CCP127 by C.M.I.

Alice DiMicele

Singer-songwriter performing at the Tolowa Events Center at the Lucky 7 Casino More on this, page A10

SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946 www.currypilot.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023

Brookings, Oregon

Commissioners approve study of crumbling road ber walloped the region with heavy rains, drivers have had to use a nine mile detour because the portion of Rogue River Road affected is undermined by rapid erosion. This stretch of road is no stranger to trouble. It’s had temporary work done in the past but commissioners agreed it’s time for something lasting. The Road Master told them, “This isn’t the end of it. There will be more times when the river is raging and we’ll need to address it in a permanent way.” Christensen was approved for

BY JULIE AKINS For The Pilot

Curry County Road Master, Richard Christensen received unanimous support by Curry County Commissioners on Wednesday to begin a study of the North Bank of Rogue River Road which is failing due to erosion. The cliffside is crumbling from heavy storm surges and rising river levels which knocked out portions of it near mile marker 3.1. Since the storms of late Decem-

$54,000 to drill into the soil for samples which he’ll turn over to an engineer for evaluation of possible ﬁxes. He’ll bring back three options for commissioners to consider and they will request Federal Emergency Management funds to complete the work. They may even receive 75% of the initial $54,000 in study expenses back. Among the possibilities would be a seven million dollar project which sets up heavy pilings afﬁxed to the mountain which was referred to as the “Cadillac plan” and other

options will be considered which might be less expensive but could require more maintenance. All of these considerations will be explored in greater detail after completing the sample surveys. And all of them would have to consider critical salmon habitat by using “root wads” from trees to create salmon safe areas. County Counsel Ted Fitzgerald defended an option previously discussed of re-routing the river stating that it might be the best long term course of action and could actually

Commissioners seek food assistance

be an improvement to habitat and residents along the river. If that will be one of the options later offered to commissioners is unknown. But Christensen, Fitzgerald and commissioners said they were reasonably conﬁdent FEMA would grant funds on the basis of an emergency regardless of which plan is ultimately chosen. Given the severity of West Coast storms throughout California and Oregon, it’s likely according to Christensen that they are expecting applications for assistance.

Community theater presenting “Into the Woods, Jr.” THE PILOT

File photos

Volunteers with the Brookings-Harbor Community Food Bank sort food during a food drive. Below, Pamela Wine0barger, executive director at the food bank, shows how vegetables are stored.

County gives ARP funds to Brookings food bank BY JULIE AKINS For The Pilot

In an acknowledgment of hunger in Curry County, Commissioners on Wednesday accepted a grant request from the American Rescue Plan for $125,000. The grant comes at the request of Pamela Winebarger from the Brookings Harbor Community Food Bank who told commissioners with federal emergency supplemental nutrition programs coming to an end, her office will be “inundated” with hungry people. Pandemic assistance programs , including supplemental nutrition program increases, are ending in March for individuals and families. “People are struggling with inflation already and making hard choices every day.” Winebarger stated that 14% of all Curry County residents live at or below the poverty level. 33% are working people just above the poverty line as defined in a measurement known as “ALICE” or “asset limited income constrained employed” people. That puts roughly half of Curry County living in poverty profound enough to make hunger a real part of their lives. Senior citizens are even more at risk with 44% falling into the ALICE measurement and 11% at or below the poverty line. With 56% of seniors experiencing food insecurity, it’s also true that this population is the fastest growing

demographic of homeless residents throughout the state of Oregon. Winebarger warned commissioners that without help, they will not be able to address the need. She added that extreme weather and roads in parts of the county closed, delivery of food from South Coast Food Share

INDEX Calendar of Events

have been unpredictable and she also noted that despite being the second largest food bank, they are toward the bottom of the amount of food delivered and often have to supplement with items they purchase at retail stores which drives their costs up. “There’s an old saying, food

is medicine. And food is one of the three requirements to live. We need to accept this grant,” said Winebarger. By unanimous vote the commissioners agreed to accept the grant funding. Exactly how it will be adPlease see FOOD Page A2

The Brookings Harbor Community Theatre is announcing their teen production of Into The Woods, Jr. to be performed at the Chetco Grange the ﬁrst two weekends in March. The local theater was given special permission from Musical Theater International to produce Into The Woods Jr. They have a full cast of teens, with a couple of tweens. “We are pleased to share that they are a remarkable group that has hit the ground running and is working hard already to make the show memorable,” said Director Tiffany Van Maren, along with the theater’s board members. “Directors Carolyn Poston and Tiffany Van Maren have brought this cast together and recruited an amazing crew. Costumers BJ Farris and Teri McGregor are also hard at work to make all the actors shine as they tell Stephen Sondheim’s iconic tale, with a “Junior” twist,” she said. The Narrator (Gabby Buchnoff) guides the audience through the story, telling them each character's wish. Cinderella (Teryn Van Maren) wishes to go to the King's Festival. Jack (Tad Cooper) wishes his cow, Milky-White, would give him milk, and the Baker (Oliver Carlos) and Baker's Wife (Lillian Poston) wish to have a child. Jack's Mother (Aida Cooper) wishes for gold and a less foolish son. Cinderella's Stepmother (Sage Farley) and her stepsisters, Florinda (Iris Powers) and Lucinda (Sequoia Merten), laugh at Cinderella's wish. With Cinderella's Father (Erik Cooper), they ride off to the ball without Cinderella, leaving her behind in tears. After stopping at the bakery for sweets, Little Red Ridinghood (Amber Van Maren) prepares to travel into the woods to see her sick Granny (Oceana Powers). At their home, the Baker and his Wife are visited by the Witch (Emmy Armstrong) next door. She reveals that the Baker's father is the reason the couple's wish will never come true. She explains that, in the past, for his pregnant mother, the Baker's father stole magical beans from the Witch's garden. To punish them, the Witch placed a curse Please see THEATER Page A2

Phone Number: 541-813-1717 • Address: 519 Chetco Ave, Ste 7, Brookings, 97415 • Email: Circulation@CountryMedia.net A3

Obituaries Classifieds Crossword Answer

Crossword Puzzle