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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2024

Happy Holidays

Brookings, Oregon

Brookings Women-Owned Business in the Spotlight Ethically Sourced: fiona bean BY LINDA LEE

Curry Coastal Pilot

Fiona bean has come to town. This women-owned business is located on Hemlock Street. They carry clothing, accessories, paper and plush, apothecary, soaps and bath, home goods, kitchen, and candles all of which are ethically sourced. The original small store, located in Grants Pass, was opened by Julie Tyrrell in August of 2007, then she partnered with Amanda

Berkey in 2017 in order to grow the business. The store moved to the historic district on G Street in 2018 in a building that was originally a saloon. Tyrrell and Berkey continued to work hard to develop the business and opened the doors to ﬁona bean in Brookings in June 2024. “We really wanted to have a second location at the beach, so we went up and down the coast looking,” said Tyrrell. “I did all

the demographic studies and we both really love Brookings, so it won. The climate is wonderful. The people are wonderful and the demographics were right and weather was also a big factor too.” Upon considering opening a store in Brookings, Tyrrell and Berkey went into every type of gift

Please see FIONA BEAN, Page 4

Such Good Things: fiona bean owner, Julie Berkey (l) and store manager, Jody Serban, enjoy the opportunity to bring unique items to the community.

Fiona bean: Another Women-Owned business opens in Brookings

Winter Whale Watch Week returns to the Oregon Coast Dec. 27-31 Oregon State Parks will host

Winter Whale Watch Week on the Oregon Coast

December 27 through December 31 OREGON COAST, Oregon— Trained Oregon State Park volunteers will be stationed at 15 sites along the Oregon Coast from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to help visitors spot gray whales on their southward migration to the calving lagoons in Mexico. The sites are some of the best places to watch for whales on the Oregon Coast. A map of volunteer-staffed sites is available online at the ofﬁcial event webpage (links

INDEX Calendar of Events

below). “Now is a perfect time to see the whales as their population rebounds on the Oregon Coast,” said Park Ranger Peter McBride. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced an end to an Unusual Mortality Event impacting gray whales. Since then, the estimated population has increased by roughly 30% from 14,530 last year to 19,260 this year, according

to NOAA. The numbers are on the rise overall, but the calf count is still low as the population continues to rebound. “While there are more gray whales to see now on the Oregon Coast, the calves remain a rare and important sight,” said Michael Milstein, public affairs ofﬁcer with NOAA Fisheries. Winter Whale Watch Week provides an opportunity to see not only the gray whales Please see WHALE WATCH, Page 4

Phone Number: 541-813-1717 • Address: 519 Chetco Avenue, Unit 7, Brookings, OR 97415 • Email: Circulation@CountryMedia.net 2

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