SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2020
Brookings, Oregon
Loeb Park trail has uncertain future LINDA PINKHAM The Pilot
Bill Vogel is worried that Oregon State Parks wants to permanently close the River View Nature Trail at Loeb Park, one of his favorite hikes. “They want to close this trail,” Vogel said. “They want it to go. It’s a pain to maintain, but we need a place to exercise,” he said. The Brookings resident, who is 78 years old, has helped maintain the trail over the past 20 years as a volunteer and uses it as a principal resource for personal exercise. The scenic trail takes off from Loeb Park, located about 10 miles up the North Bank Chetco River Rd., and follows the Chetco River for a little over a mile through groves of giant, 200-year-old myrtlewood trees, lush ferns, small creeks and river views. The trail ends near the Redwood Nature Trail Loop, which makes for a good workout with its elevation gains and length when added to the River View Trail’s out and back
distance, according to Vogel. The 320-acre park where both trails are located was acquired by the State in 1948 from Alfred A. Loeb to preserve the myrtlewood grove for public recreation. One of the small creeks along the trail caused a major problem resulting in the trail’s closure in early January, according to Dani Padilla, Park Manager at Harris Beach State Park. “Heavy rain and high water on the Chetco caused significant damage along several sections of the trail,” she said. “A county road culvert failed and washed away the (foot) bridge, along with eroding the edge of the trail, making it completely impassible.” Besides the culvert, two major landslides occurred east of where the culvert washed away. “Several large trees came down in the storm and caused root upheaval, which decreased the width of the trail down to less than one foot,” she said. The landslides have created a dangerous cliff edge along parts of the trail. More Trail, Page A2
Bill Vogel ponders the loss of his favorite hike, the River View Trail in Loeb Park.
Linda PInkham, The Pilot
Election 2020: Brookings City Council candidates Position 2
Position 1
Brad Alcorn
Anthony Bond
Diana Cooper
Ed Schreiber
Age: 58 Years in the area: 7 years Occupation: Retired Fresno Police Officer, 35 years Past political/civic experience: Brookings City Council Member, Position 1; Curry County Budget Commission; Chair Curry County Sheriff’s Office; Volunteer Canine Coordinator; Brookings Parks and Recreation Committee, Chair.
Age: 51 Years in the area: Moved to Brookings in November 2012. Born in Redwood City, CA; raised overseas (Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and British Columbia, Canada) in a hardworking Civil Engineering family. Occupation: Self-employed and Retired Peace Officer, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Past political/civic experience: Retired Law Enforcement and United States Marine Corps; Desert Storm Veteran; well-versed with Federal, State and City laws and ordinances.
Age: 32 Years in the area: 25 collectively Occupation: Community Health Worker at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Executive Director and co-Founder of the Brookings Homeless Task Force Past political/civic experience: Previously I have advocated at the Oregon State Legislature, speaking on behalf of bills affecting childcare, medical freedom, and family supports through DHS. I have also sat on advisory councils that informed public policy and decision-making.
Age: 59 Years in the area: 16 Occupation: Small business owner Past political/civic experience: President Curry Student Success Fund; Lead Volunteer at Brookings Community Shoe Bank; Lead Volunteer at Charitree Holiday Festival; youth sports coach, various church-related programs.
What do you feel are the most important issues facing the city? The safety of community members relative to the homeless/transient occupancies and the appropriation-allocation of tax dollars for the community.
For several reasons, the most important issues facing Brookings today are access to affordable medical care and treatment, as well as housing. Prior to the pandemic these were already well-known areas of concern and we have been in a county-wide
In my recent walks through Brookings neighborhoods, people are very concerned with COVID as a threat, as well as the many restrictions affecting businesses, schools and healthcare. I also hear many comments about transients, affordable housing, and access to health care. Some of these issues can be addressed as a city, and others are best treated as regional concerns.
More Bond, Page A2
More Cooper, Page A8
More Schreiber, Page A8
What do you feel are the most important issues facing the city? COVID-19, affordable housing and quality healthcare are immediate community needs. I have learned as a current City Council member that although these issues are hard to impact, due to them being governed by state and private entities, I can influence and encourage growth. Feedback I have personally received from community members More Alcorn, Page A2
What do you feel are the most important issues facing the city?
Wreaths across America to honor veterans Group hopes to place wreaths on graves of every Brookings veteran on Dec. 19 The Pilot
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Curry County has new confirmed COVID case THE PILOT
LINDA PINKHAM Vietnam veteran Don Bemis and his partner Debbie Salzman have a goal to place a wreath on every local veteran’s grave at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19 at W.J. Ward Memorial Cemetery in Brookings for the first time this year. The ceremony and wreath laying occurs at participating locations every year on National Wreaths Across America Day. The local ceremony will coincide with every ceremony across the country, which corresponds to the exact time as the Arlington
What do you feel are the most important issues facing the city?
Linda Pinkham, The Pilot
Wreaths Across America aims to place 330 sponsored balsam wreaths on the graves of veterans located in the W.J. Ward Memorial Cemetery in Brookings. National Cemetery’s noontime ceremony. Bemis and Salzman are working with the national nonprofit organization Wreaths Across
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America, which last year placed 2.2 million veteran’s wreaths across the country—254,000 of More Wreaths, Page A3
Public Health Administrator Sherriè Ward was notified by Curry Health Network on Oct. 7 of one new case of COVID-19. This current case has been verified and confirmed by the Health Officer through lab results. Public Health has made contact with the individual, who is a Curry County resident that is home self-isolating, monitoring symptoms. Investigation and contact tracing is being conducted by Curry County Public Health. Public Health will reach out to anyone suspected of exposure to COVID-19. As of Oct. 10 the total verified number of positive cases
in Curry County is currently 33 with one of those considered presumptive, 28 recovered cases, 5 active cases, zero hospitalizations and zero deaths. Of the 33 Curry County cases, 23 of those have been reported from the Brookings area zip code, according to the Oregon Health Authority Weekly Report published on Oct. 7 that covers the week ending Oct. 4. Statewide totals are 35,634 cases with 583 deaths as of 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 7. Del Norte County Public Health has announced 160 confirmed cases with 14 active as of Oct. 7, which is up from 144 confirmed cases the previous week.
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