Coal shipping permits — The state of Oregon wants more information before deciding whether to let a special dock be built at the Columbia River port of Morrow for coal shipments to Asia. Department of State Lands Assistant Director Bill Ryan said Thursday the department has put off a decision until Sept. 1 so the Australian company Ambre Energy can put together the information. Issues include impacts on Columbia River fisheries and water quality, and the overall need for the shipments. Gov. John Kitzhaber has expressed reservations about the local environmental impacts of the coal shipments and the global impacts of burning more coal.

Hospital privacy — Salem Hospital officials say employees will be retrained in federal privacy law because someone wouldn’t give information to police officers looking for a missing 81-year-old man. The man was, in fact, in the hospital. Police said the man’s landlord reported him missing earlier this month. Police called the hospital during a two-day search. Then, they got an anonymous tip the man was in the hospital. A hospital spokesman said the police inquiries didn’t go through the usual channels, and the hospital investigation hasn’t determined who spoke to officers.

Child carjacking — An 11-year-old boy who attempted a carjacking last December in Portland pleaded guilty to a robbery charge in juvenile court and was sentenced to probation for the rest of the year.Deputy Trial Court Administrator Neal Japport told KATU the boy also pleaded guilty to harassment. The boy and two siblings were placed in foster care in January. Police say the boy and a 7-year-old accomplice used his father’s .22-caliber derringer on Dec. 8 to threaten a woman in a church parking lot.

Armored car loaners — The Lane County Sheriff’s Office started getting questions after it recently used armored vehicles while executing three search warrants. Sheriff’s officers say residents wanted to know where the vehicles came from and why they were used. The sheriff’s office says the vehicles are military surplus “loaners” obtained through a federal program that loans such items to U.S. law enforcement agencies. Officials say drug forfeiture money is paying for upkeep and maintenance on the six vehicles.

Stolen ferret, mandolin — Police in Eugene say a transient told them he was beaten by three men who stole his ferret and a large backpack containing a mandolin. The Register-Guard says the 31-year-old victim told officers he was robbed late Tuesday night. He was hospitalized with injuries suffered in the attack. Police say the ferret was wearing a red service vest with the name “Bojangles” written on it.

— From wire reports