CCP 111919

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MIDWEEK EDITION

Tuesday November 19 2019 www.currypilot.com

Brookings, Oregon

SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946

Rifle barrel plant to be rebuilt T

Jeremy C. Ruark Plant Editor

he Pac-Nor Barreling Plant in Brookings, destroyed by fire Oct. 23, will rise from the ashes.

Owner Chris Dichter is moving ahead to rebuild the plant, at 99299 Overlook Rd., following the blaze. The plant manufactures precision rifle barrels. At the time of the fire,

Dichter estimated the loss at between $4 million and $6 million. As he watched the intense fire consumer the building, Dichter told The Pilot, “Thirty-five years of my life went up in this fire.”

As to whether he would rebuild or not, Dichter said, “I am 66 years old and I don’t know if I have the time left. It took my lifetime to find all the machinery in this plant.”

But now, following discussions with his insurance company and his family, Dichter said he is moving forward with rebuilding the plant, with his son, Casey, taking the lead. “If it wasn’t

for my son, I wouldn’t do it,” he said. “I am putting him in charge.” Casey Dichter had been the shop foreman at the plant More Rebuilt on Page A3

THEY’RE DOG-NAPPED! (A TRUCK WAS TAKEN, TOO) G

Linda Pinkham Staff Writer

ary Maschmeyer of Brookings decided to go birding on the loop trail around Lola Lake in the Pistol River area at 8:50 a.m. Nov. 8. “It was foggy and cold, and my two chihuahuas, Billy and Bella, didn’t want to go with me,” Maschmeyer said. “So, I left them in my truck.” When he returned at 10:30 a.m., his tan 1998 Mazda truck - and the dogs - were gone. “I called 911 from my cell phone and reported that my truck had been stolen, with the two dogs.” Three deputy sheriffs and two state troopers responded to the call. One of the troopers gave Maschmeyer a ride home. “He told me that all law enforcement agencies in Coos, Curry and Del Norte

counties had been notified and that if they found my truck or the dogs, they would call me.” Meanwhile, Maschmeyer’s daughter, Cassie, who lives out of state, posted pictures of the two dogs and her dad’s pickup on social media. “My dad’s 1998 Mazda was stolen at Pistol River along Hwy. 101 today at 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.,” she said. “Along with his 2 dogs. We really only care about the dogs. “If they pushed the dogs out, this bed and two banana boxes were in the truck that they lay on. Maybe someone will see the boxes on the side of the road to give a lead where the dogs are.” More Dogs on Page A3

Bella (left) and Billy are back home in their bed after their big adventure. Photo courtesy Gary Maschmeyer.

Sea urchin invasion triggering environmental, economic havoc S

Jeremy C. Ruark The Pilot Editor

tate officials and fisheries managers are monitoring an explosion of purple sea urchins along the Oregon and California coasts. “We haven’t seen this change in populations or levels of purple sea urchins before,” said Scott Groth, an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) project manager. “With surveys extending back to the 1980s, we’ve never seen many purple sea urchins at deep sites. Now, they dominate those areas.” According to reports cited by the ODFW, the purple sea urchins have devoured much of the giant bull kelp forests in northern california and are now moving north along Oregon’s sea floor, threatening the local marine ecosystems. Groth said the purple sea urchins are in competition with other species for the grazing of kelp beds. “Most concerning would be their competition for food and space with abalones,” he said. “These urchins have become more numerous (because of) good environmental conditions for recruitment events, such as temperature and currents, and the lack of their primary predator, the sunflower star, which

Index

Classifieds.................B2-4 Crosswords...............A4 Comics......................A4 Calendar....................B1

went from very common to effectively absent following the 2014 sea star wasting event.” It’s unclear, according to reports, whether climate changes have triggered the purple sea urchins explosion. Dr. Cynthia Catton, a scientist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the impact of the purple sea urchin explosion has significantly impacted the California recreational red abalone fishery,

“We are seeing the impact to red urchins and red abalone right away. Those are not subtle,” she said. “But if we go too long without nursery habitat for rockfish species, we will be seeing those impacts as well.” According to Catton, human intervention could be one solution. For the past three years, she has

More Urchin on Page A6

Abundant gravel deposits are visible at the Pistol River site of a gravel extraction proposal in this photo taken about 30 minutes after a +6.7 high tide. Photo by Linda Pinkham.

Gravel extraction plan spuring competing views F

These purple sea urchins are spreading along the ocean floor off the Oregon and California coasts, triggering environmental and economic concerns. Photo courtesy Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Weather HIGH LOW

which was closed last year. That fishery contributed an estimated $44 million annually to the California coastal economy. In Oregon, the ODFW has suspended abalone driver permits for three years. Catton said due to the decline of the kelp forests, the red urchin fishery also has been hit hard, and she expressed concern about other species that will be affected by the decline in bull kelp, such as rockfish.

Mon 60 47

Past four days

Sun 64 46

Sat 56 48

Fri 55 45

5-day forecast, tides and complete weather: Page A8

Tides LOW HIGH LOW HIGH

Call us 541-813-1717

Tues 5:23 AM 10:46 AM 4:10 PM 11:18 PM

Wed Thurs -12:19 AM 6:18 AM 7:07 AM 12:08 PM 1:20 PM 5:35 PM 6:58 PM

Fax 541-813-1931

Linda Pinkham Staff Report

ollowing the Curry County Planning Commission’s denial of a conditional-use permit Aug. 15 for a gravel extraction project on the Pistol River, applicant Ron Adams has filed an appeal. The commissioners will hold a special hearing at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday in the Board of Commissioners chambers in the Curry County Courthouse Annex on Moore Street in Gold Beach. It will be a “de novo” hearing, meaning it will start from scratch without relying on any prior factual findings or legal conclusions. Meantime, on Nov. 14 at the Friendship Hall in Pistol River, local resident Eleanor Foskett put together a forum for the community to “define, prioritize and confront the issues.” The issues listed in the forum’s invitation included property degradation, the condition of the river and needed repairs, flooding, environmental issues, and fish and wildlife matters. Approximately 65 people from the community and surrounding areas showed up at the forum. The community has a lot at stake, given the condition More Appeal on Page A6

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