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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946 www.currypilot.com

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024

Brookings, Oregon

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 the County Clerk will be in attendance to answer your questions and address concerns. The meetings

will be live-streamed via Facebook and those who cannot attend in person will be able to participate virtually. The Commissioners and judicial system representative are hoping to have transparent, informative engagement with citizens. All residents are encouraged to attend and ask their questions

prior to voting. Each event is open to all, and media coverage is encouraged. All Town Hall Events will begin at 6 PM and conclude by 8 PM: • North County – Port Orford City Hall • Central County – Event Center on the Beach and Fairgrounds – Gold Beach

• South County – Chetco Community Grange

This type of levy is not unique to Curry County. Similar measures are on ballots up and down the coast, as DA’s ofﬁces struggle with caseloads and jails lack stafﬁng and space. It will be up to the voters whether they think their local authorities need

an increase in resources, and up to those authorities to make their case. The only way to do so effectively is for regular citizens to engage in the process. For more information, please contact the Board of Commissioners Ofﬁce: Email - BOC_Ofﬁce@ co.curry.or.us Phone - (541) 247-3296

Stagelights presents: Curry County Search and

An evening of music Rescue hosted training with K-9 Harness

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 541251-3952

Thursday, April 11, 2024, the Curry County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team participated in a training to rescue dogs. In the past, our SAR team has experienced having to rescue dogs along with their owners who have got into predicaments that needed the Search and Rescue rope team. SAR had equipment for rescuing the humans but did not have the proper gear to rescue the K-9 companions. Thanks to some generous members of our community, donations were given to purchase harnesses to ﬁt large, medium, and small dogs. Thanks to Marna Williams, who organized the event to purchase the harnesses, donations were given by several people in our communities including Paul and Evelyn Bernadeau, Kris Nyeland, Carolyn Cronberger, Tim and Simina Harding, to name a few. SAR member, Craig Rasbury, organized the training that several other SAR members participated in. With the donations given, we will be able to purchase more equipment like muzzles to help rescuers from being injured by scared dogs. The Curry County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce has one of the best SAR teams in the state, and I am very proud and honored to be a part of their team. Their commitment and compassion are unmatched. The Curry County Sheriff’s SAR team trains and responds to missions “So That Others May Live” (Not only for our citizens but are furry friends as well).

VA holding Advisory Committee on beneﬁts BY NATE SCHWARTZ Country Media Inc.

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’

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Assistance and Memorial Support Program, Veterans Health Administration, the Office of Survivor Assistance, and the Veterans Benefits Administration. Anyone with feedback to give in these areas is encouraged to sign up via the information on the flyer. The discussion over Veteran benefits has been a longongoing bipartisan issue. For many veterans, the struggle to be approved for disability or for families to receive benefits for loved ones lost in combat is well documented. Regardless of party affiliation, taking

care of those who served and fought for our country should be above debate, yet many military families are frustrated with the system. According to the American Community Survey conducted by the Census Bureau in 2022, Oregon is home to upwards of 250,000 veterans, the majority of which served in Vietnam or the Gulf War. This ﬁgure has declined by over 20% in the last decade, yet still makes up 7.4% of the adult population of Oregon, above national average. 36% of Oregon veterans have a disability, more

than double that of the nona Joint Report on Veterans veteran population. Housing Programs was According to that same presented to the House Interim study, 9.2% of those veterans Committee on Veterans and are living below the poverty Emergency Management in line, with another 4.2% December, 2023. unemployed. The veteran According to this report population has been steadily anywhere from 1,400 to 2,200 decreasing across the country veterans are experiencing as less people have enlisted homeless in Oregon on any year on year. Despite that fact, given night, with at least 57% Oregon is one of only three of them unsheltered. states to see an increase in “No person who has homelessness among veterans. served our nation should Directed by the Oregon experience housing instability Department of Veterans’ or homelessness, but research Affairs and Oregon Housing Please see VA FEEDBACK, Page 8 and Community Service,

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

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