Three Rivers announces Coos Bay casino management
COOS BAY — Three Rivers Casino
and Resort recently announced that it has
named a full-time, rotating four-person
on-site team to oversee the daily opera-
tions of its new casino, which is expect-
ed to open in April.
Bill Wilson, Shawn Strenke, LaShawn
Ferdig and David Barton will make up
the team overseaing as many as 90 new
casino employees.
All are current Three Rivers employ-
ees and have extensive experience in all
facets of casino operations, including
customer service, employee management
and security.
In the role of property shift managers,
each will work under direction from
Chief Operating Officer Mike Rose and
will administer and direct all floor per-
sonnel. They also will be promoting
guest services and assist in the coordina-
tion and supervision of all operational
areas in accordance with Three Rivers
Casino policies and procedures.
“Running a casino is a complicated
scenario, and takes a great deal of super-
vision and adherence to state and federal
laws and procedures,” said Rose. “I have
absolute confidence in this team. We
think of the property shift managers as
the quarterbacks of our gaming opera-
COURTESY PHOTO
New property shift managers for the Three Rivers Casino in Coos Bay are
Bill Wilson, Shawn Strenke, LaShawn Ferdig and David Barton.
tion. They are critical to its success, and
to the enjoyment of our customers.
Having such first-rate property shift
managers represents our investment in
the success of the Coos Bay casino.
“They were selected and promoted
from our existing core staff for their
demonstrated ability to clearly under-
stand the culture of our business concept,
and to offer the best guest service possi-
ble.”
In preparation for the opening of the
Coos Bay casino, the property shift man-
agers are currently working on their own
comprehensive leadership training and
development, and will be assisting with
departmental training for all new person-
nel.
Three Rivers Resort is silver certified
by Green Seal, Inc., under one of the
toughest national environmental stan-
dards based on waste minimization,
water and energy efficiency, hazardous
substance handling and environmental
purchasing policy.
In addition, Three Rivers projects that
its new Coos Bay casino will provide
more than 90 full-time equivalent jobs
relating to the operation of the facility.
These positions will vary from bar ten-
der/server to cage cashier to security to
slot tech and several other casino-related
roles.
The property shift managers will be
involved in all aspects of the recruitment,
selection and training process for new
employees.
The addition of this facility falls in the
footsteps of the Three Rivers’ evolution
of its Florence facility into a full resort
property. It reflects the Coos, Lower
Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians’ long-term
commitment to the local southern
Oregon coast community.
“With our increased resort offerings in
Florence, plus the addition of the facility
in Coos Bay, we expect more south coast
visitors and a lot more economic activity
for this area,” said Rose. “Building and
maintaining positive relationships with
this community is very important to the
Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw
Indians.”
Poetry reading features Sears, Reedsport students show artwork
Oregon’s new Poet Laureate
North Bend library hosts free event April 4
NORTH BEND — The North Bend
Public Library hosts a free poetry reading
for Peter Sears, Oregon’s new Poet
Laureate. The event will be held in the
library’s large meeting room on Saturday,
April 4, at 2 p.m.
Sears holds a bachelor’s degree in
English from Yale and an MFA in writing
from the University of Iowa. He served as
a linguist for the U.S. Army Intelligence
from 1959 until 1962.
Sears moved to Oregon in 1974 where
he accepted the post of writer-in-resi-
dence at Reed College. He went on to
become one of the state’s most active
poets, educators and literary activists.
Sears’ poems have appeared in many
periodicals including Saturday Review,
The New York Times, The Atlantic and
Rolling Stone. He is the author of eight
1 8 • C OAST
collections and chapbooks including “The
Brink” (1999), which was the winner of
the Peregrine Smith Prize and The
Western States Book Award. His collec-
tion, “Small Talk: New and Selected
Poems,” was released by Lynx House
Press in 2014.
In addition to writing, Sears has taught
writing at both the public school and uni-
versity levels. As community services
coordinator for the Oregon Arts
Commission, he assisted writers and local
organizations in working with the nation-
al Endowment for the Arts, Leila Wallace
Foundation and Western Arts Foundation.
Sears remains an active writer, teacher
and editor. He lives with his wife, Anita
Helle, in Corvallis.
This program is free and open to the
public.
C ENTRAL • A r t s & E n t e r t a i n m e n t • A P R I L 2 0 1 5
REEDSPORT — On Thursday, April 2,
Coastal Douglas Arts and Business
Alliance (CDABA) will feature the stu-
dents of the Reedsport Community
Charter School (RCCS). The event will be
held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the shop and the
art classroom at RCCS.
Although it is being held on a
Thursday, this event is a part of CDABA’s
“First Friday — Art for Everyone” events.
The school is not in session on Friday.
The public is invited, and there will be
food and music. RCCS art teacher Carol
Colton and shop teacher Guy Marchione
have been coordinating this event, which
will showcase the art talent of the com-
munity’s youth.
The shop class will showcase their var-
ious wood projects, such as cutting
boards. Colton has been working with stu-
dents on a variety of projects, including
painting and ceramics.
“I am excited to share the art the stu-
dents created during the recent Braves
Session,” said Colton.
Some of the work to be displayed will
still be unfinished and the classroom
walls are covered with examples of many
of the students’ assignments throughout
the year.
Colton described the artwork of senior
Jenna Bennett, whose art will be dis-
played through the summer at the Coos
Art Museum.
“Jenna painted a bowling ball with an
ocean scene. Although not a chosen piece,
it was entered into the Vision 2015, an
annual competition underwritten by
Southwestern
Oregon
Community
College Foundation as a competition for
high school students,” Colton said.
Describing the artwork of senior
Jessica Howell, Colton said her work has
been creating wood cutting boards and
burning art on log rounds, both of which
she has been selling.
CDABA sponsors the First Friday art
events at different locations, featuring dif-
ferent artists.
On May 1, the program will feature art
from various members of Forest Hills
Country Club.