CCP78

Merkley, Wyden announce $52 million for vital services

For the Pilot

Curry County's share is $1.9 million

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced counties throughout Oregon will receive a combined total of $52,016,022 in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2026. Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT funding helps to defray the costs associated with maintaining important community services in counties with federal lands.

“Rural communities shouldn’t have to wonder if they will have the resources they need to pay for essential ser-

vices and infrastructure,” said Merkley, who serves as Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee which funds PILT. “PILT funds schools, firefighters, law enforcement, and road construction—I’ll keep working to fully fund PILT so communities and families across Oregon have the resources they need to thrive.”

“At a time when local budgets throughout Oregon are tight, it’s more important than ever to provide these federal investments that support public education, public safety and transportation statewide,” said

Wyden. “I’m glad these resources are heading to make our state an even better place to live and work, and I’ll keep battling both to protect and to strengthen this lifeline.”

PILT compensates counties for tax-exempt federal lands administered by federal agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Payments are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land within each county or jurisdiction and the population

of that county or jurisdiction. Individual payments may vary from year to year as a result of changes in acreage data, prior-year federal revenue-sharing payments reported annually by the governor of each state, and inflationary adjustments using the Consumer Price Index and population data. Senators Merkley and Wyden continue to monitor PILT allocations closely and will continue to ensure fair payments for every county. Curry County will receive $1,992,401 in its 2026 payment for the 687,737 acres of federal land withing the county boundary.

Oregon lawsuit could upend existing federal management of public lands

aLeX BrOwN Oregon Capital Chronicle

A new lawsuit challenging a logging project in Oregon threatens to unravel the management plans governing hundreds of millions of acres of federal public land. At stake are thousands of leases and permits covering billions of dollars of economic activity — including mining, drilling, grazing, logging, ski resorts, wind and solar projects, outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing. If successful, the lawsuit could throw the management of huge swaths of the West into chaos.

Some experts fear the new legal uncertainty around federal agencies’ management authority could unleash a tsunami of lawsuits targeting everything from mining to the conservation of wildlife habitat.

“They’ve opened Pandora’s Box here,” said Susan Jane Brown, the attorney who filed the lawsuit and serves as principal at Silvix Resources, a nonprofit environmental law firm.

“When you throw that whole system into chaos, it’s a problem whether you’re the oil and gas industry or the timber industry or someone who wants to take a fall hunting trip. There’s a lot at stake here.”

The legal battle stems from Republican lawmakers’ recent use of the Congressional Review Act, a previously obscure tool, to push for more mining and drilling on public lands overseen by the federal Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

Under President Donald Trump, Congress has aggressively used the review power granted by the 1996 law to revoke decisions made during the Biden administration, including financial regulations, energy efficiency standards and auto emissions rules.

Some legal experts contend that by using the law to target public land policy, Congress unwittingly invalidated hundreds of land use plans, along with decades worth of permits and management decisions. The Oregon lawsuit is the first to test that theory in court — but public lands advocates don’t expect it to the be the last.

“This is incredibly destabilizing for anyone that cares about public lands, whether you care about those as an industrial developer or a wilderness advocate,” said John Ruple, research professor

of law at the University of Utah’s Wallace Stegner Center for Land, Resources, and the Environment.

Over the past year, legal experts, agency veterans, conservation groups and industry leaders have warned that Congress was using the Congressional Review Act in a way that could undermine land use plans across the country. Oil and gas drillers could have their permits challenged in court. Ranchers could lose their leases. And understaffed federal agencies would have to redraft hundreds of plans that typically take years to complete.

“This has been flying under the radar,” said Michael Carroll, a land management campaign director with the Wilderness Society, an environmental group. “[Congress] basically opened themselves up to multiple lawsuits from any number of stakeholders calling into question whether or not an agency has the authority to issue permits.”

The Congressional Review Act

The three-decade-old Congressional Review Act requires new regulations issued by federal agencies to be submitted to Congress before taking effect. Congress then has a review period of 60 working days during which it can vote to revoke them.

This review power was rarely invoked until Trump’s first term, when Republicans used it to overturn 16 regulations. The GOP has been even more aggressive in Trump’s second term, overturning 23 rules so far, including conservation standards for water heaters, overdraft lending regulations and restrictions on pollutants in tire manufacturing

Until recently, management plans for federal public lands were not considered “rules” subject to congressional review under the law. Agencies have issued well

over 100 such plans since 1996 without ever submitting one to Congress. Those documents guide the work of agency officials who oversee specific areas of land, often covering millions of acres.

Created after years of public meetings and local feedback, they determine which landscapes will be leased for oil and gas drilling, protected for endangered species or open for off-road vehicles, along with a multitude of other uses.

But last year, Republicans asked the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan advisory agency for Congress, to affirm a sweeping new view of the Congressional Review Act. The office found that certain management plans were subject to review because their land use decisions “prescribed policy,” and determined that lawmakers’ queries about those plans had opened the 60-day review “clock” in each instance.

Using this new interpretation, Republicans in the past two years have revoked plans that restricted mining and oil production on federal lands in Alaska, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming.

But the repercussions could go well beyond those specific plans.

None of the plans issued by federal land managers over the past 30 years was ever submitted for review, because no one at the time considered them to be rules. In other words, hundreds of plans covering millions of acres of land could be deemed invalid under the new congressional interpretation.

Oregon lawsuit Now, a lawsuit in Oregon will put that argument to the test. Cascadia Wildlands, a conservation group in the Pacific Northwest, has filed a complaint challenging a timber harvest on Bureau of

Land Management land in western Oregon. That logging project was approved under a management plan that was issued in 2016.

Since Congress now considers such plans to be rules, the plaintiffs argue, the 2016 plan never took effect because it was never submitted to Congress.

Cascadia Wildlands has fought numerous legal battles over logging projects approved by the Bureau of Land Management. If the lawsuit over the management plan is successful, said Nick Cady, the group’s legal director, the same theory would give them leverage to block any logging project issued under the 2016 plan.

“They let the genie out of the bottle,” Cady said. “Instead of just letting [the Congressional Review Act] move forward with whatever Republicans choose to select, it’s worth curbing that by pointing out that it can point both ways.”

If the plan is struck down, activists of all types could use that precedent to challenge any activity on public land governed by a management plan that hasn’t been reviewed by Congress.

“It is a target-rich environment if our lawsuit is successful, and even if it’s not successful we’ve already demonstrated that there’s a lot of interest here,” Brown said. “This is what happens when you overturn longstanding precedent and throw spaghetti at the wall.”

Cady and Brown said they hope their case compels Congress to revise the Congressional Review Act to exempt public land management plans.

Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at abrown@stateline.org.

This story was originally produced by Stateline, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Oregon Capital Chronicle, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

https://oregoncapitalchronicle. com/2026/06/30/repub/oregon-lawsuit-could-upend-federal-management-of-public-lands/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

By Nate Schwartz Pilot Editor

Ahead a meeting in Salem on August 14, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are accepting public comment in regards to further changes to commercial Dungeness crab fishing regulations. A major portion of Coastal Oregon’s fishing industry, Dungeness are a species that have become emblematic of the area’s blue economy. These proposed changes would be a doubling down on whale entanglement prevention, for which stricter regulations were already passed earlier this year. As of April 1, 2026, crabbers were required to comply with a 20% reduction in pot limits, mandatory use of secondary buoy tags, and a depth restriction of 40 fathoms. While ODFW had been proposing these changes for several years, the adoption was accelerated by a higher rate of whale and turtle entanglements in the past two years. In 2024 and 2025 a record number on humpback whales were caught in Dungeness crabbing gear. According to ODFW, three were recorded in 2024 and a further four in 2025. Many of these entanglements are reported after the whale has already traveled hundreds of miles while encumbered by fishing gear, with some being found as far as Southern California and Mexico. One juvenile humpback was stranded on a Yachats beach earlier this season.

According to Crystal Adams, Executive Director at the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, who’s offices are here in Coos Bay, these regulatory changes are not unwelcome as long as they are reasonable on a financial level and lead to positive conservation outcomes.

“We are regulated to constriction currently, so adding on regulations is never a good thing, never a happy thing for the fleet, but as long as we do it together and the outcome is good,” said Adams. “If there’s a reason for it, as long as the outcome shows that its effective, we’ll be alright, we’ll work together and figure out how to do this.”

The hang up with this recent round of proposed changes is that they are additive, rather than restrictive. The last changes reduced pot sizes and fishing depths, these new changes will require new electronic monitoring for vessels’ hydraulic systems, will add additional guidelines for experimental fishing gear permitting, and modify which surface gear commercial crabbers can use.

“The first round of regulations we’ve been working on for

See More ODFW on page 3

Our unfinished American Revolution

U.S. SeNaTor

JeFF Merkley Guest Column

On busy days in the Senate, when I am rushing through the Capitol, I sometimes pause in the rotunda and reflect on John Trumbull’s massive painting of the Continental Congress being presented with the draft of the Declaration of Independence.

It captures the moment, in the summer of 1776, when our nation declared that all people are created free and equal.

Declaring those values was as revolutionary as declaring independence from Britain. Before 1776, authoritarian governments of kings and conquerors derived their power from the barrel of a musket. But a just government, the Declaration said, derives its power from the consent of the people. That vision replaced violence with voters, rulers with representatives, tyranny with democracy. Lincoln simply called it, “government of the people, by the people, for the people”.

This summer, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Over two and a half centuries, we have progressed toward the vision of liberty and justice for all by including those originally excluded: Native Americans, women, and communities of color. And we have grown freer, stronger, fairer, and richer every time we have lived up to the values of freedom, equality, inclusion, and opportunity for all. Those opportunities shaped my life. My dad

was a millwright, a mechanic who kept a timber mill’s machinery humming. When I was young, he took me to the schoolhouse doors and said, “If you walk through those doors and work hard, you can do anything because you live in America.” It was a promise of opportunity under our government “for the people”. I believed in that promise. I became the first in my family to go to college. And, in 1976, our bicentennial summer, I was thrilled to get an internship with Oregon’s Senator Mark Hatfield in Washington, DC. That experience was transformative. Opening and sorting the mail each morning, I read about the hopes and cares of ordinary Oregonians, including housing, health care, education, and good-paying jobs, the very foundations for families to thrive. I also had the chance to cover the Tax Reform Act, and I saw how a bad policy can hurt millions of people, while a good policy can help millions of people. Fifty years later, those lessons are still the bedrock of my career in public service and how I think about public policy. And they are the bedrock of the American Dream. Every family deserves to live in a decent home in a decent community. Every person deserves to see a doctor when they are sick. Every child deserves a quality education. And every worker deserves a fair wage for an honest day’s work.

The president’s potty-mouthed

By J. Mark Powell InsideSources.com

We’ve all experienced mortifying moments. Like a bad case of hiccups in the middle of a wedding service. Or an uncontrollable outburst of the giggles at a high school graduation. Situations that spoil a special moment. Such an unfortunate incident occurred 181 years ago this spring, marring a former president’s sendoff. And the horrified mourners couldn’t believe the culprit responsible for it. For decades, Andrew Jackson had seemed indestructible. The Tennessee soldier, planter and politician wasn’t nicknamed “Old Hickory” for being soft and cuddly. He was fond of bellowing “By the Eternal!” for emphasis. (It

was considered less blasphemous than the alternative phrase.)

Yet if anything, he was even harder-headed and more uncompromising in real life than legend suggests. Consider the duel that nearly killed him.

An argument over a horse-racing bet led to bad blood between Jackson and a man named Joseph Erwin. Things seriously escalated when Erwin’s friend Charles Dickinson jumped in. He and Jackson trash-talked each other in person and in the press. But when Dickinson insulted Jackson’s wife, he went too far.

In Jackson’s eyes, the sun rose and set around wife Rachael. By impugning her, Dickinson signed his own death warrant.

When the two met across the state line (and thus out of reach of the long arm of the law) in Kentucky on May 30, 1806, Jackson got his revenge. Dickinson was known to be a superb shot. To everyone’s amazement, Jackson calmly stood in place and allowed his rival to fire first, the bullet hitting him near the heart. Jackson swayed for a moment, but stayed on his feet. Witnesses said Dickinson’s face turned white; he knew he was a dead man.

Bleeding profusely (although it’s believed the full extent of his wound was concealed because he wore a loose-fitting coat), Jackson slowly and deliberately took aim and squeezed. The trigger stopped at half cock.

Under the Code Duello, which governed such affairs of honor, Dickinson had to stand there and watch Jackson reload and fire a second time without responding. He subsequently bled to death.

Jackson’s doctors said the lead ball had lodged too close to his heart to operate, so he carried it in his chest, causing great pain at times, for the next

39 years.

So, when we say he was tough, take our word for it. He was also rough around the edges. A true log-cabin guy who was celebrated by his fellow frontiersmen for his social shortcomings, he was more at home with a jug of corn liquor and a plate of country ham than a crystal decanter of French wine and a serving of glazed roast pheasant in the White House.

After two terms as president, he returned to his cherished Hermitage plantation just outside Nashville, Tenn. When the end finally came on June 8, 1845, Jackson was 78 and simply worn out from a long life overflowing with monumental events.

A statesman’s passing is always major news. This one was marked with all the decorum and dignity the early Victorian era could muster. Nashville’s shops and stores were closed. Church bells tolled, and guns were fired in tribute for two hours. Newspaper accounts reported “throngs” of people flooding out of the city for the Hermitage on June 10 in a farewell to the former president. It was a warm Tuesday, and many people were packed inside the home.

And then it happened. Just before the solemn ceremony began, words suddenly burst forth loudly from a nearby room. Not human words, but those

Off the charts: Rheumatic Fever

By Dr. GiGi reeD, MD

Rheumatic fever may sound like a relic from old medical textbooks, but it continues to quietly affect lives today—often beginning with something as ordinary as a sore throat. It starts with an infection caused by group A streptococcal bacteria, the same organism responsible for “strep throat.” In some individuals, the immune system’s response to this infection goes awry, mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues, particularly the heart and joints.

Weeks after the initial sore throat has resolved, a child or teenager may develop symptoms such as fever, painful and swollen joints (especially in the knees or ankles), unusual jerky movements, or shortness of breath. This condition is known as rheumatic fever. When the heart is affected, lasting damage can occur—especially to the mitral valve—leading to scarring that may result in rheumatic heart dis-

ease, heart failure, or even stroke years later.

The mitral valve sits between the left atrium and left ventricle. Its name comes from its two leaflets, which resemble a bishop’s pointed hat, known as a miter.

Strep infections can also affect the kidneys, but through a different mechanism. In post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, immune complexes—clusters of antibodies bound to bacterial fragments—become lodged in the kidney’s filtering units. This can lead to cola-colored urine, swelling around the eyes, leg swelling, and high blood pressure. While both this condition and rheu-

matic fever follow strep infections and involve immune responses, they affect different organs and develop in distinct ways. This is a notable example of how bacteria—not just viruses—can trigger autoimmune-related disease processes. In clinical practice, strep throat is a common diagnosis, and it is routinely treated with antibiotics. Prompt antibiotic treatment significantly reduces the risk of both rheumatic fever and post-streptococcal kidney disease. So what does this mean in everyday terms? It means a sore throat should not always be dismissed as minor—especially when

accompanied by fever, tender neck lymph nodes, and the absence of a cough, which are classic signs of strep throat. A simple test and a full course of antibiotics can eliminate the infection and greatly lower the risk of these uncommon but serious complications. In high-income countries, access to timely care has made rheumatic fever relatively rare. However, in lower-resource settings, it remains a leading cause of heart valve damage in young adults. In many cases, a 30-year-old undergoing heart surgery for rheumatic disease may trace the origin back to an untreated sore throat

in childhood that once seemed insignificant.

Recognizing when a sore throat might be strep—and treating it appropriately—is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to protect long-term heart and kidney health.

Leaving Germany after college, Dr. Gudrun (Gigi) Reed spent over 20 years as a scientist in the U.S. She holds four patents in DNA research and was a university professor. Today she is busy as co-medical director for hospice, acute rehabilitation and practices family medicine in Brookings, OR. Gigireedmd@gmail.com

Protecting your health during wildfire season: What Curry County residents should know

By Dr. Kristina Petsas Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare, Oregon

Wildfire season can change daily life quickly in Oregon, where residents may face smoky skies, reduced air quality and the possibility of evacuation during periods of elevated wildfire activity. According to the USDA Forest Service, Curry County is among the Oregon communities identified as having higher wildfire risk. A shift in wind, several days of lingering smoke or even a sudden evacuation

ODFW from page 1

years,” explained Adams.

“This new information is different. Automating trackers that can go on boats, hydraulic monitoring just to see if they’re pulling their crab here. More monitoring will be expensive; it will be tough. So, we need to make sure whatever they do, they do it very trans-

order can affect anyone, but children, older adults, pregnant people and those living with conditions such as asthma, COPD, heart disease or diabetes may face added health concerns. While no one can predict exactly when or where a wildfire will occur, taking a few steps now can help Curry County residents stay safer and better prepared if smoke or fire affects the community.

Preparation is most effective before smoke appears or conditions worsen. Taking time now to plan for

parently, and over time, and use the actual equipment on the water.”

Adams called for transparency and communication from ODFW, and keeping the fishermen in the fold. Oregon’s commercial crab fleet has 424 boats across 6 major ports along the entire Oregon coast, and they run a long season, often December to August.

According to their official position as sub-

poor air quality, medication needs and possible care disruptions can help residents protect their health when wildfire conditions change, starting with these six steps.

1. Protect your lungs from wildfire smoke –Wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and it may worsen breathing or heart conditions. During smoky days, check your local Air Quality Index using local news forecasts or AirNow.gov to see whether air is rated from “Good” to “Hazardous” and help determine when it is safe to be outside. When air quality

mitted to the ODFW for comment, the commission urges that new requirements should not add costs or complexity in a way that compromises safety or fails to contribute to conservation goals. They emphasized the fact that many of the fleet’s vessels are small, family-owned operations with older technology and basic hydraulic systems.

“Additional equipment and monitoring can be expensive and technically challenging and may introduce new points of failure if not carefully

is poor, limit strenuous outdoor activity and keep windows and doors closed when advised to stayindoors.

2. Use the right mask if you must go outside – If you must go outside in smoky conditions, a well-fitting N95 mask can help reduce smoke exposure. Because children may have difficulty getting a proper fit, the safer approach is to reduce their exposure whenever possible by keeping them indoors in cleaner air or relocating away from smoke when conditions become unsafe.

3. Create cleaner air

designed and supported. The fleet is not opposed to new technology; we are asking that electronic monitoring and hydraulic tracking, if required, be phased in with appropriate funding support, clear guidance, and adequate time for training and troubleshooting,” states the Crab Commission’s official position.

Adams explained that while there can be growing pains, regulation is a reality of the industry and if they are to be implemented, they should be introduced with clarity and

indoors – Keeping windows and doors closed can help limit outside air from entering. Consider using a portable air cleaner or a high-efficiency air filter, if possible, and avoid activities that can worsen indoor air quality, such as smoking indoors, burning candles or using fireplaces.

4. Take extra precautions for people at higher risk – Some people are more likely to experience health problems from wildfire smoke, including children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with asthma, COPD, heart disease, diabetesor chron-

communication. The fleet supports protecting whales and other marine life, they just want regulations to be reasonable and effective.

“We are asking for regulations—including any electronic monitoring and hydraulic tracking requirements—that are realistic, affordable, and tailored to a diverse, community based fleet, and for ODFW and the Commission to work closely with industry to refine these requirements, ensure adequate implementation timelines and financial/ technical support, and

ic kidney disease. These individuals should talk with a health care provider before wildfire season or early in the season about how to adjust medications, inhalers, oxygen, activity levels or evacuation plans if smoke becomes heavy. Seek medical help right away for chest pain, severe shortness of breath, confusion, fainting, symptoms that do not improve indoors or any other emergency warning signs.

5. Prepare for the reali-

See More Petsas on page 4

maintain robust outreach so fleet input is genuinely incorporated,” states the Commission.

If you have a vested interest in commercial Dungeness crabbing regulations you are encouraged to have you voice heard during this comment period. You can submit comment online on the ODFW’s Proposed Permanent Rulemaking page at dfw.state.or.us/OARs. The last day to submit comment is July 24, ahead of the hearing on August 14.

spoken by a bird. And not just way words either, but dirty words. Very dirty words. Like Marines-undergoing-basic-training-at-boot-camp dirty words. It was Poll, Jackson’s pet African Grey parrot.

But, on America’s 250th anniversary, the Ameri-

William Meneffee Norment was 15 at the time and was one of the last survivors of the funeral’s attendees. He later wrote, “Before the sermon and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot … got excited and commenced swearing so loud and so long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house.”

In another description

can Dream is in trouble. Government by and for the people is turning into government by and for the powerful. Houses are becoming profit centers for hedge funds instead of homes for families. Health care is focused on profits over patients. Education is becoming a privilege for the wealthy. And full-time workers cannot make ends meet. Everywhere we look, it feels like families lose and billionaires win. Restoring the American

of the incident, Norment claimed the loud mourning cries coming from Jackson’s slaves had set off the bird, triggering “perfect gusts of cuss words” to the shock and horror of everyone. No one knows for sure who taught Poll his X-rated vocabulary or what happened to him later. However, one thing is certain: The incident

Dream starts with rebuilding the foundations for all families to thrive. Our country has come through tough times before. From Bunker Hill and Gettysburg to suffrage and civil rights, ordinary Americans — from all generations, all walks of life, and against all odds — fought and sacrificed for a more just future. Citizenship and patriotism mean taking responsibility for your community, investing in your neighbors, and

would have immensely tickled Old Hickory, by the Eternal!

ABOUT THE WRITER

J. Mark Powell is a former television journalist. His nonfiction book “Witness to War: The Story of the Civil War Told by Those Living Through It” is available at jmarkpowell.com. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

building a better world for your children. Walking through the Capitol rotunda, Mr. Trumbull’s painting looks out over marble statues of historic Americans. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and other presidents are now joined by Martin Luther King, Jr., Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott, each of whom brought our country another step closer to realizing the Declaration’s promise of liberty and justice for all.

On this 250th Fourth of July, as we enjoy cookouts and fireworks, let us rededicate ourselves to the unfinished American Revolution of government of the people, by the people, for the people. Let’s save our republic!

Jeff Merkley is a Democratic United States Senator representing Oregon.

OBITUARY

Edward Louis Schreiber

Born on 3/27/61, Ed was raised in Cardiff-bythe-Sea, CA, and graduated from San Dieguito High School in 1979. Ed attended Palomar College and then Fresno State University, graduating with a degree in Communications-Radio/Television Broadcasting in 1984.

ties of living in a higher-risk wildfire area – Build a household emergency kit with essentials such as water, nonperishable food, a flashlight, batteries, phone chargers, cash, personal hygiene items and copies of important documents. Be sure those documents include health insurance cards, identification, prescription information and contact details for healthcare providers. Pack health-related necessities as well, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines,

In 1989, he started his own travel business specializing in international compassion/mission group travel; Pelican Travel (later “Pelitravel”). He will be remembered by many for helping them when stranded on their travels across the globe.

While attending Fresno State, Ed met his wife, Linda, and they were married on 5/24/87. Living first in Cardiff By The Sea, CA, for 18 years, and then settling in Brookings, OR, with their 4 children in 2004. Ed especially loved the beauty of the Oregon coast, and most Sundays could be found enjoying its ocean, rivers, or trails with his family and dog. Ed was known to all

eyeglasses or contact lenses, hearing aid batteries and mobility aids. If someone in your household relies on refrigerated medication, oxygen or a powered medical device, plan ahead by identifying backup power sources, transportation options and accessible shelter locations.

6. Know where to turn for care and emotional support – If wildfire smoke, evacuation or other disruptions affect access to care, contact your health insurance provider to ask about early prescription refills, telehealth visits, replacement ID cards, access to network providers and available support services. Wildfires and

as a true family man, a strong man of God, a dedicated and loyal friend, and someone who loved Brookings very much. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Linda; his 4 children, Daniel (Shauna), Amanda (Matt), Abigail, and Peter; his two grandchildren, Adelaide and Miles; and his sister, Karen Schreiber of Encinitas, CA. His family will remember him for his strong Christian faith and for always having so much love to give.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 1, at 11 am at Grace Bible Church, Virgil Frazier officiating; reception following at the church, 302 N Hazel St, Brookings, OR

smoke events can also affect mental health, including anxiety, grief and stress, so ask about behavioral health benefits, counseling services, crisis lines and other emotional support resources that may help during and after a wildfire event. Wildfire preparedness is ultimately about protecting health before conditions become urgent. By planning for smoke, medications, medical equipment and emotional support, Curry County residents can be better prepared to act quickly and care for themselves and their families when wildfire conditions affect the community.

By Chris Klaus Development Director Oregon Coast Youth Project

Do you remember the first time you heard the story of Narnia as a kid? Ordinary old piece of furniture leads you to a magical land? That’s what it was like being a part of the original Oregon Coast Dance studio. If you never had a chance to visit, let me paint a picture: it lived inside a double storage unit, and when you rolled up the metal door you saw a false-front threshold that opened onto a fully built-out, thousand-squarefoot dance space on the other side — and people said “it’s like stepping into Narnia.”

That was our first proof that you can take a forgettable building and turn it into something this community needs and wants.

The Sea Spray Center for Arts and Education is what happened when we did that on a larger scale.

From the outside it’s just a metal-sided warehouse, roll-up door, pole-barn construction — solidly built, right on point for our stretch of coast. For more than a decade, it was Fastenal. When we took over the space, we focused on the inside, where the kids would benefit from it most. The magic, as ever, happens past the threshold. We built the Sea Spray Center because this region needed a real performing arts venue — not one borrowed from a distant school or a casino ballroom — and we wanted that stage to belong to the kids

first. To the community, the local groups, the musicians and artists who don't have a Portland budget but deserve a real stage anyway. What's inside: a forty-inch elevated stage with a professionally-built sprung floor and professional dance surface — the exact floor that's engineered to protect dancers’ bodies and joints and used in top-tier studios; custom-built proscenium curtain; adjustable wing fabrics; full theatrical lighting on electronic controls (on loan from Brookings-Harbor Community Theater); a full sound system; two large viewing screens; dressing rooms; a backstage area; a fully-stocked Snack Shack; and a spacious lobby. Configured for live theater or dance, the auditorium seats up to 180. Flip the stage footprint to a concert or speaker event, and you're easily over 200.

Over the past 8 months, we’ve showcased some truly incredible local talent on our stage: Oregon Coast Dance's full cast production of Oz with over ninety dancers on that stage, a 2BDetermined (all teen band) rock show, Brookings-Harbor Community Theatre's youth production of The Baker Street Irregulars, and the inaugural performance: Oregon Coast Dance’s Bah Humbug, Brookings! holiday show. A venue that can host a ninety-person ensemble with 700 attendees on one weekend and a live band the next is a venue this town can actually use. But the Sea Spray Center is part of a larger mis-

sion: Oregon Coast Youth Project — a local nonprofit built on the conviction that small towns have to be deliberate about building space for young people to grow. Sports gets that without much argument. The arts, STEM, and apprenticeship programs have to keep making the case. The Sea Spray Center is where OCYP turns its vision to train, mentor, and inspire our youth into something concrete — a real room, a real stage, real quality programs, and a real audience that shows up to support them. That's how a community stays a community. The venue is now open to local organizations — dance, drama, choirs, concerts, conferences, speakers, STEM programs, classes, even private events, anyone trying to put something in front of an audience. Community groups can reach us at info@seaspraycenter.org, and if you're an audience member, what we ask is simple: come. Every seat filled at a youth show, a theater or dance performance, or a local band's big night brings our community together. If you'd like to support OCYP's broader work — youth programming, mentorship, the arts and education access the Sea Spray Center makes possible — you can find us at OregonCoastYouth.org. But come to a show first. Bring somebody. Sit down. See what your neighbors have been quietly building.

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1 bd and 2 bd unit available for rent $800 and $1100 respectively per month. 417 Fern Ave. Brookings. Call Janel Drew 541-661-3890

1BR 1BA apartment. Upstairs. Approx 600 sqft. Renter pays electric. $1000/mo + $1000 dep. Background check required. If interested call 541-469-6119

1 Bedroom 1 Bath. $1100 rent + $1100 deposit. Landlord pays electric, water, sewer, garbage, and internet. 541-469-6119

8183 peter@hlhattorneys.com

7/8/2026 Pilot 428611

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF CURRY In the Matter of the Estate of: HEIKE D. DOMEL, Deceased. Case No. 26PB05236 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Daniel Sweig has been appointed Personal Representative. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to Shirley D. Farmer, attorney for the Personal Representative, at the Law Office of Shirley D. Farmer, LLC, 444 N 4th Street, Coos Bay, OR 97420, within four months after the date of the publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the probate clerk's office at the Curry County Courthouse, Probate Department, the Personal Representative, or the attorney for the Personal Representative, Shirley D. Farmer, 444 N 4th Street, Coos Bay, OR 97420. Dated and first published this July 8, 2026. Daniel Sweig, Personal Representative c/o Shirley D. Farmer 444 N 4th Street, Coos Bay, OR 97420 (541) 404-4529 7/8/2026 Pilot 428582

Notice of Public Meeting The Port of Brookings Harbor Board of Director's will hold a Regular Meeting Wednesday July 15, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. For meeting agenda and packet please visit Port website: www.portofbrookingsharbor.com This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider 7/8/2026 Pilot 428161

first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the Personal Representative, or the lawyer for the Personal Representative, David C Johnston. Dated and first published on July 1, 2026. /s/ Lynn B Patrick Personal Representative Lawyer for Personal Representative: David C. Johnston, OSB #140957 Law Office of David C Johnston P.O. Box 4884 Brookings, OR 97415 (541) 373-8706 7/1, 7/8, 7/15/2026 Pilot 428219

McLennan Excavation has a full-time working foreman position to fill. The working foreman will have full understanding of underground utilities and grading. Foreman will have full working knowledge of the use of heavy equipment needed for all excavation projects. Leadership, communication, critical thinking, and problem solving under pressure will be essential in this position. The ability to successfully manage projects and use project management plans and can set grades and elevations. McLennan Excavation offers health & dental benefits as well as 401K opportunities. Email your resume to: lily@pipeandrock.com or drop off your resume & apply directly at 98109 N. Bank Chetco River Road; Brookings, OR. Open hours are Monday through Friday from 7aqm to 5pm. Please be prepared for a prospective interview.

Rototiller. DR rear tines. New condition. used 4 hours. Sells for $1100. Asking $700 firm. Phone 541-469-6962.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR CURRY COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RONALD L. COOK, Deceased. NO. 26PB02156 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the undersigned Personal Representative, or his attorney at the address below, within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the Personal Representative, or the lawyer for the Personal Representative, Peter C. Spratt Dated and first published July 8, 2026. Respectfully, /s/ Omar Ghulam Personal Representative LAWYER FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE/ADDRESS FOR CLAIMS: Peter C. Spratt Hirshon Lerner Hutchinson 812 SW Washington St., Ste 1000 Portland, OR 97205 (509) 930-

PUBLIC NOTICE In accordance with ORS 255.075, Notice is hereby given that at the Tuesday, November 3, 2026, General Election, held in Curry County, Oregon, the following district will vote on the following district board positions. HARBOR WATER P.U.D. Director - Subdivision #1 - Precinct 2 & 25 4-year term Director - Subdivision #2 - Precinct 23 4-year term Candidates wishing to file for the Harbor Water Peoples's Utility District must file perfected petitions or declarations of candidacy with the Curry County Clerk Elections Office not later than 5 p.m. August 25, 2026. Please contact the Elections Office at (541) 247-3297. For filing forms please visit https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/SEL190.pdf. Shelley Denney, Curry County Clerk By: Trista Donaldson, Chief Deputy Clerk 7/8/2026

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON, FOR THE COUNTY OF CURRY Case No. 26PB05025 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS In the Matter of the Estate of: KEVIN ALLEN PATRICK, Deceased NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the undersigned Administrator or her attorney at the address below, within four months after the date of

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON, FOR THE COUNTY OF CURRY Case No. 26PB05027 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS In the Matter of the Estate of: GARY MASCHMEYER, Deceased NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the undersigned Personal Representative or his attorney at the address below, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the Personal Representative, or the lawyer for the Personal Representative, David C Johnston. Dated and first published on July 1, 2026. /s/ David Smith, Personal Representative Lawyer for Personal Representative: David C. Johnston, OSB #140957 Law Office of David C Johnston 15957 Hwy 101 S, #6; P.O. Box 4884 Brookings, OR 97415 (541) 373-8706 7/1, 7/8, & 7/15/2026 Pilot 428220

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON, FOR THE COUNTY OF CURRY Case No. 26PB05160 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS In the Matter of the Estate of: GRACE MAY WEISHAAR, Deceased NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the undersigned personal representative at P.O. Box 4884, Brookings, OR 97415, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the lawyer for the personal representative, Sonya Astad. Dated and first published on July 1, 2026. /s/ Sonya Astad Personal Representative Lawyer for Personal Representative: David C. Johnston, OSB #140957 Law Office of David C Johnston, LLC 15957 Hwy 101 S, #6; P.O. Box 51 Brookings, OR 97415 (541) 373-8706 7/1, 7/8, &7/18/2026 Pilot 428221

TS No. OR0800000726-1 APN 3615-36AD02000 / R20782 TO No 260005833-OR-MSI TRUSTEE'S NOTICE OF SALE Reference is made to that certain Trust Deed made by, RAY R. BARMORE AND BARBARA A. BARMORE, HUSBAND AND WIFE AS TENANTS BY THE ENTIRETY as Grantor to FIRST AMERICAN TITLE as Trustee, in favor of MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., as designated nominee for FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA, Beneficiary of the security instrument, its successors and assigns, dated as of March 16, 2007 and recorded on March 22, 2007 as Instrument No. 2007-1661 and that said Deed of Trust was modified by Modification Agreement and recorded September 27, 2012 as Instrument Number 2012-03660 and that said Deed of Trust was modified by Modification Agreement and recorded January 30, 2020 as Instrument Number 2020-00391 and the beneficial interest was assigned to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation as Trustee for the benefit of the Freddie Mac Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust, Series 2021-2 and recorded March 5, 2026 as Instrument Number 2026-00655 of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Curry County, Oregon towit: APN: 3615-36AD-02000 / R20782 THAT CERTAIN TRACT OF LAND LYING IN GOVERNMENT LOT 3, SECTION 36, TOWNSHIP 36 SOUTH, RANGE 15 WEST, WILLAMETTE MERIDIAN, IN THE CITY OF GOLD BEACH, CURRY COUNTY, OREGON, DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT AN IRON BAR DRIVEN AT A POINT ON THE WEST BOUNDARY OF JUNE STREET NORTH 01° 30 WEST 20.0 FEET FROM THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF LOT 1, FITZWATER SUBDIVISION. THENCE NORTH 01°30 WEST 76.5 FEET TO AN IRON BAR. THENCE NORTH 86°50 WEST 134.2 FEET TO THE EAST BOUNDARY OF COLVIN STREET. THENCE SOUTH 11° EAST 77.4 FEET. THENCE SOUTH 86°15 EAST 121.9 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. EXCEPTING THEREFROM THAT PORTION CONVEYED TO THE STATE OF OREGON, BY AND THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, HIGHWAY DIVISION, BY INSTRUMENT RECORDED DECEMBER 28, 1989 AS INSTRUMENT NO. 8902554, OFFICIAL RECORDS, CURRY COUNTY, OREGON. Commonly known as: 94260 JUNE STREET, GOLD BEACH, OR 97444 Both the Beneficiary, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation as Trustee for the benefit of the Freddie Mac Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust, Series 2021-2, and the Trustee, Nathan F. Smith, OSB #120112, have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said Trust Deed and notice has been recorded pursuant to Section 86.752(3) of Oregon Revised Statutes. The default for which the foreclosure is made is the Grantor's failure to pay: Failed to pay payments which became due Total Monthly Payment(s): Total Monthly Payment(s) from 09/01/2025

to 05/01/2026 at $8,081.75 By this reason of said default the Beneficiary has declared all obligations secured by said Trust Deed immediately due and payable, said sums being the following, to-wit: The sum of $211,691.25 together with interest thereon at the rate of 3.87500% per annum from August 1, 2025 until paid; plus all accrued late charges thereon; and all Trustee's fees, foreclosure costs and any sums advanced by the Beneficiary pursuant to the terms of said Trust Deed. Wherefore, notice is hereby given that, the undersigned Trustee will on October 6, 2026 at the hour of 11:00 AM, Standard of Time, as established by Section 187.110, Oregon Revised Statues, Main Entrance, Curry County Courthouse, 29821 Ellensburg, Gold Beach, OR 97444 County of Curry, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property

Tuesday, June 23

9:04 am, Fir St, alarm.

11:01 am, 5th St, criminal trespass.

1:53 pm, Mill Beach Rd, loud noise.

2:17 pm, 3rd St, hit & run.

2:36 pm, Tan Bark and Memory Ln, dispute/fight.

6:51 pm, W Benham Ln, assault.

Wednesday, June 24

2:36 am, Railroad Ave, alarm.

8:07 am, Shopping Center Ave, harass-

POLICE BLOTTER

Daily Meal, Chetco Activity Center, 550 Chetco Lane: 11:15 am - 12:30 pm.

All Year Long

Beyond 250 Oral History Project, Chetco Library. Anyone who has called Brookings-Harbor home is welcome to share lived experiences for the oral history project. Learn more and sign up at chetcolibrary. org/Beyond250.

Mondays Line dance lessons, Brookings Elks Lodge, 800 Elks Drive: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Membership not required.

Absolute beginners 10:30 am, improver 11:00 am, intermediate 12:00 pm. $2 minimum donation.

Qi Gong for Health & Vitality, Chetco Library: 5:30 pm. Free class with licensed instructor Linnie. All are welcome; donations appreciated.

Tuesdays

• Brookings-Harbor Garden

Club Work Party, Brookings Botanical Garden: 10:00 am

- 11:30 am.

Bridge, Chetco Activity Center: 12:15 pm.

• Line Dancing, Brookings Elks Lodge: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Donations requested. Storytime, Chetco Library: 10:30 am. Stories, songs, and games for young children.

Tween Club, Chetco Library: 3:30 pm. Activities for youth ages 10-13. Pinochle and Card Games, Chetco Activity Center: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm.

Amateur Radio Net, Gasquet Net: 6:30 pm (147.18); DN Amateur Radio Club: 7:15 pm (146.88).

• Line dance lessons, Crescent City Elks Lodge, 359 H Street: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Membership not required. Absolute beginners 10:30 am, improver 11:00 am, intermediate 12:00 pm. $2 minimum donation.

Ukulele Group, Chetco Activity Center: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm. Bring your instrument and a music stand. Music provided.

Wednesdays

T’ai Chi, Chetco Activity Center: 9:00 am - 10:30 am and 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm.

• Qi Gong for Health &

ment. 9:44 am, Valley St, criminal mischief. 10:34 am, 5th St, disorderly conduct. 12:08 pm, Easy St, theft.

6:11 pm, Boyer Ct and 2nd St, dispute/ fight.

8:21 pm, Sunset Strip, theft.

8:23 pm, 5th St and Easy St, hit & run. 11:12 pm, Pine St, loud noise.

Thursday, June 25

11:18 am, E Benham Ln E, shot(s) fired.

12:41 pm, Oak St, traffic crash.

1:47 pm, 3rd and Hassset, disorderly conduct.

3:01 pm, Chetco Ave and Pacific Ave, violation of city ordinance.

3:39 pm, Chetco Ave, theft.

4:17 pm, Kittery Rd, civil problem.

4:19 pm, Ransom and Hwy 101, disorderly conduct.

4:52 pm, Dodge Ave, juvenile problem.

6:54 pm, Harris Beach, disorderly conduct.

7:45 pm, Harris Beach, disorderly conduct.

8:59 pm, Hwy 101 and Oceanview Dr, traffic crash.

9:50 pm, Chetco Ave, criminal trespass.

Friday, June 26

7:32 am, Chetco Ave, fire alarm.

3:38 pm, Brookings Area, stalking.

7:50 pm, Chetco Ave, violation of city ordinance.

7:54 pm, Chetco Ave, violation of city ordinance.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Vitality, Chetco Library: 9:30 am. Free class with licensed instructor Linnie. All are welcome; donations appreciated.

Line dance lessons, Brookings Elks Lodge, 800 Elks Drive: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Membership not required. Absolute beginners 10:30 am, improver 11:00 am, intermediate 12:00 pm. $2 minimum donation.

• The Walking Group, Azalea Park: 11:00 am. Meet by Capella by the Sea. If raining meet at Brookings Harbor Shopping Center by the barbershop. 541-412-8664.

• Afternoon Creation Station, Chetco Library: 1:30 pm4:00 pm. Drop-in activities for school-aged kids. Recorder Group, Chetco Activity Center: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm. Bring your instrument and a music stand. Music provided.

Men’s Club Golf, Salmon Run Golf Course: 9:00 am. Friendly team and individual play. All skill levels welcome. Bob K: 701-2697822. Cribbage Club, Wild Rivers Pizza: 5:30 pm.

Thursdays Rowdy Creek String Band, Chetco Library: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Open rehearsal for acoustic string instrument players.

• Bridge, Chetco Activity Center: 12:15 pm. Widows and Widowers Coffee Clique, Community Center, Airport Way, Gold Beach: 10:30 am - 11:30 am. Checkmate Corner, Chetco Library: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Weekly chess club for all ages and skill levels.

• Easy Flow Yoga, Chetco Library: 5:30 pm. Free class. Participants should be able to comfortably get up and down from the floor. All are welcome; donations appreciated.

• Recreational Table Tennis, 102 Park Street, Brookings: 6:30 pm. Intermediate players welcome; bring your own paddle.

• Line dance lessons, Crescent City Elks Lodge, 359 H Street: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Membership not required. Absolute beginners 10:30 am, improver 11:00 am, intermediate 12:00 pm. $2 donation. Jean: 541-2518998. Fridays

Bingo, Chetco Activity Center: 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm.

• The Walking Group, Azalea Park: 11:00 am. Meet by Capella by the Sea. If raining meet at Brookings Harbor Shopping Center by the barbershop. 541-412-8664.

• Pinochle and Card Games, Chetco Activity Center: 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm. T’ai Chi, Chetco Activity Center: 9:00 am - 10:30 am.

• Threads, Hooks, & Needles, Chetco Library: 10:30 am. Fiber arts club for knitters, sewers, and more.

Saturdays

• Saturday Storytime, Chetco Library: 10:30 am. Stories, songs, and games for young children.

Saturday Shuffle: Pokemon, Chetco Library: 1:00 pm. Play and trade Pokemon cards with guidance from an experienced player.

Sunday, Wednesday, July 8 - Thursday, July 23

• Summer Food Service Program, Brookings-Harbor High School cafeteria, 629 Easy St.: Monday - Thursday, 10:45 am - 12:15 pm. Free breakfast and lunch to go for children ages 1-18. Parents, guardians, family members, siblings and babysitters may join for $6 lunch. Enter from the back parking lot. Cindy Devos: 541-469-2108 ext. 8 or cindyd@brookings.k12. or.us.

Wednesday, July 8, 15, 22 and 29

• D&D One-Shot Adventure, Chetco Library: 1:30 pm. Youth ages 10-16 learn character creation, dice rolling and teamwork in a short tabletop role-playing adventure. No experience needed. Space limited; registration required.

Wednesday, July 8

• Musical Petting Zoo with Harmony & Me Music, Chetco Library: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm. Children and parents can see, touch and try instruments while exploring sound and rhythm.

• Pub Grub Book Club, Chetco Library: 5:30 pm. Adult comics and graphic novels club discusses The Department of Truth, Volume 1 by James Tynion.

Friday, July 10

• Elks Bingo, Brookings Elks Lodge, 800 Elk Drive: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. Early bird: three games for $3; regular: 13 games for $11. Lunch available for $10. Free screen with a nonperishable food donation for the food bank.

• Nature Journaling for Tweens & Teens, Brookings Botanical Garden: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm. Chetco Library and Garden Club members host an afternoon of noticing plants and wildlife and capturing observations. Registration and signed permission slip required.

• Summer Poetry Circle, Chetco Library: 3:30 pm5:00 pm. Poets may recite original poetry or share a favorite poem. Discussion encouraged; readers entered for a door prize.

Saturday, July 11

• VFW Post 966 meeting, 507 Pacific Ave., Brookings: 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. Wartime veterans are encouraged to join. Help save the Post by buying a brick. 541-4126236.

• Dress a Girl, Trinity Lutheran Church, 1200 Easy St.: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Sew dresses for girls and shorts for boys around the world. Bring lunch and a friend. Jane Knox: 209815-2100.

• Library Farmer's Market Visit, Brookings-Harbor Farmer's Market: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Browse and check out a mini-collection of library books, get dropin tech help or sign up for a library card.

Saturday, July 11 - Saturday, August 1

8:16 pm, Chetco Ave, violation of city ordinance.

Saturday, June 27

11:19 am, North Bank Chetco, criminal mischief.

12:13 pm, Dixie St, dispute/fight. 12:21 pm, Old County Rd, disorderly conduct.

Sunday, June 28 2:19 am, Cushing Ct, loud noise. 8:52 am, Stout Park, violation of city ordinance.

4:17 pm, Glenwood Dr, warrant service. 6:11 pm, Mill Beach Rd, intoxicated subject. 6:29 pm, Sporthaven Beach, fire. 6:35 pm, Chetco Ave, criminal trespass. 9:02 pm, Mill Beach Rd, illegal fireworks. 10:18 pm, Chetco Ave, assault. 10:19 pm, 5th St, warrant service. 11:26 pm, Memory and Tanbark, dispute/ fight.

mini-beasts.

Wednesday, July 15

• Library Farmer's Market Visit, Brookings-Harbor Farmer's Market: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Browse and check out a mini-collection of library books, get dropin tech help or sign up for a library card.

• Brookings Rural Fire District meeting, Brookings Fire Department: 9:30 am.

Thursday, July 16

• SWOCC Summer Curry Campus Lecture Series, Southwestern Oregon Community College Curry Campus: 1:00 pm. Bill Gorham presents 'Crustaceans: crabs, beach hoppers, krill, shrimp, barnacles and their kin.' Free. 541-813-1667.

• Take-Home Craft Kit: Kaleidoscopes, Chetco Library: All day. Free kits include instructions and supplies. Suitable for adults and kids ages 8 and older.

Friday, July 17 - Sunday, July 26

• Threepenny Theater Co. presents The Laramie Project, old Performing Arts Center Building, 97900 Shopping Center Ave., Unit 28, Brookings. Performances are July 17, 18, 24, 25 and 26 at 7:00 pm, and July 19 at 2:00 pm. July 24 is pay-whatyou-want. Tickets $17 with discounts for seniors, students and veterans. Viewer discretion advised. threepennytheater.com or 541-373-0534.

Saturday, July 18

• Mosaic Workshop: Stardew Valley Chickens, Chetco Library: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. Tile artist Dave Christie leads a mosaic tile workshop inspired by the video game Stardew Valley.

Thursday, July 23

• SWOCC Summer Curry Campus Lecture Series, Southwestern Oregon Community College Curry Campus: 1:00 pm. Bill Gorham presents 'Echinoderms: sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and their relatives, living and fossils.' Free. 541-8131667.

• Creature Teachers Reptile Show, Chetco Library: 1:00 pm. Educational live reptile presentation for kids and families. Space limited; free tickets and registration required.

Friday, July 24

• Elks Bingo, Brookings Elks Lodge, 800 Elk Drive: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. Early bird: three games for $3; regular: 13 games for $11. Lunch available for $10. Free screen with a nonperishable food donation for the food bank.

Saturday, July 25

• Library Farmer's Market Visit, Brookings-Harbor Farmer's Market: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Browse and check out a mini-collection of library books, get dropin tech help or sign up for a library card.

• BookTok Book Club, Chetco Library: 1:00 pm. Adults discuss books going viral on social media. July's selection will be posted by July 1.

Monday, July 27

• Azalea Quilters Guild monthly meeting, Driftwood Estates Club House, 16063 Driftwood Lane, Brookings: 5:30 pm social time, meeting at 6:00 pm.

Tuesday, July 28

• Bookworm Buddies Club, Chetco Library: 4:00 pm. For 2nd through 5th graders. July's book is Baby-sitter's Little Sister: Karen's School Picture by Katy Farina.

• Community Drumming Circle, Chetco Library: 5:30 pm. Drop in for community and expression through percussion; bring a drum or clap along.

Thursday, July 9

• SWOCC Summer Curry Campus Lecture Series, Southwestern Oregon Community College Curry Campus, 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway, Brookings: 1:00 pm. Marine biologist Bill Gorham presents 'Mollusks: snails, clams, octopuses, and their relatives.' Free; brown bag lunches welcome. 541813-1667.

• Sawdust Theatre Season 58, Sawdust Theatre, 120 N. Adams St., Coquille: Calamity at the Coquelle Creamery or "Udder Confusion." Shows are July 11, 18 and 25 and Aug. 1 at 7:00 pm, and July 12 and 26 at 2:00 pm. Tickets $10, with online service charge. Sawdusttheatre.com or 541-3964563.

Monday, July 13

• Spice World Bags, Chetco Library: All day. Monthly spice bags include a tester sample, trivia and recipe suggestions. Supplies limited; firstcome, first-served.

• Learn to Crochet, Chetco Library: 12:00 pm2:00 pm. Beginner-friendly class hosted by Makeala covering the first steps of crochet.

Tuesday, July 14

Sunday, July 19

• Chetco Activity Center monthly potluck, 550 Chetco Lane: 4:30 pm. Bring your own food or enough to share for community and friendship.

Monday, July 20

•Master Gardener Plant Clinic, Chetco Library: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. Curry County Master Gardeners offer free help with plant questions. Bring a question and a picture or small cutting.

Tuesday, July 21

• Sensory Play Storytime, Chetco Library: 10:30 am. Kids explore farm and garden-themed sensory stations; Harmony & Me Music joins for music.

Wednesday, July 22

• Bugs'R'Us: Worms & Composting, Chetco Library: 11:00 am - noon. Kids study live worms, learn anatomy and composting, and get tips for compost bins. Space limited; free tickets and registration required.

• Watersheds Art and Exploration, Chetco Library: 1:00 pm. Curry Watersheds presentation with a nature-based art project.

• Locally Sourced: The People and Places Feeding Your Community, Chetco Library: 5:00 pm. Summer speaker series on the local food scene.

Wednesday, July 29

• Library Farmer's Market Visit, Brookings-Harbor Farmer's Market: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Browse and check out a mini-collection of library books, get dropin tech help or sign up for a library card.

• Afternoon Game Hub, Chetco Library: 3:30 pm. Open gaming on the library's Nintendo Switch 2 and board games for K-12 students.

• BEE Amazed! A Visit from the Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History, Chetco Library: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Families can enjoy hands-on science activities while exploring bees and other

• Comic Quest Book Club, Chetco Library: 4:00 pm. Comics and illustrated-book club for tweens and young teens, with creative activities related to the book of the month.

• Locally Sourced: The People and Places Feeding Your Community, Chetco

• Look-Back Book Club, Chetco Library: 5:30 pm. Teens and adults revisit classic childhood books and discuss how they hold up. July's selection will be posted by July 1.

Oregon’s minimum wage rises 50 cents per hour

ALEX BAUMHARDT

Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregonians making minimum wage received a 50-cent bump per hour

Wednesday, July 1, resulting in an average of $573 more per year for someone working full time.

In the Portland metro, the floor for hourly wages will rise to $16.80. In 15 counties and parts of three counties in the Willamette Valley, Northwest Coast and southern Oregon, the minimum wage rises to $15.55 per hour, and in 18 mostly rural eastern Oregon counties, the minimum hourly wage will be $14.55. The rural wage is always $1 less than the standard wage, and the Portland minimum wage is always $1.25 more due to the higher cost of living.

A 2016 Oregon law

requires the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries to adjust statewide minimum wages annually for inflation. The bureau announced the 50-cent per hour increase in April, which reflects a 3.3% rate of inflation for the cost of food, energy, essential goods, housing and medical services between March 2025 and March 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Inflation has since gone up, in large part due to the higher cost of fuels driven by the U.S. war in Iran. The most recent rate of inflation calculated between the end of May 2025 and the end of May 2026 was 4.2%, according to the federal labor statistics bureau.

Calculated at that rate, the average hourly minimum wage bump would be closer to 63 cents.

Oregon is one of more than three dozen states that pay higher minimum wages than the federal standard of $7.25, which has gone unchanged for 17 years. Over the past decade, Oregon’s standard minimum wage has gone up by $6.30 per hour, or about 63 cents per year.

About 4% of Oregon workers earn minimum wage, according to state data. Among them, slightly more than half are women, more than 40% are Black or Hispanic and most — nearly 90% — are adults at least 20 years old, according to recent analysis from the left-leaning Washington, D.C.-based think tank Economic Policy Institute. https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/ oregons-minimum-wagerises-50-cents-per-hourthis-week/

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by

grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains edito-

rial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

Kotek’s prosperity council pushes for lower taxes, fewer regulations

SHAANTH

NANGUNERI

Oregon Capital Chronicle

To jumpstart Oregon’s economic development, the state should cut taxes, eliminate a key state climate program and allocate a quarter of a billion state dollars for business infrastructure needs every two years, according to a new report from Gov. Tina Kotek’s economic advisers.

The numbers Kotek’s prosperity council put forth in its 33-page report and shared in a council meeting

Thursday afternoon paint a negative picture of Oregon’s economy: The state is second-to-last in the nation when it comes to increases in employment,

41% of Oregonians live either below the federal poverty level or are unable to afford basic needs, and the state’s unemployment rate is at 5.2%, a figure that has remained above the national average for months.

The report comes as U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data identified Oregon as the only West Coast state to lose jobs overall since last year.

“We have to chart a better future for everyone,” Kotek said during Thursday afternoon’s meeting. “We are hearing constantly about the challenge for everyday Oregon working hard can’t make ends meet. I also want to make sure that Oregon is one of the best places in the country to have a business, and I think we can achieve that.”

She commended the council for producing recommendations she called “bold” and “practical,” particularly praising charges to identify redundant regulations and reimagine the state’s economic development agency.

But while the report identifies 10 key solutions, it defers to the Oregon Legislature when it comes to changing what it calls

a “one-and-a-half-legged stool” system reliant on personal income taxes and property tax to fund state revenues. It’s an issue even the council couldn’t agree on, according to Curtis Robinhold, executive director of the Port of Portland and co-chair of the council.

“We are not equipped to come up with the right answer on the tax code. It deserves a really good look… but boy, it’s complicated, and you know, I think we probably each could imagine a system that would be better,” he told the Capital Chronicle. “What we really need is the governor and the Legislature to get their heads together on what will get us the outcomes we want.”

Another major suggestion: The report argues the state should adapt a capand-trade program to push polluters to pay for their emissions, like exist in California and Washington, then repeal Oregon’s Climate Protection Program. Former Gov. Kate Brown spearheaded the program, which allows state environmental regulators to set declining emissions caps, after quorum-denying Republican walkouts in 2019 and 2020 quashed legislative efforts to pass a cap-and-trade program.

The report stressed that the below changes to Oregon’s tax code should be revenue neutral:

• Expand Oregon’s Research & Development tax credit through incentives such as a 15% credit for company-led research and development and 2% for projects within Oregon universities.

• Increase the estate tax exemption threshold from $1 million to $3 to $5 million.

• Increase the filing and taxability threshold for Oregon’s Corporate Activity Tax, which now applies to businesses with $1 million in Oregon commercial

activity. Businesses now pay $250 plus 0.57% of their Oregon taxable commercial activity above $1 million. The prosperity council urged raising that threshold to $2 million and allowing businesses to completely deduct the cost of creating or providing a service or product.

• Reconnect the state tax code to a portion of the federal 2025 tax law that allows non-corporate investors to exempt their small business stock sales from capital gains tax. Disconnecting from this exemption saved Oregon nearly $40 million in revenue for the current twoyear budget cycle.

• Establish a work group that can by 2029 deliver a long-term proposal to the governor addressing issues such as expiring federal state and local tax provisions, the corporate activity tax, local government funding and reducing the burden of personal income taxes.

“I would like us to be targeted in making sure we have a tax structure that and takes care of all Oregonians,” Kotek said. “We have a tax system right now that we hope can be as progressive as possible, by making sure that people who pay taxes have the ability to pay them and what we have from this report is we probably need a longer-term conversation about what our tax system looks like.”

Revisiting such issues would likely leave state lawmakers figuring out how to balance state revenues while changing the systems that fund hundreds of millions of dollars in state revenue at a time when political capital for tax increases is low. Oregonians at the ballot box in May sharply rejected transportation tax increases passed by Democrats last year, but state lawmakers also unsuccessfully attempted to increase the

exemption threshold for the estate tax in Oregon this year.

“Every single one of these recommendations is in the context of ‘What do other people do? How are we different? Are we better? Are we worse?’” said Renée James, founder of semiconductor company Ampere Computing and council co-chair. Kotek established the prosperity council last year amid concern about the state’s economic development climate hampering her reelection campaign. Her Republican opponent, state Sen. Christine Drazan of Canby, acknowledged that political reality in a brief statement praising the recommendations.

“We all know this council was an election-year gimmick, but these recommendations are a meaningful start and deserve strong bipartisan support,” Drazan said. “Let’s build on the ideas that create jobs, fix our economy and make Oregon more affordable. That includes bold tax cuts for families and businesses. I’m ready to get to work.”

The left-leaning Oregon Center for Public Policy panned the recommendations for failing to meet the moment, saying the state must focus on protecting health care and food assistance in the wake of federal cuts.

“The Council’s recommendations respond to this dire challenge by cutting taxes for millionaires and by prioritizing corporate handouts over direct investment in the success of working families across our state,” the center’s deputy director, Daniel Hauser, said in an email. “Oregon cannot chart a path towards shared prosperity by cutting taxes on the few who are prosperous.”

Competing factions within the council sparred over how far the state should go when it comes to slashing taxes to incentiv-

ize business development.

A key point of contention was her decision to tap former Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp as her chief prosperity officer. Some council members also disagreed over the extent to which the state should replicate federal tax cuts.

Prosperity council leaders acknowledged that disconnect legislation fueled disagreement among the council, but they said that they did find a “supermajority” of consensus on every issue aside from taxes. Missing from the report are detailed recommendations on improving the state’s K-12 education outcomes, an issue that council leaders said was outside the scope of their duties.

“I think there’s a misnomer in the dialogue that it’s all about rich people wanting tax cuts,” Robinhold said. “And I want to make sure, because this is super important for the Legislature to hear in this report, we need to holistically look at our tax code, because we are hurting, we’re hurting our middle- and lower-income Oregonians just as much, if not more.”

The report also acknowledges similar disagreements, noting that two council members “disagreed with some of the short-term tax changes and expressed concerns about the necessity of broader business incentives and their long-term impacts to the state.” It’s a likely nod to when two labor-affiliated members of the council in April issued a public rebuke of business groups in the state and argued that tax breaks would only harm Oregon’s economic development further.

“They agree that Oregon must strengthen its longterm competitiveness but believe increasing investments in talent and quality of life is more effective for enhancing the state’s econ-

omy,” the report reads. Other recommendations include:

• Transform Oregon’s economic development agency, Business Oregon, into the Oregon Commerce Authority. It would be governed by business and innovation leaders alongside the governor.

• Establish statewide permitting timelines and guardrails by requiring agencies to approve or deny applications within clear timelines.

• Reduce regulatory and administrative burdens by 20% by 2029 by removing old and excessive regulations.

• Create a dedicated site readiness and infrastructure fund of $250 million, likely through lottery bonds, for each twoyear budget cycle. Robinhold said the council heard from businesses including Daimler that they wanted to expand in Oregon but didn’t have available and ready land.

• Create a Governor’s Cabinet of Economic & Talent Development to lead a strategy to attract talent to the state and promote its competitiveness.

• Align Oregon with other West Coast states’ higher education funding policies and commit $20 million to a fund for innovative university research. Capital Chronicle editor-in-chief Julia Shumway contributed to this report. https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/06/25/ koteks-prosperity-councilpushes-oregon-lawmakersto-revisit-tax-cuts-leavesdetails-up-in-air/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.