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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2023

Brookings, Oregon

Offshore wind farms trigger local opposition ELLIOT SCHWARZ Country Media, Inc.

BOEM proposal to place approximately 200 wind turbines off the coast of Brookings. In public comments, numerous residents spoke in opposition to the wind energy plan. One of those speakers was Curry County Treasurer David Barnes, who described his opposition as both as resident and county treasurer. He noted that the cost of electricity for

Concerned citizens filled the meeting room during a recent Curry County Board of Commissioners session to review a federal plan to establish a wind farm for the Southern Oregon Coast. During the Oct. 4 meeting, the board appointed Commissioner Jay Trost as its liaison to the committee studying the

been suggested by BOEM. Another resident, Maureen Hefner of Brookings, asked how firm the BOC’s opposition to the plan was, and if Trost would be a “hard no.” Courtesy photo Commissioner Brad Alcorn Platforms planned to be spaced about one mile apart. noted in response that there was “no way in hell” he was residents would go up three become operational despite in favor of the turbines and to four times if the wind widespread opposition endorsed Trost’s elevation turbines were in place. from the county, the county to the post wholeheartedly. Trost said that the county Barnes also suggested should receive revenue that if the turbines were to from them, which has not being represented on the

Earthquake preparedness events offered STAFF REPORT Country Media, Inc.

test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”

Oregon is home to several fault lines that cause dozens of earthquakes every year. The most known earthquake threat is the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 700-mile fault located off the Pacific coast that puts Oregon at risk for a 9.0+ magnitude earthquake. A quake of that size could cause five to seven minutes of shaking, followed by a tsunami that would devastate coastal areas. October features several events reminding Oregonians to prepare and protect themselves before the ground starts shaking. Wireless Alerts

commission “is vital” and noted that he hasn’t found one commissioner all along the coast who favors the plan. The commissioners resolved the issue with the following formal statement: “The Curry County Board of Commissions adamantly opposes the harvesting of wind energy off the coast of Curry

See WIND, Page 13

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Community helpers preparing for holiday season

ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning People in Oregon, Washington and California who’ve opted into WEA automatically receive ShakeAlert earthquake early warning notifications for earthquakes in their area with a magnitude of 4.5 or greater, which can offer critical seconds of warning to seek cover from falling objects and brace themselves. ShakeAlert uses science and technology to detect significant earthquakes quickly and sends an alert to people on their cell phones. The alert makes a distinctive sound and displays a text message reading, “Earthquake detected! Drop, cover, hold on. Protect yourself.” This message is also available in Spanish for phones set to receive alerts in that language. Some cell phones with text-to-voice capability may read out the message text.

Emergency

“One of the most important steps people can take is to enable Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEA, on their cell phones,” Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) Director Erin McMahon said. “WEA are short emergency messages sent to your phone to warn of an impending natural or human-made disaster, like an earthquake. WEA messages can provide immediate, life-saving information.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) planned to conduct a nationwide WEA test on all consumer cell phones at 11:20 a.m. Oct. 4. People were scheduled to see a message on their phones that reads “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.” At the same time, FEMA was also planning to test the Emergency Alert System (EAS) that broadcasts on radios and televisions. The message was scheduled to read, “This is a nationwide

Great Oregon ShakeOut An effective and nocost way for individuals and families to practice earthquake safety is to register for The Great Oregon ShakeOut, a selfled earthquake drill taking place at 10:19 a.m. on Oct. 19. Nearly half a million Oregonians have already registered, pledging to Drop, Cover and Hold On for at least 60 seconds as if a major earthquake was occurring at that moment. “Knowing what to do when the earth starts shaking helps people reduce their risk and better protect themselves to prepare for See QUAKE, Page 13

INDEX

Elliot Schwarz / Country Media, Inc.

Senior fresh food distribution.

Elliott Schwarz | Country Media, Inc.

igns of the traditional holiday season have become noticeable in spots. As much as these are indicators of family gatherings and happy holiday spirits, for many they are signs of particularly difficult times to come.

Almost all who shop for groceries are aware of the steep rise in prices over the last few years, and among the most prominent impacts of the escalation in costs is planning a holiday meal. That’s when the Brookings Harbor Community Helpers (BHCH) encounter the greatest need for their services. Last year, in partnership with the Brookings Church of the Nazarene and the Living Waters Church, more than 300 food boxes were handed out in just over two hours the week before Thanksgiving. At Christmas time the food bank provides hams or turkeys plus the fixings for seniors. Working with Toys for Tots they gather toys and wrapping paper so parents can wrap toys as gifts for their kids. Year ’round need The need in Curry County is great

all year. The rural area has been recognized by United for ALICE and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as food desert. Brookings is one of 6,500 food deserts in the U.S. These are places where economics and geography make it harder for people to access healthy, nutritious food. BHCH estimates that more than 30% of Brookings’ work force and 45% of its seniors meet ALICE criteria. ALICE is defined by the United Way charity organization and USDA as asset limited, income constrained, employed. These are families and individuals above the federal poverty level who work and struggle to make a decent living. They are low-income community members who face food insecurity every day. Along with the unemployed and unhoused and seniors struggling on See HELP, Page 13

Fast Facts Total amount of food donated to BHCH in 2022: 168,057 pounds ••• Food boxes 8,761 • Daily Counter Bags served: 7,079 ••• Seniors over 60 served fresh food: 5,382 ••• Youth Snack Packs served: 9,390 ••• Non-food related office services provided: 5,856 ••• Volunteers providing services: 354 ••• Volunteer hours: 7,152

Phone Number: 541-813-1717 • Address: 519 Chetco Ave, Ste 7, Brookings, 97415 • Email: Circulation@CountryMedia.net

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