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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025

Brookings, Oregon

State lawmakers call for Barred Owl Kill Plan to be reversed JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

A bipartisan group of Oregon state House members and a newly elected state senator is asking the federal government to nix the idea of killing nearly half a million barred owls in the Pacific Northwest. The group is specifically calling on Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, in their capacity as leaders of the recently formulated Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to reverse the plan. The plan is designed to reduce social competition between range-expanding barred owls and “It just cannot work, their close and it won’t work.” cousins, the Rep. Ed Diehl Northern Rep. David Gomberg and CalRep. Virgle Osborne ifornia Sen.-elect Bruce Starr spotted

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Four state lawmakers say that the DOGE should ground the plan to kill more than 450,000 barred owls long protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

owls. Details of the federal plan, formally approved by the Biden Administration in September 2024, are outlined in a 300-page Final Environmental Impact Statement. The lawmakers, Representative Ed Diehl (R-Linn and Marion counties), Representative David Gomberg (D-Lincoln and Western Benton/Lane counties), Representative Virgle Osborne, (R-Douglas county) and returning legislator, Senator-elect Bruce Starr, (R-Yamhill and Polk counties) is criticizing the 30-year kill plan, citing its"impracticality and its runaway price tag of $1.35 billion." “The plan to kill upwards of 450,000 barred owls over a 30-year time horizon and across vast reaches of private and public lands in three states is thoroughly impractical,” the state lawmakers wrote. “It just cannot work, and it won’t work. It is a budget buster, with one well-grounded estimate putting the cost of the plan at $1.35 billion over the intended life of the project.” The Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action came up with an estimate of $1.35 million for the

30-year barred owl kill plan – or about $45,000,000 a year. That cost estimate is taken from a recent grant of $4.5 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to the Hoopa Valley Tribe to kill 1,500 of the forest owls. The price tag is $3,000 per bird, and using that figure as a baseline cost, it will add up to a government expense of $1.35 billion to execute the broad plan. There is not a pool of thousands of individuals who will volunteer to do the killing, and it is expected that the individuals doing the shooting across millions of acres – including within Crater Lake National Park – will require compensation for the arduous, night-time hunts. “A billion-dollar price tag for this project should get the attention of everyone on the Trump team concerned about government efficiency,” Rep. Ed Diehl said. “Killing one type of owl to save another is outrageous and doomed to fail. This plan will swallow up Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars for no good reason.” "This simply isn't a sound strategy - fiscally or ecologically," Rep. David Please see KILL PLAN, Page 3

Gold Beach Seniors Embrace Digital World marked a signiﬁcant milestone for participants, many of whom had never touched a computer before. 92-year-old Meryl Boice, a resident of Gold Beach and mother of Oregon State Representative Court Boice, was among the enthusiastic graduates. "I never thought I'd be using a computer at my age," shared Meryl Boice. "But now I can video chat with my grandchildren across the country, and that means the world to me." The program's success hinges on the unique partnership between generations. Local high school students, eager to gain valuable teaching experience, volunteered their time to mentor the seniors. "It's been incredibly rewarding to see the seniors' excitement as they learn new things," said one student volunteer. "They have so much wisdom to share, and it's inspiring to see them embrace this new technology."

BY LINDA LEE

Curry Coastal Pilot

A heartwarming graduation ceremony recently celebrated the success of the inaugural Connected Senior Program, a unique initiative bridging the digital divide in our coastal Oregon community. The program, a collaborative effort between Beacon Broadband, the Soroptimist Club of Gold Beach, and other community partners, paired senior citizens with local high school students to teach seniors essential computer skills. "This program is truly making a difference in the lives of our seniors," said Debbie Knight, President of the Soroptimist Club of Gold Beach. "In a community where a signiﬁcant portion of the population is over 65, access to technology is crucial for staying connected, accessing healthcare, and maintaining independence." The graduation ceremony

All Smiles: Bill Gerski, Beacon Broadband's Vice President of Marketing and Sales (l), and Gold Beach High School Sophomore Sophia Hawthorne, present Meryl Boice with her certificate of completion for the program. The curriculum, developed by Beacon Broadband's Technical Services Representative Kassandra Marley, began with the fundamentals, to include powering on a computer, using a mouse and navigating basic applications. As the weeks progressed, the lessons increased in com-

plexity, covering topics such as email, online banking and video conferencing. The Connected Senior Program addressed a critical need in Curry County, where a good percentage of residents are over the age of 65, which is the highest in Oregon. By equipping seniors

with digital skills, the program aimed to improve their quality of life in several ways. Thanks to the learning tools they acquired, seniors who graduated the program, can now stay connected with loved ones and easily video chat with family Please see SENIORS, Page 7

A Legacy of Support for Students PRESS RELEASE Since 1962, the Southwestern Foundation has helped thousands of students achieve their educational and training dreams by breaking down financial barriers. Scholarships make it possible for students to focus on their education, build skills and prepare for future career success. Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation is accepting scholarship applications to help students achieve their educational and career goals. Any credit-seeking student, those pursuing a degree or certificate, planning to attend Southwestern during the 2025-26 academic year are encouraged to apply. With one simple application, students can be considered for multiple scholarships. Students who apply by 11:59 p.m. on February 1, 2025, will be eligible to be considered for a $1,000 Early Bird Scholarship. The final deadline for all applications is 11:59 p.m. on March 1, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted. Workshops to Help You Succeed! Do you need help with your scholarship application? Do you have questions about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or financial aid? Join us at one of our free workshops! The Coos Campus, Empire Hall Lakeview East, which is located above the cafeteria, will host a scholarship writing seminar which builds confidence. Participants can learn tips for writing strong essays. There will be two sessions on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025: session 1 is at 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and session 2 is at 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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Financial Aid and Scholarship Drop-In Workshops One can get personalized, in-person help from financial aid and scholarship experts. Bring your specific FAFSA or scholarship questions, or use this time to work on your application with representatives on site. Computers will be available for use. Coos Campus, Tioga 301 located at 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay will host this event on: Monday, January 27th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.; Friday, February 7th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.; Thursday, February 13th from 10:00 to 12:00 p.m. and Wednesday, February 26th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The Curry Campus, 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway, Brookings, will also host an event at Room 232 on Tuesday, January 28th from 10:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thanks to the generosity of community donors, the Southwestern Foundation awards more than $300,000 in scholarships annually. These funds are available to students pursuing nearly every field of study at the College’s Coos and Curry campuses and at the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute (OCCI). Applications are open from January 1 to March 1, 2025. For more information about Southwestern Foundation scholarships, visit www. socc.edu/scholarships, email foundation@ socc.edu or call 541-888-7209. Additional FAFSA Information According to their website, FAFSA is taking additional actions to help streamline their application process. It began with significantly reducing verification requirements for applicants. Please see STUDENTS Page 4

Apply Now: Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation Scholarship Applications Open for the 2025-26 Academic Year

Phone Number: 541-813-1717 • Address: 519 Chetco Avenue, Unit 7, Brookings, OR 97415 • Email: Circulation@CountryMedia.net

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