The World from Coos Bay, Oregon • 1

South Coast NB makes plans for boardwalk, A3 State Big deployment for Oregon Guard, A6 X-- -1 Sports Clackamas sweeps Southwestern, Bl A community newspaper www.theworldlink.com 1 -1X i Coquille arrests rape suspect 1 I 1.1 1 X. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1. wrwd -v. fti A' -x- t' iV V- i. -V t' I -V Si 4'-, World Photo by Lou Sennick Steve Skinner walks around the remains of the Powers Hotel Saturday.

A fire destroyed the historic building early New Year's Day. Skinner was a board member of A'Toll which owned the hotel for a few years before it was turned over to the city of Powers. Coquille police arrested a registered sex offender Sunday on charges including multiple counts of rape, kidnapping and assault. Police Chief Mark Dannels said a friend of the victim, a Coquille woman in her 40s, called 911 dispatchers to report an assault and rape shortly after 8 a.m. An investigation led police to the suspect's apartment on Thomas Street in Coos Bay, where they arrested Paul W.

Pizzola, 42, on charges including two counts of first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sexual abuse, fourth-degree assault, menacing, interfering with a 91 1 call and possession of methamphetamine. He was taken to Coos County jail, where he was being held this morning on $2.3 million bail. Dannels said the victim knew her assailant, though they had only recently met. Powers Legislature opens its '09 session re remains a mystery V. 1 i Police seek suspect Power? police are still searching for the suspect involved in an assault on New Year's Eve who may know what caused the Powers Hotel fire.

Police Chief Rhett Davis said he saw the suspect in the assault case riding a bicycle near the hotel early New Year's Day and considers him a person of interest regarding the fire. He said he hopes to apprehend the man within a couple days. He has put posters around town of the suspect, including his name and photo. Although he has a witness for the assault, Davis said there is no direct link between the man who assaulted the woman at the Powers County Park and the Powers Hotel fire. The man is described as a 5-foot, 9-inch male, around 30 years old, about 150 pounds with short-cropped brown hair and brown or hazel eyes.

Meanwhile, the deputy state fire marshal, Kristina Deschaine, has been unable to confirm the cause of the fire. She said she has tried to interview neighbors, but they have refused to talk to her. By Alexander Rich Staff Writer POWERS Patricia Adamek is pret-" ty sure it was the sound of sirens that woke her up on New Year's Day. The sun still was well below the horizon, so there was little doubt as to what light was shining through her window. "I could see it was something burning," she said.

It didn't take long for her to realize it was the Powers Hotel. She ran into her yard, then drove toward the blaze. She stood for an hour snapping pictures as the 92-year-old building succumbed to the flames. No one was hurt by the blaze because, in spite of its name, the Powers Hotel hasn't been in the hospitality business for years. Once known as The Clubhouse, the two-story structure had become a controversial subject in recent years after the city took ownership of the property.

Some viewed the building as a potential focal point for downtown redevelopment. Others saw it as an eyesore that should be SALEM (AP) Oregon lawmakers have returned to the Capitol for a legislative session expected to be dominated by economic issues and hard times in the economy. The House went into session before 9 a.m. today, and the Senate convened shortly after that. In a show of bipartisan spirit in the Senate, the Republican leader, Sen.

Ted Ferrioli of John Day, banged down the gavel to launch the session. Gov. Ted Kulongoski was to give, his state-of-the-state address later in the morning. The session opens with Oregon's unemployment rate at more than 8 percent and rising. The sour economy is expected to reduce tax revenue sharply, with the possibility that late-session revenue forecasts may be gloomier even than those from before the session.

Lawmakers this morning were reminded of the economy during invocations from members of the clergy. Democrats hold majorities in both the House and Senate that are large enough for them to pass tax and revenue increases without Republican votes. But tax increases are never popular, particularly in a recession. Contributed Photo by Patricia Adamek Investigators aren't having much success investigating the cause of the New Year's fire that destroyed the historic Powers Hotel. the man the city sold it to for $25,000, Tom Elam of Powers.

See Powers, Page A8 leveled. Eventually, the city simply sold it to get the property back on the tax rolls. The property is owned by Bruce Clark of Drain, who purchased the hotel from Senate adds 2 million acres of protected wilderness A look at key provisions in Senate lands bill Bill includes local Elk River From Staff Reports The headwaters of the North Fork of the Elk River on the South Coast would gain wilderness protection if the legislation gets final U.S. Senate approval. Five segments of the legislation affect Oregon lands, including the Copper Salmon Wilderness Act.

It would add about 13,000 acres of new wilderness in the Elk River drainage and designate 9.3 miles of wild and scenic rivers. The legislation originally was sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D- and Congressman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. DeFazio said the legislation also would protect some of the last remaining stands of Port Orford cedar in the Elk River watershed. Some South Coast fishermen and legislation advocates tout the Elk as Oregon's last and best coastal salmon and steelhead stream.

Oregon State University researchers have said the See Local, Page A8 By Matthew Daly Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON In a rare Sunday session, the Senate advanced legislation that would set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as wilderness. Majority Democrats assembled more than enough votes to overcome GOP Stalling tactics in an early showdown for the new Congress. Republicans complained that Democrats did not allow amendments on the massive bill, which calls for the largest expansion of wilderness protection in 25 years. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and other Democrats said the bill a holdover from last year was carefully written and included measures sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats. By a 66-12 vote, with only 59 needed to limit debate, lawmakers agreed to clear away procedural hurdles despite partisan wrangling that had threatened pledges by leaders to work cooperatively as the new Obama administration takes office.

Senate approval is expected later this yveek. Supporters hope the House will follow suit. 'Today is a great day for America's public lands," said the bill's sponsor, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, "This big, bipartisan package of bills represents years of work by senators from many states, and both parties, in cooperation with local communities, to enhance places that make America so special." See Wilderness, Page A8 The Senate on Sunday advanced legislation that would designate more than 2 million acres of wilderness across nine states, from California to Virginia. The bill, introduced by Sen.

Jeff Bingaman, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, also would set aside former President Bill Clinton's childhood home in Hope, as a national historic site. Among the provisions, by state: California Preserve nearly 450,00 acres of wilderness and 73 miles of wild and scenic rivers near Santa Clarita and along the California Nevada border, including the White Mountains. Protect some 190,000 acres in Riverside County as wilderness, including parts of Joshua Tree National Park. Protect about 70,000 acres of wilderness, including the new John Krebs Wilderness, named for the former congressman and conservationist who fought to protect these lands in the Mineral King Valley. Colorado Protect nearly 250,000 acres of Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park.

Protect 66,000 acres of red rock sandstone canyons, cliffs, streams and waterfalls in western Colorado. Idaho Protect as wilderness 517,000 acres in Idaho's Owyhee Canyonlands. Michigan Protect 1 1 ,739 acres of wilderness at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. New Mexico Protect more than 15,000 acres in San Miguel County as wilderness. Oregon Protect 13,700 acres of old-growth forest in the Siskiyou National Forest.

Protect more than 128,000 acres of national forest on Mount Protect 23,000 acres in southwestern Oregon's Soda Mountain region. Protect nearly 31 ,000 acres of wilderness in the Badlands east of Bend. Protect 8,600 acres of wilderness overlooking the John Day Wild and Scenic River. Utah Protect more than 250.000 acres of wilderness in and near Zion National Park. Virginia Protect 43,000 acres of the Jefferson National Forest as wilderness, and 12,000 as a national scenic area.

West Virginia Protect 37,000 acres in the Monongahela National Forest. Burglar targets Fairview area Coos County deputies are searching for two armed men who robbed an elderly Fairview man after breaking into his home Friday morning. Lewis Lively told police he was awakened by two masked gunmen who demanded money, according to a sheriff's office press release. They took cash from the 78-year-old's wallet and left. The Fairview man drove into town, where he flagged down a Coquille police officer to report the robbery.

The press release said the two suspects are about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with slight builds. One of the guns used in the robbery appeared to be a revolver with a long barrel. The case is under investigation. Deputies report this is the eighth reported burglary in the Fairview area in the past six weeks, and investigators believe other burglaries have gone unreported. Burglars have stolen cash, jewelry, firearms and credit cards.

People with information in the case are asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 396-3121, ext. 395. Injury crash Three-vehicle accident in Bunker Hill injures two. Sou Us Coast, A2 NFL Road teams have big weekend in NFL playoffs. Spurts, El KlGH TO 57 LOW TO 38 Clearing today.

Weather, AH. PS Darlene Coos B.iv Diane Albrecht, Coos B.iv Robert White, Bandon Donnell Beutel, Bandon Ztt A3 -a Public Record A2 Sports B1 South Coast A3 ComicsColumns B5 Opinion A4 Classifieds B6 Day Planner A5 TV Listings B8.