The Curry Coastal Pilot
Oregon wildfire, smoke experts weigh in on future risks and 2024 season
Oregon’s getting better at preventing and responding to wildfires, experts said Thursday, but much more still needs to be done. A panel of University of Oregon professors who study climate change, smoke and wildfire discussed the 2024 wildfire season in an online forum with journalists as the West braces for summer fires. Wildfire risk in the West and in Oregon this year is not abnormally higher than in recent years,...
Tuesday April 30 is deadline to register to vote in May Primary election in Oregon
April 30 is the deadline to register to vote in the May primary election. It’s also the deadline to register with a political party ahead of the closed primaries. Voters can register or update their registration online at OregonVotes.gov until 11:59 p.m. on April 30. The Republican and Democratic parties have chosen to hold closed primaries, which means only registered members of the party will be able to vote in those primaries. All voters, regardless of party affiliation, will receive ballots with nonpartisan contests and...
Letter: Eclipse
For a moment, everyone stopped. We looked up. We put our cellphones down if just for that moment and looked up. We did what for thousands of years before our devices, made us feel like we were part of something bigger than ourselves. We joined with millions of people and for that moment, we forgot our differences. We hugged strangers. Democrats and Republicans, Moslems and Jews, blacks and whites, straights and gays, we smiled at one another and felt connected in a way too seldom...
Letter: Why We’re Voting For Patrick Hollinger
John Herzog joined our Curry County Commissioners in 2021, flaunting his experience as a very senior leader and executive with a high-tech industrial enterprise made him a superior candidate for our Curry County Board of Commissioners (BOC). In fact a division of John’s high-tech company was our Curry County vendor supplying computer and network managed services. He was voted into office and hoped for his success as Curry Commissioner. During one of the first 2021 BOC meetings, which John attended as County Commissioner, John’s high-tech...
A Species in Rapid Decline: New Efforts to Recover the Tufted Puffin
Just 553. That is the estimated number of individual Tufted Puffins remaining in Oregon, based on the 2021 coastwide survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). It’s a staggering decline from the nearly 5,000 puffins counted back in 2008 and other surveys in the 1990s. It’s a number that demands action, and action is exactly what we plan to take. Bird Alliance of Oregon (formally Oregon Audubon Society) is teaming up with National Audubon and other stakeholders on a new effort to...
Letter: Choose your candidate carefully when voting
2016 was certainly a pivotal year in politics. Wanted to relay two significant experiences concerning Donald Trump. 1st early in 2016, read an article by Marc Fisher, senior editor Washington Post, entitled “The movie that foretold the rise of Donald Trump”. At the time, gave the article little credence, not knowing Trump (as New Yorkers do), and was not familiar Mr. Fisher’s referenced movie - “A Face in the Crowd” (1957), staring Andy Griffith. ...
Marine Board issues waterway advisory
The Oregon Marine Board has issued a safety advisory concerning waterway obstructions. Heavy wind and rain from winter storms cause trees to plunge into Oregon rivers. Trees become obstructions, a risk for all boaters, including paddlers, rafters, and drift boats," according to the Marine Board. Some of these obstructions will become more dangerous as river levels drop, requiring boats to portage around the obstructions for safe navigation. ...
Merkley Monthly: Delivering federal dollars for Oregon’s critical community projects
When I was an intern for Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield, I had a front row seat to see just how important it is for our state’s priorities and values to be represented on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for funding the federal government. Now, as chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior and Environment, I’m working hard to continue Senator Hatfield’s legacy and ensure that Oregon has a strong voice in the nation’s spending decisions, including investing in vital projects that meet our state’s diverse needs, from building wildfire resiliency to boosting affordable housing. ...
ODFW announces 2025 annual wildlife art contest
Artists are invited to compete in one or all three of ODFW’s 2025 stamp art competitions. The winning artist in each contest receives a $2,000 award and winning artwork is used to produce collector’s stamps and other promotional items with sale proceeds benefitting Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats. For more information on contest rules and to order stamps and art prints, visit: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/stamp_contest/index.asp ...
More progress needed on ocean protection, OSU scientists tell global conference
World governments and other leadership bodies are taking vital steps to protect the ocean but more progress is urgently needed, Oregon State University (OSU) scientists reported at the eighth Our Ocean Conference in Athens, April 17. “Highly protected areas can safeguard against destructive activities such as high-impact fishing, mining and drilling, allowing marine life to recover and in many cases support nearby human communities,” OSU’s Kirsten Grorud-Colvert said. “We’re honored to be invited to share this evidence with world leaders – they are making decisions...
Police Blotter
The police blotter is an excerpt of a public record of incidents as reported by law-enforcement agencies. All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty. The information printed is preliminary and subject to change. For a list of missing items found in the Brookings area, you can visit the police services page of the city of Brookings website at www.brookings.or.us/134/police-services and follow the link near...
Stagelights presents: An evening of music
An evening of music with Homemade Jam. Willow Owings, her dad Chris Vorster, and son Zane will delight you with lively and heartfelt tunes, stellar vocals and beautiful harmonies. This will be a family event you won’t want to miss! Saturday, April 27 at 6 p.m. at the Chetco Grange Hall, Shopping Center Ave. in Harbor. Doors open at 5:30. Admission is a suggested $10 donation at the door. Light refreshments will be available for purchase. Stagelights Musical Arts Community is a 501c3 non-profit. This event is being supported by the Chetco Grange. For more info visit stagelights.us or call Kim Devine at 541-251-3952
VA holding Advisory Committee on benefits
Veterans Affairs (VA) is looking for significant feedback from veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors for a Federal Advisory Committee on the proliferation of benefits. The VA is seeking people willing to speak in 3-minute public comment slots both in person and virtually, or willing to provide written statements for a more in-depth analysis. Topics on the docket for this meeting include the Survivors’ Assistance and Memorial Support Program, Veterans Health Administration, the Office of Survivor Assistance, and the Veterans Benefits Administration. Anyone with feedback...
Town Hall Meetings for Law Enforcement Levy
A number of local Town Hall meetings are being held by Curry County commissioners and law enforcement representatives to present the Curry County Law Enforcement Levy to Curry citizens. The levy will appear on the upcoming May ballot with the goal of generating revenue to fund Curry County public safety. The purpose of the Town Hall events are for the public to gain insights, ask questions, and engage with local leaders regarding this important initiative. All Curry County Commissioners, the District Attorney, the Sheriff and...
U.S. Supreme Court appears to lean toward Oregon city in complex homelessness case
How Cottage Grove and cities across Oregon and the national handle homelessness could be determined by the U.S. Supreme Court. A majority of U.S Supreme Court justices Monday, April 22, seemed inclined to side with an Oregon town’s law that bans homeless people from sleeping outdoors, in a case that could have broad implications for local ordinances related to homelessness across the country. During oral arguments in City of Grants...
Column: Rapid access to care – not jail – will help solve Oregon’s overdose crisis
Recently, a man stood outside the Portland central city library holding a sign that read “please pray for me.” He was on his fourth day of detoxing off of fentanyl. Trying to get sober while cold, alone and living on the streets was becoming increasingly more difficult for him, and he had written the sign as a last plea for some kind of divine intervention. That intervention came in the form of outreach workers who were on the street that day as part of a...
Sheriff's Tip of the Week: Hiking Safety
Part of the beauty of Oregon is the hiking opportunities throughout the state. Hiking can be a fun and healthy activity for the whole family. But without proper planning, even a short hike could turn into a dangerous situation. Before you hit the trails, remember these hiking safety tips. 1. Make a Gear List Whether you're hiking for three hours or three days, you don't want to forget something important....
Renewed commitment to state’s wildfire response urged
Members of the Oregon Congressional delegation are calling for a renewed long-term commitment to the Western Oregon Operating Plan (WOOP). Set to expire June 30 of this year, the WOOP serves as the agreement that governs fire response for BLM, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and Forest Protective Associations all over western Oregon. Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle today led U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and...
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The Curry Coastal Pilot is a general interest newspaper serving the Brookings-Harbor and Curry County areas at the southwestern corner of Oregon. We focus on local breaking news, general news, community news, sports, and opinions.
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