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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2024

Brookings, Oregon

South Oregon Coastal Legends Fest opens to big ﬁrst year BY NATE SCHWARTZ Curry Coastal Pilot

The inaugural South Oregon Coastal Legends festival had huge community support last weekend, as the folks from Gold Beach Main Street saw success for their first annual fest. Set right on the pacific at the Event Center on the Beach at the Curry County Fairgrounds, the music festival themed after the unique folklore of the South Coast. Despite it being the first year, attendance exceeded expectation. “We were actually very surprised at how well it went for the first year. We were all a little nervous about the turn-out, but it was great! We had a lot of people come, not just from Gold Beach, but Port Orford, Bandon, Brookings… It was nice to see the families there and everybody having fun,” said Ryan Valentine, Gold Beach Main Street’s Community Coordinator. Storytelling and tributes to great American legends were a cornerstone of Please see LEGENDS, Page 3

Trio brings back rich history of the Hiouchi Bridge decades-old photographs of the original Smith River Bridge developed and constructed by the California Division of Highways, Bridge Department, in 1929. Transfer of ownership moved to the California Department of Transportation (Cal Trans) and the Bridge name was changed to the Hiouchi Bridge, spanning the Smith River at mile post 4.22, on 199. When the original Smith River Bridge was demolished in July, 1989 it was believed all the rich

BY ROGER GITLIN Country Media, Inc.

The rich history of the iconic Hiouchi Bridge has been brought back to light and on proud display at the Hiouchi Café on Highway 199. Hiouchi’s unofﬁcial Mayor, Walter Ussery, Del Norte Historical Society Director, Karen Beteljewski and graphic artist Curtis Wohlgmuth combined their talents and research acumen to bring back

history fell into the debris pile. Not so, Thanks to this trio of dedicated historians, the process of bringing back the past has been a rewarding and successful venture. One can see the display at the Café. A bit of history…The Smith River Bridge was a rare California example of the cantilever highway truss Bridge, a type that enjoyed brief popularity during the decade spanning the late 1920’s and 30’s. Because this type was best

suited to specialized applications, only limited numbers were built in the State. In fact, there are only seven remaining, following the removal of the Smith River Bridge some 35 years ago. The iconic Smith River Bridge was likely inﬂuenced by the Carquinez Bridge in the North Bay (192327). The construction of the Smith River Bridge was an element of the old Smith River Road Please see BRIDGE, Page 4

Wyden, Merkley and Hoyle announce NOAA’s support for Port Orford Washington D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representative Val Hoyle, announced on Oct. 9 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries included specific support for Port Orford’s local economy and job growth in its National Seafood Strategic Implementation Plan. “World-renowned seafood is synonymous with Oregon, and is a vital part of our coastal economy and a delicious part of our dinner tables,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified NOAA recognizes the important role Port Orford plays in sustaining the local and regional seafood industry. This plan will net local jobs for Curry County, while Oregonians will reel in enhanced availability of fresh, local seafood in the region.” “Oregon seafood is the lifeblood of our coastal communities and economy, and when the industry thrives, all of Oregon thrives,” Merkley said. “This national strategy from NOAA—which supports the revitalization of the Port of Port Orford—will boost Oregon’s coastal fishermen and world-class seafood producers, creating jobs in Curry County and across the country.” Please see ECONOMY, Page 10

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