BANDON — Neither rain nor wind could stop hundreds of bicyclists from gathering and participating in the first Whiskey Run Mountain Bike Festival held Saturday in Bandon. The event, which celebrated the recently-developed Whiskey Run Bike Trails, offered visitors the chance to ride the trails and familiarize themselves with its route and new signage. Volunteers from the Wild Rivers Coast Mountain Bicycling Association and local riders from Coos County presented festival goers

COOS COUNTY — Oregon’s Bay Area is now home of the first and only medical assistant apprenticeship program. Coos County has had the program for two months, but can already boast of six apprentices and Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board is behind it. “Of course there are other apprenticeship programs in the state, but they are for construction or manufacturing,” said Jake McClelland, executive director of SOWIB. “When our board looked at areas for potential action,