MIDWEEK EDITION
Tuesday February 4, 2020
Inside
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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946
Brookings, Oregon
Gold Beach Main Street’s new staffer — Lyndsey Dixon Linda Pinkham Staff Writer
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Lyndsey Dixon, a Gold Beach native, is the new Business Outreach and Community Coordinator for Gold Beach Main Street. Photo courtesy of Lyndsey Dixon.
yndsey Dixon has been hired as Business Outreach and Community Coordinator to assist the primarily all-volunteer, nonprofit, grassroots economic development team at Gold Beach Main Street (GBMS). Dixon is a familiar face around town, even after leaving for several years to attend college, then serving 6 months in Ghana with the Peace Corps. Dixon has a bachelor’s degree in applied economics with a minor in English from Oregon State University. She grew up in Gold Beach and graduated from Gold Beach High School. GBMS has made major visual upgrades to the town’s main street by installing benches, mini-parks, and other landscaping to beautify the town, intending to make it more inviting for tourists. They also landed the city on
Monarch Pledge: Doing more for the butterfly A
More Dixon on Page A5
Brian Williams Editor
More Monarch on Page A5
A Monarch Butterfly rests on a flower in this Pilot file photo.
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program has four sub-branches, which are design, economic vitality, outreach and promotion,” Dixon said. “Something I hope to work on more with the organization — they are already doing a great job with design — is the outreach and promotions part to coordinate more with what the state is doing.” One idea from elsewhere in the state to deal with empty storefronts is to take historical photos that have been enlarged and place them in the windows. “That’s actually doable,” she said. One of her current projects is creating business spotlights on Facebook. She is highlighting businesses that are in Gold Beach or nearby. In March, for Women’s History Month, she plans to highlight women-owned businesses. She will also be working with the committee for the Party at the
One sweet festival
fter becoming the first Oregon city to receive the Monarch City USA designation, Brookings is committing to do more for the butterfly. The City Council unanimously approved, 5-0, moving forward with the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge at its Jan. 27 meeting much to the delight of the Brookings Oregon Monarch Advocates in attendance. Through the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, U.S. cities, municipalities, and other communities are committing to create habitat for the monarch butterfly and pollinators and to educate citizens about how they can make a difference at home and in their community. BOMA member Dennis Triglia, wearing a monarch butterfly orange colored shirt and tennis shoes, walked the council through the process. After taking the online Mayors’ Monarch Pledge the National Wildlife Federation will follow up with the point person, whom the city specifies on the pledge form and identifies at least three specific actions that the community will initiate in the next year, Triglia said. A list of 25 action items is available online. “The National Wildlife Federation will share best practices for cities and municipalities through their online resources section, vocational email updates, social media and webinars,” Triglia said. Once the specific actions have been identified, communities will report their progress through a simple online survey form on an annual basis. The reporting process will only take 5-25 minutes depending on how many action items you are reporting. The data that they collect will allow them to track the collective outcomes and the impact, Triglia said. “Volunteers from Brookings Monarch Advocates are happy to assist the city in any way that we can in order to help coordinate efforts by the city and other local organizations and individuals who become involved in the conservation efforts,” Triglia said. Triglia also updated the council on BOMA projects and news. In March, the Brookings Oregon Monarch Advocates is going to have a series of four classes at Southwestern Oregon Community College Brookings campus on monarchs, their
Index
the Oregon Mural Trail map with an Oregon Is Magic mural installed on the Interior Coverups building last fall at the south end of town. The local organization had requested another Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) member through AmeriCorps but didn’t receive a replacement to fill the position vacated by the RARE member who finished her assignment last fall. To fill the void, the Gold Beach Urban Renewal District approved funding Dixon’s position with the funds that had been appropriated for the RARE position for 6 months. A pending grant application may provide an additional 6 months. Dixon will primarily be writing grants, organizing activities and providing a presence in the office for people to contact GBMS. This is only her third week on the job but she has some ideas she would like to implement. “The whole Main Street national
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Coastal Mist of Bandon will be at the 15th annual Winter Art and Chocolate Festival on Feb. 8-9 in Brookings. Coastal Mist specializes in a wide variety of desserts, cakes, pastries and artisan chocolates. Photos courtesy of David Willhite.
Winter Art and Chocolate Festival returns for 15th year Brian Williams Editor
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rguably the sweetest festival in southwestern Oregon is back for its 15th consecutive year — the Winter Art and Chocolate Festival. The event is set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 8 and 9 at Kalmiopsis Elementary School, 650 Easy St., Brookings. Chocolate and art lover David Willhite started the festival and has been organizing it ever since. Artists and fine crafters from around the region will be joined by gourmet chocolate makers for this once-a-year extravaganza. “It’s a high-quality art and crafts show,” Willhite said, “that enriches the community.” Some of the chocolate vendors Willhite highlighted include: • Coastal Mist Chocolatier from Bandon Trained in one of Belgium’s many chocolate shops, Chef’s Kevin and Tara Shaw along with their protege-turned-business partner, Nicole, offer a sumptuous selection of gourmet truffles, tumbled (dragee) chocolates, pastries and desserts. They opened their retail store in Bandon in 2009 and continue to delight customers far and wide. • Alchemy Bliss, Chocolatier
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Joyce Brandon, a self-styled chocolate alchemist, combines organic chocolate with exotic combinations of spices, fruit and even cheese to create a flavor sensation that can only be described as “transcendent.” The complex arrangement of flavors embraces the senses, changing, melding and evoking memories and feelings. Willhite says to be sure to “get there early to try her Mango-Chili-Lime truffle, a life-changing cacophony of flavors that play like a symphony across your tastebuds.” • Old Agness Store Michele Berlant will challenge your idea of what makes a “brownie” with her selection of brownies, blondies and bars, both traditional and spicy. Ask her about her gluten-free items and her classical music CD. • The Makery Heather Harris will tempt you with her chocolate-dipped bacon. Try out her peanut butter cups, caramels and a smorgasbord of chocolate-dipped treats. • Chocolates of Oregon More Festival on Page A5
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