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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2024

Brookings, Oregon

High court rules in favor of St. Timothy’s St. Timothy’s, who have operated at 401 Fir Street in Brookings since 1953, predate Medford, OR - A decision the city’s original residential was handed down in the case of code and we’re therefore St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church grandfathered in. They have (plaintiff) v. City of Brookings provided free lunchtime meals (defendant) this week after being since 2009. Then overseen heard in the US District Court by Ron Hedenskog, the meal in Medford. The court ruled in service continued to grow during the church’s favor, granting a his Mayoral stint from 2012motion for summary judgment 2018. to St. Timothy’s, while denying The church increased the the city’s motions for summary frequency of its meal service as judgment and dismissal. homelessness numbers rose in Brookings. When the Covid-19 Background Pandemic reached Brookings, The City of Brookings many other churches stopped enacted an ordinance in late serving meals. St. Timothy’s October 2021, which changed increased their meal service the zoning code to require again to compensate, offering conditional use permits for ﬁve to six meals a week. ‘benevolent meal service’, and In early 2021, the City issued restricted the frequency with St. Timothy’s a permit to host which meals could be served. St. individuals living out of their Timothy’s, which is technically cars on their property, as part located in a residential zone, of a City-sponsored program was directly affected by the new Please see RULING, Page 9 ordinance.

BY NATE SCHWARTZ Country Media Inc.

Waterspout spotted off Cape Farrelo An uncommon weather phenomenon was captured on video on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024, by multiple Curry County residents. A waterspout was spotted about a quartermile offshore at Cape Ferrelo at around 7:45 PM, and quickly reported by RogueWeather.com. Two videos, captured by Andy Martin and Mark Unger of Curry County, show the impressive size and rotation of the waterspout. We spoke with Ryan Sandler, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service branch in Medford, Oregon, to get some more information. Waterspouts can fall into one of two categories. There are fair weather waterspouts, which form in relatively calm conditions and are generally less dangerous. The waterspout seen on Wednesday was a tornadic waterspout. Functionally identical to a tornado, a tornadic waterspout is simply a tornado that forms over water or moves from land to water. The source of the rotation comes from up in the clouds and

works its way downward to the water. This is a tricky thing to track off-shore, as the rotations form below the zone typically detectable by radar, hence why reports of waterspouts are few and far between. “They are a little more common on the Northern Oregon coast. I would say there may be one a year, or one every couple years, that we know about,” said Sandler on their rarity, “We don’t issue many special marine warnings. They’re unusual partly because our radar… as you get to the coast, the radar beam goes higher and higher.” In the videos, you can clearly see the rotation originating from the upper and middle portions of the storm. The funnel descends from the dropping supercell cloud wall and is picking up water from the surface and taking it upwards. This had weather enthusiasts of the South Coast very interested. RougeWeather.com’s forecaster Greg Roberts commentated on some of the footage in awe of the

The May Primary for Oregon is quickly approaching in what is shaping up to be a divisive and contentious election cycle. In order to cut through the rhetoric and over-promising ever present in any election, here are the basics that you need to know for your Curry County primary election.

Please see WATERSPOUT, Page 2

Curry Health Network receives $2 Million to launch chemotherapy services in Curry County Gold Beach, OR – In a landmark advancement for healthcare services in Curry County, Curry Health Network (CHN) is elated to announce the receipt of $2 million in federal appropriation funds. This signiﬁcant grant underscores a pivotal advancement in CHN’s mission to enhance local healthcare capabilities, notably through the expansion of infusion services and the introduction of essential chemotherapy treatment within the community. The federal funds were secured thanks to the dedicated advocacy and collaborative efforts of CHN’s leadership and staff, alongside Oregon’s federal legislators. “We are profoundly grateful for the support and dedication of Senators Wyden and Merkley, as well as Congresswoman Hoyle, who have played instrumental roles in securing these funds for our community,” expressed Ginny Williams, CEO of Curry Health Network. “Their recognition of our needs and their decisive actions will signiﬁcantly enhance the quality of life for Curry County residents confronting cancer.” This successful funding application followed extensive

INDEX

Ballot snapshot for Curry County May Primary

efforts, including a critical trip to Washington D.C. in March 2023. CEO Ginny Williams, CFO Rick Sicora, Dr. Reginald Williams, Derral Hawthorne, PA and member of the CHN Board of Directors, and Shelby Mickelson, CHN’s Dietary Manager, made a compelling case for the project. Shelby Mickelson’s poignant account of the challenges she and her late husband encountered during his cancer battle left a profound impression on the delegates, with Congresswoman Hoyle, in her announcement call, specifically praising Shelby for her courage and the significant impact of her story. If all goes as planned, construction could begin in Spring 2025. The new chemotherapy facility will adjoin Curry General Hospital in Gold Beach, with an anticipated opening in January 2026. The center will feature 8 chemotherapy chairs and clinic space for an oncologist, aiming to serve over 100 patients annually. This initiative represents a beacon of hope for residents who currently endure significant travel burdens for cancer treatment, substantially improving access to vital

Ballots In Oregon, no voter will see all the candidates on their ballot. Instead, the spring primary is set up to allow major political parties to nominate contenders for the General Election ballot, where pivotal positions like the presidency are decided. To cast a vote in a major party’s nominations, individuals must be registered with that party at least 21 days before the May 21st election date, which is April 30, 2024. This deadline also applies to new voter registrations for those who hope to partake in the May Primary Election. Those aligned with minor parties, or unafﬁliated voters, will exclusively receive ballots for nonpartisan races. Starting May 1st, 2024, all active registered voters in Curry County will receive their ballots via mail. For those who haven’t received their ballots by May 9th, the Elections Ofﬁce can be reached at (541) 396-7610 or via email at elections@ co.coos.or.us. Additionally, voters can monitor the status of their ballots online approximately 45 days before the election at www. oregonvotes.gov/myvote. Local Measures Measure 8-114 – Tax Levy for Curry County Law Enforcement This measure is for a proposed property tax levy in Curry County. This would run citizens of Curry County Please see BALLOT, Page 3

Please see CHEMO, Page 3

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