome visitors to our homelands with the quality and hospitality that define the Coquille people.” The development is expected to generate construction employment in the near term and permanent positions once operations begin. In addition, the Travel Center will increase local commerce, create new partnerships with regional vendors, and provide services that residents and visitors alike will benefit from — further demonstrating the Tribe’s role as a strong economic engine for the South Coast community. “This Travel Center is a strategic addition to the Tribe’s growing business portfolio,” said Margaret Simpson, Coquille Economic Development – Chief Executive Officer. “Its prime location on Highway 101 creates a powerful gateway for regional tourism, capturing traveler traffic, encouraging guests to explore our properties, and reinforcing the South Coast as a destination. Just as importantly, it allows us to reinvest in our people, support local businesses, and contribute to the vitality of the broader community we share.” Additional project details, timelines, and hiring information will be shared as the groundbreaking date approaches.

Researchers find way to watch, reverse chemical process linked with Alzheimer’s disease
By Steve Lundeberg, OSU release - CORVALLIS, Ore. – An Oregon State University scientist and a team of undergraduate students have uncovered real-time insights into a chemical process linked with Alzheimer’s disease, paving the way toward better drug designs. The researchers used a molecule measuring technique to observe in a laboratory setting how certain metals can promote the protein clumping that leads to the blocked neural pathways associated with Alzheimer’s. Led by Marilyn Rampersad Mackiewicz, a materials scientist and associate professor of chemistry in the OSU College of Science, the research team also watched molecules known as chelators disrupt or reverse the clumping. Findings were published in ACS Omega. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a chronic condition of impaired cognitive function that affects large numbers of older adults and their loved ones. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death for people age 65 and older. In Alzheimer’s patients, aggregations of amyloid-beta proteins interrupt brain cells’ ability to communicate with each other. The brain needs certain metals to work properly, but problems arise when the metals are present in unbalanced quantities. “Too many of some metal ions, like copper, can interact with amyloid-beta proteins in ways that lead to protein aggregation, but most experiments have only shown the end result, not the interactions and aggregation process itself,” Mackiewicz said. “We developed a method that lets us observe those interactions live, second by second, and directly measure how different molecules interrupt or reverse them. It shifts the question from ‘does something work?’ to ‘how does it work, and when?’” A chelator, whose name comes from the Greek word for claw, is a type of molecule able to bind with metal ions as if gripping them tightly. One of the chelators in the study was shown, via a technique known as fluorescence anisotropy, to effectively snatch up metal ions, but in a non-selective way; i.e., it didn’t differentiate between the types of metals that promote amyloid-beta aggregation and the types that don’t. However, the scientists observed the other chelator showing a strong ability to selectively grasp the copper ions believed to be a factor in Alzheimer’s. “That kind of real-time insight into how the protein aggregations form and unform is important for designing better treatments and for understanding why some widely used chemical approaches may not behave the way we assume they do,” Mackiewicz said. “Alzheimer’s affects millions of families and while clinical treatments based on this work remain years away, discoveries like this can offer genuine hope – with the correct targeting, some of the brain damage might be reversible.” Support from the College of Science's SURE Science Program and donors Julie and William Reiersgaard made possible the research contributions of undergraduate students Alyssa Schroeder of OSU and Eleanor Adams, Dane Frost, Erica Lopez and Jennie Giacomini of Portland State University. Mackiewicz says testing in more complex biological systems, including cellular and preclinical models, is the next step. “Many potential Alzheimer’s treatments fail due to an incomplete understanding of how amyloid-beta protein aggregation occurs,” she said. “By directly observing and quantifying these interactions, our work provides a roadmap for creating more effective therapies.”

Hwy. 22 Fatal, Polk Co.
OSP release - Polk County, Ore. (Feb. 24, 2026) - On Monday, February 23, 2026, at 9:51 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 22, at the intersection with Highway 51, in Polk County. The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Salem-Keizer Thomas school bus, operated by Chandra Jean Milkovich-Howard (33) of Turner, attempted a left turn onto southbound Highway 51. The school bus entered the path of an eastbound Honda Pilot, operated by Luke Richard Brittan (68) of Independence, causing a head-on crash. The operator of the Honda (Brittan) was declared deceased at the scene. The operator of the Thomas school bus (Milkovich-Howard) suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital. The school bus was occupied by 2 adults and 30 students. One student suffered a reported minor injury and was transported to an area hospital. The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation. An unsafe left turn is considered the primary cause of the collision. The Thomas operator was issued a citation for the unsafe left turn. The investigation is on-going and will be forwarded to the district attorney when complete for consideration. OSP was assisted by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and ODOT.

Gearhart Male Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Exploitation
U.S. Attorney's Office - District of Oregon release - Joseph Tyler Biamont, 35, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography. According to court documents, Gearhart Police discovered that Biamont was in possession of a thumb drive containing secretly recorded videos of the minor victim while nude. The videos were filmed from what appeared to be a dummy smoke detector above the victim’s bed, behind a teddy bear, and from Biamont’s cell phone, depicting the minor victim going to the bathroom, showering, and changing clothes. Biamont is visible in some of the videos. Investigators also found files of CSAM of other minor victims on Biamont’s thumb drive and videos of an adult victim nude in the bathroom. On May 6, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Biamont with sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography. On count one, Biamont faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years to life of supervised release. On count six, Biamont faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years to life of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 19, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge. As part of the plea agreement, Biamont has agreed to pay restitution to the victims. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office and the Gearhart Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlotte Kelley is prosecuting the case. This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

VRO, Beach Lp. Rd., Bandon
CCSO release - Date/Time: February 24, 2026 / 5:45 p.m.; Case #: S2026-00285; Classification: Violation of Restraining Order x2; Location: Beach Loop Road, Bandon, Oregon 97411; Suspect(s): Dominic L. Dibartolomeo (56); Summary: On February 24th, 2026, Officers from the Bandon Police Department and Deputy S. Converse were dispatched to a residence on Beach Loop Road, South of Bandon, to a report of a violation of a restraining order in progress. Upon arrival, Dominic Dibartolomeo (56) was located on the property in violation of his restraining order and taken into custody. Mr. Dibartolomeo was transported to the Coos County Jail.

CBPD Unclaimed Personal Property
CBPD release - The Coos Bay Police Department has in its physical possession the unclaimed personal property described below that was collected January 2025 through February 11, 2026. If you believe you have any ownership interest in any of the unclaimed property or cash, you must file a claim with the Coos Bay Police Department within 30 days from the date of publication of this notice, or you will lose your interest in that property. (2) KNIVES; (5) BAGS OF CLOTHING; (2) POWER TOOLS (4) WALLETS; (4) POWER TOOL BATTERIES (3) BACKPACKS; (3) HANDGUNS; (4) BACKPACKS WITH CLOTHING; (14) BICYCLES (1) SMART WATCH; (2) KIDS BICYCLES (2) TABLET COMPUTERS; (1) SWEATER (1) CHROMEBOOK; COMPUTER; (5) SETS OF KEYS; (17) CELL PHONES; (1) KEY FOB; (1) EYE GLASSES; (2) SUNGLASSES; (1) DRONE; (1) GOLD RING; (1) SECURITY OFFICER BADGE; (2) OREGON LICENSE PLATES; (1) MP3 PLAYER; (1) CELL PHONE CASE; (1) DENTURE PLATE; (1) MACHETE; (1) KIDS ELECTRIC 4 WHEELER TOY; (1) BACKPACK WITH TOOLS; (1) SPEAKER; (2) AIR COMPRESSORS; and, (1) GARBAGE CAN.

Violation Court Order
According to an entry on the CQPD log for Feb. 23, 11:58 a.m., 1000 block No. Myrtle St., “result of criminal trespass,” Matthew Aaron Anglin charged with Violation of Stalking Order, “Anglin lodged CCJ.”

Warrant
According to an entry on the CQPD log for Feb. 23, 9:51 p.m., 400 No. Central Blvd., McKay’s, 39-year old Jonathan Patrick Uhrig arrested on Douglas Co. SO warrant charging Probation Violation on Failure to Comply, “Uhrig lodged CCJ.”

Burglary
According to an entry on the NBPD log for Feb. 23, 2:30 p.m., 2000 block Monroe Ave., “burglary.”

Warrant
According to an entry on the NBPD log for Feb. 23, 9:29 p.m., Newmark & Edgewood, 51-year old Nathanial Joseph Overbey arrested on CBPD warrant charging Criminal Trespass II & Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, “Overbey lodged CCJ.”

Illegal Camping, NB
According to an entry on the NBPD log for Feb. 24, 12:03 a.m., Virginia & Sheridan, 44-year old Andrew Lee Vinson charged with Prohibited Camping, “released on citation.” At 12:14 a.m., 1800 block Union Ave., 54-year old Trevor Stephon Fero charged with Prohibited Camping, “released on citation.”

Illegal Camping, CB
According to an entry on the CBPD log for Feb. 23, 5:18 a.m., 525 Anderson Ave., CBPL, “illegal camping.” At 8:22 a.m., 100 block Central Ave., “illegal camping,” 51-year old Michelle Hicks “Ticket.” At 8:33 a.m., 4th & Donnelly, “illegal camping,’ 68-year old David Fitzhenry, “Ticket.” At 7:46 p.m., 470 Golden Ave., USPS, “illegal camping.” At 9:16 p.m., 200 block So. 4th St., “illegal camping.”

Warrant
According to an entry on the CBPD log for Feb. 23, 7:58 a.m., 24499 SW Grahams, Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, 45-year old Randy Wilson served NBPD warrant charging Assaulting a Public Safety Officer & Resisting Arrest.

Criminal Mischief
According to an entry on the CBPD log for Feb. 23, 8:54 a.m., 4th & Anderson, 53-year old Deanna Solinger charged with Criminal Mischief II, “Solinger transported CCJ.”

Indecent
According to an entry on the CBPD log for Feb. 23, 10:07 a.m., Fulton & Empire, “indecent exposure.”

Warrant
According to an entry on the CBPD log for Feb. 23, 2:25 p.m., Ocean & Newmark, Natha Damewood arrested on warrant charging FTA on Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance – Schedule II, “Damewood transported CCJ.”

Warrant
According to an entry on the CBPD log for Feb. 23, 4:01 p.m., No. Empire & Noble, 23-year old Gaden Bleuler arrested on warrant charging Burglary II, Theft II & Clackamas Co. warrant charging Possession of Meth, Possession of Fentanyl, “Bleuler transported CCJ.”

Probation Violation
According to an entry on the CBPD log for Feb. 23, 11;10 p.m., 100 block Johnson Ave., 61-year old Kevin James Waldron charged with Probation Detainer, “Waldron transported to CCJ.”

Wanted
According to an entry on the CBPD log for Feb. 24, 2:53 a.m., 600 Koos Bay Blvd., Air Gas, “located wanted subject as result of illegal camping,” 43-year old Robert Ray Roswell, Jr. charged with Clatsop Co. Jail warrant for FTA on Theft II & Criminal Mischief III, “arrested and transported CCJ.”

WX
A River Flood Warning along the Oregon Coast. Sunshine and clouds mixed today with highs in the low 50s and winds out of the North to Northeast at 10-15 mph. Partly cloudy skied by evening then overcast overnight with lows in the mid to upper 30s and winds out of the Northeast at 5-10 mph. Overcast on Thursday with highs in the upper 50s and winds out of the North to Northeast at 5-10 mph.

Sports

Prep BBXB Scores
Prep boys’ basketball scores from Tuesday, Feb. 24: 4A – SkyEm Lg.: North Bend fell at Marist Catholic, 65-28. Marshfield and Junction City will play on Thursday, Feb. 26, at JC with the league title on the line. OR West Conf.: Newport (8-2) beat visiting Philomath, 76-58 to win the league title. Warriors (7-3) are second and Stayton (5-5), third.

Prep GBXB Scores
Prep girls’ basketball scores from Tuesday, Feb. 24: 4A – SkyEm Lg.: North Bend lost at Marist Catholic, 57-34. Non-league: Cottage Grove fell at Stayton, 52-32. Cowapa Lg.: Seaside beat visiting Tillamook, 48-37. St. Helens beat visiting Astoria, 58-43. Seaside and St. Helens are tied for first place, both 9-2. Seaside finishes Friday at Scappoose (5-6) and St. Helens finishes at Tillamook (5-6).

Prep GBXB Playoffs
OSAA 3A girls’ basketball First Round, Wednesday, Feb. 25: Oregon Episcopal (15-8) at Brookings-Harbor (16-7), 5:30p; Santiam Christian (14-13) at Neah-Kah-Nie (15-10), 7p. 1A First Round: Trout Lake at Powers, 6p.

OSAA/Coach’s Prep BXB Polls
Polls released prior to Tuesday night’s games, Feb. 24. Newport is No. 1 in the final OSAA/Coach’s 4A Boys’ Basketball Poll. The Cubs are followed by St. Helens (16-4), Madras (18-4), Scappoose (17-5), Marshfield (14-8) is No. 5, Junction City (17-7) No. 8, and Marist Catholic (14-7), No. 9. The OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 3A Girls’ & Boys’ State Basketball Tournaments are set for March 5-7 at Marshfield and North Bend high schools. Westside Christian (23-4) is No. 1, followed by Valley Catholic (23-3), Cascade Christian (22-3), Riverside (22-4), and Pleasant Hill (20-5) at No. 5. Portland Christian (26-0) leads the 2A, Knappa (21-6) is No. 6. Union (24-2) tops the 1A. Parkrose (20-3) is No. 1 among 5A teams, and Central Catholic (18-5) is No. 1 in the 6A.

SWOCC BXB
It’s the end of the regular season in the NWAC South tonight. Southwestern Oregon’s men and women finish in Albany against Linn-Benton, 5:30 & 7:30 p.m. Laker men (10-5, 22-6) are in second place in the south.

UO WBXB
Oregon’s women’s basketball team plays at Purdue, Wednesday, Feb. 25.

UO Mbxb
Oregon’s men’s basketball team hosts Wisconsin, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m., televised on the Big Ten Network.