Coos Bay Area

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by esya

Seashelly, I have tried to find a booking link on the web for that airport without success. Who flies in and out of it?

Is it a 24 hr airport or limited hours regional?
Does it have rental car agencies?

Skywest and yes on the rental car. It is listed as OTH or North Bend Regional. It is a 24 hour airport.


The only thing I hate is both my motorcycles are rusting badly. Salt air.............

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by n4sir7

Thank you Imperial....how is the job market down on coast and cost of living ie houses etc.? Do you have any suggestions where to look? Thanks for any help.

The job market is as bad as it gets. The houses are more then they should be because of the California escapees. Never ever move to a place like this without money in your pocket and a job nailed down in writing.

[wrsawy]

I want to live there, and get out of the crap town I live in now. (Everett, WA)

[Steve Pickering]

Been to Everett. If you think it is the pits, you better come and spend some time in Coos Bay first. I think you are just pissed at Everett and venting.

[catztales]

Tell me everything you can about Coos Bay, Bandon, and Coquille. We have been wanting to move to Oregon for years.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by catztales

Tell me everything you can about Coos Bay, Bandon, and Coquille. We have been wanting to move to Oregon for years.

The number one advice for moving to Oregon right now is "don't bother unless you've got a job, or lots of money to live on. For Coos Bay, Bandon, Coquille I would double that advice.

I LOVE that area, but you have three job types; Walmart/Call Centers, Timber Industry, Fishing. Timber is at an all time low price, and being heavily undercut by Canada, you can buy an entire load of trees for what one cost a mere five years ago. Fishing ain't doing so good, the dead zone off the coast really stopped a lot. And well, I don't know too many people who really like working at Walmart.

Keep in mind that the entire are never really recovered from the last timber fall in the 1980's. Coos Bay used to be the largest port between Seattle and San Francisco, now they're lucky to get any ships in especially with the newer, larger ships around. This last depression has just made things worse, a good portion of the population lives under the poverty line and it shows.

Now, if you don't need a job, don't mind paying higher prices for food and gas, don't expect a lot of entertainment, but want a nice piece of property, or to be near the beach, then go for it.

[Larry Caldwell]

Coos bay shipping was hamstrung when COPR closed the rail line because they had neglected maintenance for decades. The state took it over and is making repairs. The line is already open on a limited basis, but it will be a couple of years before repairs are complete. Once rail shipping returns to normal, you can expect to see freighters in Coos Bay again. It's one of the most accessible deep water ports on the West Coast. The port facilities need some upgrading, and I haven't heard about funding for that. The project to build a LNG terminal and natural gas mainline from Coos Bay is still alive, but progressing in fits and starts.

The lumber mills will recover when the construction industry recovers. The feds aren't allowing any timber harvest, and private owners are sitting on their holdings. I have some timber, but would never consider selling into the current market. Mills can't afford to pay more because the Canadians are running industrial welfare, giving Canadian mills saw logs at pulp prices. Lots of mills are closed because they can't get logs, and can't afford to pay the prices that would motivate timber owners to sell. Meanwhile, my trees are putting on about 4% a year in volume, which is a mixed blessing, since many of them are already too large to meet the new small log mill standards.

Not selling logs means timber owners don't have money to spend in the local economy, loggers don't have money, mill workers don't have money, gravel quarries don't have money, equipment repair shops don't have money, truck drivers don't have money...it goes on and on, the picture of a recession in a small rural community. Recession leads to depression, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, crime, and a loss of public services. Earlier this year they were actually talking about closing Coos County and contracting county services to an adjoining county. I think they have found the money to operate for another year, but they are in dire straits.

All they can do right now is hope the future will be better. With inflation running around 10% a year and the feds cooking the books to avoid increasing Social Security payments, even the economic bedrock of retirees is starting to suffer. Things are still getting worse, as the last savings are spent and the last unemployment benefits run out. All we can do is hope for a better future and hang on for a few more years. Lots of people can't hang on any longer. They have been foreclosed out of their homes, or will be soon, and have to go elsewhere to survive.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

Coos bay shipping was hamstrung when COPR closed the rail line because they had neglected maintenance for decades. The state took it over and is making repairs. The line is already open on a limited basis, but it will be a couple of years before repairs are complete. Once rail shipping returns to normal, you can expect to see freighters in Coos Bay again. It's one of the most accessible deep water ports on the West Coast. The port facilities need some upgrading, and I haven't heard about funding for that. The project to build a LNG terminal and natural gas mainline from Coos Bay is still alive, but progressing in fits and starts.

My understanding is that the port can only support the medium size ships these days. Even with dredging, most of the larger ocean going ships will not be able to come into port there, which is going to severely hamper further growth.

[Connie J Lewis]

Originally Posted by catztales

Tell me everything you can about Coos Bay, Bandon, and Coquille. We have been wanting to move to Oregon for years.

Reading over threads concerning our community (Coos Bay, North Bend, Bandon and Coquille) I honestly believe the truth has already been shared. Some will heed the warnings, and others will believe what they want, and most likely bury their heads in the pristine sandbox until they are personally bit while pretending nothing goes wrong here.

Lumping the four towns together when discussing relocation is a huge mistake. While the towns may be close in proximity, they are NOTHING alike.

For instance... 5 Coos Bay teachers just quit and went to North Bend. There IS a difference! Consider why North Bend was so opposed to a consolidation, yet Eastside got sucked into one apparently on false promises. I know some folks have talked of taking Eastside back to a separate town as well.

Now... try to do business in Coos Bay vs. the other towns. I mean OWN a business. It's night and day. We just bought a business in Coquille, and are finding it alarming we've lived this close to such a vastly different place for so long without realizing how wonderful and "different" the little community 17 miles away actually is. The mood is better; outlook brighter, and nothing has yet been ruined. There's a ton of hope. Neighbors actually help one another and make sure you know they're pleased you've arrived.

After researching places to live and work literally all over the globe... we're landing in Coquille. Seventeen short miles from a VERY different place. We've invested plenty of time to find out what it's all about here.

The very worst part about living in Coos Bay is the attitude! Depressed and depressing. When folks say "It's the same everywhere" I have to disagree. Even 17 short miles makes a world of difference. The black cloud that hangs over this coastal town (Coos Bay) is not only physical, but it messes with everyone's outlook. Gloomy. It's just gloomy here most of the time.

Beauty is more than abundant. Nobody can argue with that. But... it's getting more and more dangerous to even enjoy nature. There's always the risk of getting hurt, and medical care is VERY RISKY here. Reports on the hospital are now coming out with truth locals have known for decades. Some of the WORST ratings going... right here in town. People are afraid to tell the truth in fear of what? Getting less than great care? Too late!

If you're independently wealthy, have very thick skin, enjoy overcast skies and attitudes... then definitely do move to Coos Bay. Otherwise do like most people do - drive right on through it.

I wish I could say it's improved with time. Quite the contrary. A select few continue to convince themselves and others it's great! You'll see their names on committees, boards and positions.

The biggest surprise of all is how very different some of the other neighboring towns turn out to be. Coquille is sunnier (inside and out), friendlier, cleaner, more receptive to new ideas, and primed for reinvention. We are intending to sow some WILD OATS in Coquille over years to come. C'mon... check it out for yourselves. Eclectic little shops, nice people, and quite a surprising good time waits just 17 miles around the corner from this very gloomy coastal town.

[Steve Pickering]

I love Coos Bay, but it is not for everyone.



Oh, did I mention I moved out the 1st of January 2011 .......................