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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946 www.currypilot.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2025

Brookings, Oregon

Year in Review Regionally, Statewide, Across the Nation

This article looks back at events that occurred regionally, statewide and across the nation. BY LINDA LEE

Curry Coastal Pilot

Regionally January: Brookings City Manager Janell Howard was fired. The event was brought about because of a shop lifting charge, involving toilet paper and a vegi tray, that Howard had stolen from Fred Myers. The city cited that the reason for Howard’s termination was that she had violated their Code of Conduct and thereby was no longer fit to serve as city manager. February: Fin Whale washes ashore at Sunset Beach. A Fin Whale was stranded at Sunset Beach State Park in Oregon. It likely died from an underlying illness. The Fin Whale was a subadult male, about 46 feet long and appeared to be thin and emaciated. The necropsy team, which included a pathologist, collected tissue samples to help identify any illness that could have led to the cause of death. The whale came ashore entangled, the injuries associated with the entanglement appeared to be fresh and superficial, according to the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA). March: Brookings CORE Response receives funding for new facility. AllCare Health awarded a $175,000 grant to Brookings CORE Response for a new facility supporting residents experiencing

housing insecurity and homelessness. This project was named Peer House Navigation Center and provides walk-in services in a safe and accessible location. April: Port of Brookings Harbor Commissioner Daniel Fraser gets caught firing paintballs at Sea Lions at the Port. Fraser was on the public dock of the Port of Brookings Harbor with no knowledge or permission from port staff, commissioners, or any regulatory agencies. May: Local Tribes and City of Brookings oppose wind turbines. The Brookings City Council passed a motion to act in opposition to the announcement from the Bureau of Offshore Energy Management (BOEM) over an accelerated lease schedule for the installation of offshore wind energy. The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI), opposed the wind turbines over concerns for environmental and economic impacts. June: Local high schoolers win championships at state track and field meet. Nelson Wilstead won the javelin championship when he threw the javelin with a heave of 172-2 and Korben Storns won the discus championship with a throw of 149 feet, 4 inches. July: Ocean Suites Hotel, in Brookings, celebrates twenty-five years in business.

The owners hosted a celebration that brought together long-time regulars, former employees and architects that worked on the original building, even their firsttime guest, Martha Harrison, returned for the festivities. August: Gold Beach enhances beach access with Mobi-Mats. Mobi-mats are temporary pathways that can be laid out over uneven terrain, making natural landscapes like beaches more accessible for individuals with mobility challenges. September: The City of Brookings paid St. Timothy’s $400,000 for legal fees after the church filed a lawsuit. The City agreed to pay $357,000 to Stoel Rives Law Firm and $43,000 to the Oregon Justice Resource Center. They also repealed the benevolent meal ordinance and withdrew the abatement issues for St. Timothy’s, as stated by Brookings City Manager Tim Rundel. October: Curry County Cruisers Appreciation Day proclaimed. The City of Brookings declared October 15th as Curry County Cruisers Appreciation Day, to commemorate the club’s contributions to the area. Proceeds from club dues and shows go straight to local non-profits and charitable organizations. The Cruisers have donated over $100,000 over the last decade.

November: Inter-Tribal Treaty. Three California Tribal Nations signed an inter-tribal treaty to manage, protect and restore the Yurok-Tolowa Dee-ni' Indigenous Marine Stewardship Area (IMSA). The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People and Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria banded together to create the ﬁrst marine protected area in the United States designated by Tribal governments. The IMSA is home to many species that are culturally important to the Tribal Nations, and the country, including salmon, clams, seaweed and kelp. December: Over-night beach camping prohibited. Brookings joined the cities of Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Rockaway Beach, Lincoln City, Newport, Bandon and Gold Beach to prohibit over-night beach camping along the ocean shore, within the city limits. Statewide January: Klamath Flows Freely. Drawdown for the Copco 1 dam on the Klamath River began on January 23rd following a blast in the remaining plug of the adit tunnel. It was the last of the four dams to start Please see YEAR IN REVIEW, Page 8

Washed Ashore: A young, male Fin Whale most likely died from malnutrition before it landed on Sunset Beach.

Gathering Data: Researchers gather data from the Fin Whale that washed ashore in Sunset Beach.

Follow the Data: The cost of wildfires is represented in orange on the graph and is counted in billions of dollars.

State Javelin Champion: Nelson Wilstead won the javelin championship at the state’s track and field event.

INDEX

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

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