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New food benefits program
Oregon Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) is a new food benefits program to help shrink the hunger gap when children are on summer break and don’t have easy access to healthy meals at school. Summer EBT starts in late June and will provide $120 per eligible child in Cottage Grove and across the state to buy food. “Summer break is days away for families with school-age children. During the...
Consumer inattention can lead to risky purchases, new OSU research finds
Researchers have developed a new theory of how changing market conditions can lead large numbers of otherwise cautious consumers to buy risky products such as subprime mortgages, cryptocurrency or even cosmetic surgery procedures. These changes can occur in categories of products that are generally low risk when they enter the market. As demand increases, more companies may enter the market and try to attract consumers with lower priced versions of the product that carry more risk. ...
Farms, food, and fiber: Merkley and Wyden announce big investments for Oregon agriculture
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden recently announced major investments in Oregon agriculture, rural housing, food assistance, and rural business priorities—along with nearly $12.7 million in funding for 14 Oregon community-initiated projects—have passed through the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) minibus funding pack-age. This six-bill package cleared both chambers of Congress last week and was quickly signed into law by President Biden. Successfully pushing back against the most extreme funding cuts and policy provisions pro-posed by House Republicans, Merkley and Wyden secured investments in...
Judith Ann Mogan Foundation welcomes Payton Smith as newest board member
The Judith Ann Mogan Foundation (JAMF) is happy to announce the addition of Payton Smith as the newest member of the JAMF board. “On behalf of the Judith Ann Mogan Foundation,” board president Joe McKeown shared, “I am delighted to welcome Payton Smith to the board of directors of the Foundation. With her education, deep ties to the community, and her business experience, Payton will be an important and valuable addition to the board.” Born and raised in Coos Bay by a family steeped in...
Oregon is facing largest energy development threat in generations
Oregon is facing its largest energy development project in generations: more than 1,800 square miles of offshore wind turbines proposed for the central and southern Oregon coast. That’s an area 6 times the size of Crater Lake National Park. According to a 2022 paper in the journal Ocean Sustainability, “offshore wind may lead to significant environmental impacts.” That’s not a surprise when you consider what’s involved: hundreds of steel turbines,...
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...
Letter: VA needs to deliver on transparency policies
Roseburg VA Director Patrick Hull has promised transparency. Just one of the problems I addressed in one of my emails to Mr. Hull last week was not posting or providing the Roseburg VA's "Patients Rights and Responsibilities" to Veterans to address grievances with their health care. I addressed this with Information Officer Richard Weber and Veterans Experience Officer Sarah Cranston a few years ago and was promised it would be posted. It was not. ...
DLCD releases wind energy timeline
The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) released information regarding their review of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Managements (BOEM), as part of its Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP). The newly proposed federally designated Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) have been established off the coast of Coos Bay and Brookings. The Coos Bay WEA is 32 miles offshore and amounts to 95 square miles of potentially leasable land for turbine construction. The Brookings WEA is larger, at 209 square miles, yet closer to shore,...
Oregon’s investment in ocean conservation celebrated
New efforts to increase the state’s investment in the Oregon Marine Reserves Program follow the signing ceremony for House Bill 4132, a bi-partisan bill sponsored by Oregon’s Coastal and Environmental Caucuses. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Rep. David Gomberg (D-Dist. 10) hosted the ceremony at the state capital building in Salem on May 30. The Oregon Ocean Alliance celebrated this renewed commitment to ocean conservation established more than a decade...
Wyden Visits South Coast counties
Oregon's US Senator Ron Wyden (D) conducted his 1,083rd Town Hall, fulling his commitment to hold on-site public engagements in all 36 counties, annually. Last Tuesday’s Town Hall at the Gold Beach High Gymnasium was part of the senator’s southwest swing from Josephine, Curry, Coos and Douglas counties. The audience of about 40 was offered numbered tickets and when called upon, spoke with Wyden on a cross section of various...
Every Oregonian Killed in Viet Nam Read Aloud at Brookings City Hall
Since 1996, the Viet Nam Veterans Association, Chapter 757 of Brookings conducts a somber reading of every Oregonian who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Viet Nam / Cambodian War, during the 60s and 70s. This year’s reading took place this past Friday, May 24 at 6pm in front of the flagpole at City Hall. Chapter president John Banuat told The Pilot the list totaled 652 names including those Missing in Action. Chapter Vice president Howard Floor said, the first several names were read aloud...
Summer alert: blood and platelet donors needed now
The American Red Cross critically needs blood and platelet donors now following a concerning decrease in donations as the country has experienced an increase in severe weather systems and historic travel. In fact, over the past month about 20,000 fewer blood donations were collected than needed to maintain the Red Cross-national blood supply. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), five of the busiest travel days ever happened this month and more record-breaking travel is expected this summer — a busy time when many regular...
80 years later: Remembering D-Day and the fall of the Atlantic Wall
By the summer of 1944, the goose-stepping boot of Nazi Germany was squarely secured on the necks of the capitulating Western European nations. The Nazi war machine had rolled across the continent, blasting, and bombing its will on weaker foes. Not stopping until it claimed nation after nation in the name of the Fatherland. The Chancellor of Germany, Adolph Hitler, consciously, purposely, and effectively worked his way to Dictator of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, otherwise known as the Nazi Party. His vision was...
Second Saturday Art Walk Expands
Ten venues will be participating in the June 8 Second Saturday Art Walk scheduled from 3 to 6 p.m. in downtown Brookings. “This is the largest number of venues taking part in this monthly event in several years,” said Bill Schlichting, Art Walk coordinator. “This month a new venue will be added, located inside a building that housed one of the original four when the Art Walk begin in 2004” ...
Column: Lack of staff, unsafe conditions threaten Oregon’s behavioral health workforce
Every year about this time, Oregon labor unions honor colleagues who have lost their lives on the job. This year is especially poignant for members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or Oregon AFSCME, with the death late last year of Haley Rogers, a 26-year-old mental health worker. She was stabbed to death on the job by a resident while working an overnight shift alone at...
Firewood cutting areas begin to reopen in some locations on the Gasquet Ranger District
Personal firewood permit required The Smith River Complex Fire suppression repair team have been working to safely open firewood cutting areas along Highway 199, on the Gasquet Ranger District. Personal firewood cutting is now open along Highway 199 corridor, except two locations: milepost 19.64 (Waterfall) and milepost 24.65 (Dollar Sign Curve). These two locations will open once heavy equipment operations are completed. A firewood permit is required and can be...
U.S. Rep. Hoyle requests over $28 million in funding for 15 local projects
Recently, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle announced her selected community projects that were submitted to the U.S. House Appropriations Committee as candidates to receive funding for Fiscal Year 2025. “These 15 projects reflect the priorities of local communities who know their needs best,” said Rep. Hoyle. “If funded, these projects will support the construction of affordable housing, promote workforce development, advance public safety and more.” Each House Member was allowed to...
Second Annual Wild Rivers Film Festival Sneak Preview
Brookings, OR – The Second Annual Wild Rivers Film Festival (WRFF) in Brookings, Oregon is a few months away, Aug. 15 - 18, 2024, however, the community can get a sneak preview at the Curry Campus of Southwestern Oregon Community College on Thursday, June 13, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Sue Wright and Kat Lidell, board members of the WRFF will be the presenters for this lecture. Each brings a wealth of experience to the film festival. ...
Oregon Lottery officials issue scam alert
Following news of the $1.3 billion Powerball win in Portland this April, Oregon Lottery officials are urging the public to beware of scams and phishing attempts associated with jackpots. Over the weekend, a text message was circulating that falsely promised the Powerball winner was donating prize money to 10 citizens chosen at random, according to Oregon Lottery officials. The text asked those receiving the message to call a phone number to claim the winnings. ...
Merkley Announces June Town Halls
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced today he will be holding six in-person town halls for Oregon communities in June: Coos and Curry counties on Friday, June 7; Klamath and Lake counties on Saturday, June 8; and Crook and Wheeler counties on Sunday, June 9. The events continue Merkley’s 2024 town hall tour of Oregon, where he is holding a community conversation for each of the state’s 36 counties. “I hold a town hall for every Oregon county every year because there...
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The Curry Coastal Pilot is a general interest newspaper serving the Brookings-Harbor and Curry County areas at the southwestern corner of Oregon. We focus on local breaking news, general news, community news, sports, and opinions.
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