WEEKEND EDITION
Friday February 28, 2020
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In a class of their own see page 2
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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946
Brookings, Oregon
CASA closure discussed by County Commissioners C
Linda Pinkham Staff Writer
ASA volunteers immediately sought help from Curry County Commissioners when the Curry County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) office in Brookings was abruptly closed earlier this month and local staff members were released by the “parent” organization, Douglas County CASA. CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to represent the interests and speak on behalf of children in the
court system. At a crowded commissioner’s workshop meeting on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 26, with about a dozen passionate CASA volunteers in attendance, commissioners heard concerns from the volunteers and former local executive director Mona Chandler. The purpose of the workshop was to consider the feasibility of taking the program back under the control of Curry County. “We believe that the kids that we’re servicing are in Curry County, and the volunteers that are servicing the kids are also in Curry
County, and we believe the program should be in Curry County and it should be run by Curry County,” said spokesperson and CASA volunteer Lori Lyons. “We do not believe that the CASA of Douglas County can administer the program. The reason we don’t believe that the CASA of Douglas County can administer the program is that they have their own kids, they have their own volunteers. They need to spend their time with the Douglas County case kids." Complicating the issue was that when the Brookings office was closed, no one
The CASA workshop Wednesday drew a crowd of CASA volunteers to encourage county commissioners to bring the CASA program back under Curry County management. Photo by Linda Pinkham. from the Douglas County administration met with the staff or the local volunteers to discuss other options, Lyons said. Some of the CASA
volunteers have already quit or given notice because of the lack of coordination. CASA of Curry County has a long history of being
passed around. Most recently the Douglas County CASA More CASA on Page A3
BHSD taps Marshall for superintendent
Future in doubt
as an assistant superintendent and student services director in the Milton-Freewater avid Marshall will be school system. His educathe next superintention specialist’s degree was dent of the Brookings-Harearned from Lewis bor School District. and Clark College. He begins on July 1. Marshall was According to born in New York, board chair, Alan NY, and grew up Nidiffer, “Mr. in Maryland and Marshall brings a Seattle. He went wealth of experito college in Walla ences and skills to Walla, Wash. He is the superintendent married and has an position. The board and I look forward David Marshall adult daughter, who is looking forward to creating a unique to visiting dad. partnership with our new “My family and I are superintendent that results in excited about joining the greater student success for Brookings-Harbor comeach child in the Brookingsmunity,” stated Marshall. Harbor school district.” “We met many outstanding, Marshall is currently the dedicated staff and comassistant superintendentmunity members during human resources director at Hermiston School District in the superintendent search process. We are honored to Hermiston. He has 12 years of admin- join these outstanding educaistrative experience in educa- tors and parents in pursuit of educational excellence for tion, including seven years their students.”
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Kids went to the beach during Summer Camp hosted by the Clubhouse Playcenter and Daycare in Brookings. Photos courtesy of the Clubhouse.
Staff Report
Kettle hopes to find permanent home for Clubhouse Playcenter and Daycare
temporarily,” Kettle said. “It was going to come down to me just walking out of this building and just leaving all of this. I had nowhere to go.” This will give her until the end of the school year to find a ecilia Kettle fought back tears as she talked about the new location and also allow parents to find childcare if she is future of the Clubhouse Playcenter and Daycare. unsuccessful. She is hopeful that as more people learn of what Today is the last day in its spacious building at 745 is happening that she will find something viable. Railroad St. in Brookings. For the next two weeks, parents “But I have come to the conclusion in my head that if I go that rely on the Clubhouse’s after-school to the school it’s just to give my parents program will have to find an alternative. adequate time to find care elsewhere,” she The current home of the Clubhouse said. “Nothing is popping up. It is frustratwas sold. Kettle was not able to purchase ing, but I have to start preparing that way the building and attempted to find a new because you know I would rather my home for the past three months. parents have four months to prepare than She looked at renting locations that two weeks or not at all.” have the space she needs — 4,500 square Kettle, who is the mother of five young feet minimum — such as the old Grocery children, knows exactly how hard it is to Outlet building in Harbor and the old find childcare here. The lack of afterantique mall, but both were out of her school programs in Brookings was one of budget. the reasons she purchased the Kid Zone “I’ve had a lot of doors shut in my from Tamara Martin in March of 2019. face,” she said. “It is hard to keep going She was a preschool teacher for Head when you have so many things go against Start in Crescent City and quit her job you … but those kids have a hold on after giving birth to her child. my heart and I know what it is like to be “I just had my fifth baby and finding without childcare and it sucks and it is a daycare is a joke,” she said. “So, I had to daily anxiety and a panic that is my two quit my job and then I did in-home daycare main reasons that I continue after nothing Kids decorate an ornament during an ugly sweater event for about two months and then this landed will go my way.” at the Clubhouse Playcenter in my lap.” While the search for a new home has and Daycare in Brookings. The Railroad Street location was a roller been tough, Kettle did find temporary soluskating rink back in the ’80s and ’90s, tions to a couple of pending problems. Kettle said. It had ample space and allowed Kettle to not only If everything goes as planned, in two weeks she will run provide an after-school program Monday through Friday, but her after-school program out of the cafeteria at Kalmiopsis to host events inside during the rainy season and outside when Elementary School. It won’t be the same program currently offered at the Clubhouse, but it will be something. More Daycare on Page A3 “It was very awesome of the superintendent to offer it
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The Capella parking lot in Azalea Park will be paved. The City Council on Monday awarded the bid to Tidewater Contractors Inc. The work is expected to be completed in time for the Azalea Festival. Photo by Brian Williams.
City Council awards Capella parking lot work Brian Williams Pilot Editor
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aving the Capella parking lot in Azalea Park has been on the city’s improvement list for some time, but it can now be crossed off. Brookings City Council approved Monday, Feb. 24, awarding the upgrades project to the low bidder, Tidewater Contractors Inc. of Brookings. Tidewater’s bid was $237,415. “Glad to see this is coming together,” said Councilor Brent Hodges. “Yeah, it’s one that has been on that list for a long time,” said Mayor Jake Pieper. “Been spoken about in many, many council meetings.” Money for the work will come from the city’s urban More Council on Page A2
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