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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946 www.currypilot.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2024

Brookings, Oregon

Brown Pelicans arriving injured and malnourished Brown Pelicans have been making the news following concerns from experts over an inﬂux of birds that are showing signs of emaciation and injury. Normally migrating North this time of year from their Winter homes in Southern California and Mexico, the Brown Pelicans should be making their way to their yearly breeding grounds. Instead, researchers on the coast of Northern California and Southern Oregon have found hundreds of birds emaciated from hunger or stranded from injury. At current, experts have two prevalent theories for why this is occurring: food inaccessibility and late-Spring storms. Representatives from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have stated that their strongest theory is a combination of the two. With many storms hitting the coast, wind speeds have been harder to manage, and waters have been choppier than usual.

BROWN PELICANS

Please see PELICANS, Page 3

Two teachers and five students saved from Rogue River Curry County Sheriff’s Dispatch received a 911 call reporting that several juveniles were in the water possibly drowning in the Rogue River near Huntly Park, about six miles east of Gold Beach. The call came in about 3:28 p.m. on Wednesday May 22. Central Dispatch then began to dispatch Curry County Sheriff’s Deputies, Gold Beach Police Officers, Gold Beach Fire, medical personal from Cal-Or ambulance, as well as medical helicopters from Reach. Within minutes from getting the call, Sheriff Deputies, and Gold Beach Police Officers arrived in the area of Huntly Park gravel bar along the Rouge River. At this time there were a total of 7 individuals, (Two teachers, 5 juveniles) clinging to the rocks on the opposite side of the river from Huntly Park, or still swimming in the river. The subjects were yelling that they could not hang on to the rocks any longer. Deputy Bryce Starbird, Officer Sarah Aryanfard, and Officer Robert Helme made the decision to attempt to swim across the river to attempt to assist the subjects. Two of the struggling subjects got caught in the river current and were swept down river, along with one Sheriff’s Deputy, and one GBPD Officer. At about 3:45 p.m. Sgt Jared Gray and Lieutenant David Denney arrived in the Sheriff’s patrol boat. Upon

arrival in the area out in front of Tu Tu Tun Lodge, (Approx ¾ mile downstream from Huntly Park) three subjects were seen by Sgt Gray and Lieutenant Denney in the water. Two females were observed together trying to swim on their backs, and approximately 200 yards above them was a male subject struggling to stay above water. It was clear that all three were in distress, but the male subject was observed going underwater several times. A decision was made to pass up the first two subjects and assist the unidentified male subject at that time, as it did not appear as if he would be able to stay above water any longer. As they reached the male subject, they recognized him as a GBPD Officer, and he was pulled from under the water by Lieutenant Denney and pulled onto the swim platform of the boat. With Lieutenant Denney hanging onto the GBPD Officer, Sgt Gray then maneuvered the boat back down river and was able to secure the other two

Azalea Pageant Court 2024

30th Annual Car Show. L-R Ericka De Vera, senior princess Emily Jenkins, Queen Brynn Hodges. Senior princess

Please see AZALEA, Page 10

Please see RESCUE, Page 9

Every Oregonian Killed in Viet Nam Read Aloud at Brookings City Hall

Viet Nam Veterans honor those killed and reading their names aloud at City Hall.

INDEX

Please see VIET NAM, Page 3

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

Opinion

Crossword Puzzle Police Blotter Classifieds

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