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Job losses The state of Oregon reported more than 7,300 jobs were lost in November.

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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946 www.currypilot.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2024

Brookings, Oregon

Veteran officer hired as Gold Beach Police chief Hensley would say ‘community’ is his number one priority as Chief. FOCUS ON COMMUNITY “I’ve always thought law enforcement is not something you can do on your own. You need all your partners, you need all the involved helpers and people in the community that can assist you in matters like the Department of Human Services, Adult Senior Services, Child Welfare, the Homeless Coalition. You must know what the community needs are, and how you can do that is by being part of it.” Said Hensley on community. “You see it, you eat it, you breathe it, you become it,” he said pointing toward a newly printed banner with the slogan ‘Partnering With Our Community’ on it, “I talked a little bit about my family, but family for me is one of the biggest thing, and that carries over to our larger family, which is the community.” Hensley was candid enough to share what he thought the com-

BY NATE SCHWARTZ The Pilot

While interviewing Gold Beach’s newest Police Chief, Joel Hensley, I was most surprised by the warmth. It may not always be the word one would use to describe a veteran police chief with a background in corrections. However, as we spoke in a quiet and organized Gold Beach Police headquarters, it was graciousness and gratefulness that colored his answers. Hensley is a long-time servant of Curry County, having just celebrated his 25th anniversary in law enforcement with the Curry County Sherrif’s Department. He has served as a patrolman, in investigation, and in corrections, with the title of Director of the Curry County Jail under his belt. This well-rounded resume comes on top of a love for Gold Beach. Moving to Curry County at the age of 19, Hensley and his wife Katie raised two boys here on the coast. Now a proud grandfather, it is easy to see why

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Photo by Nate Schwartz/The Pilot

After serving in the Curry County Sheriff's Office for 25 years, Joel Hensley recently started as the chief of police in Gold Beach.

Hughes House event draws attention to save local historic sites BY BREE LAUGHLIN The Pilot

The Historic Hughes House at Cape Blanco State Park has touched many lives since its inception in 1898, and it is still making an impact on local residents and visitors today. The restored Victorian farmhouse and the nearby Cape Blanco lighthouse recently became an important part of Rebecca Malamud-Evans’ family history. She started sharing her knowledge of the homestead near the Cape Blanco Light Station with her father when she became the executive director of the Cape Blanco Heritage Society a few years ago. “He worked for the railroad his whole life and didn’t know a lot about lighthouses, so he wanted me to tell him all about it. So, every Tuesday, I would take him for a walk out to the lighthouse and show him everything,” she said. Malamud-Evans father passed away in November. She dedicated a photo she took of the lighthouse in his honor. This photo was on display during a recent public event at the Hughes House. The Hughes House was open to the community on Friday, Dec. 22 as well as an evening encore on Saturday, Dec. 23, giving the public a chance to view it while being lit up with festive decorations. Guests at the event had the chance to learn more about builder Pehr Johan Lindberg, as well as the history of this southern Oregon coast landmark, from local historians and members of the Cape Blanco Heritage Society. Malamud-Evans and other members of the historical society were on-hand for the event. They said while the Historic Hughes House and the nearby lighthouse have a rich history – the future of these sites remain uncertain. The tower of the Cape Blanco Lighthouse has been closed to tours since 2020. It is in dire need of structural repairs in order to re-open to the public. The Hughes House raises similar concerns with its need for repair. Cape Blanco Heritage society members said the situation

Photos by Bree Laughlin

The Historic Hughes House was open to the community on Friday, Dec. 22 as well as an evening encore on Saturday, Dec. 23, giving the public a chance to view the home while being lit up with festive decorations. Members of the Cape Blanco Heritage Society are raising funds to keep the restored Victorian farmhouse and nearby Cape Blanco Lighthouse open to the public. demands swift attention. “I've been dedicated to saving the lighthouse since I started two years ago,” the Cape Blanco Heritage Society director Malamud-Evans said. “I didn't realize that these historic places are going through so much. I didn't know that the lighthouse needed all these repairs, and I was surprised to find out that there's a risk of them actually being torn down or not being open to the public anymore. It’s happened to a lot of lighthouses across the U.S.,” she said. The Cape Blanco Heritage Society is raising funds to keep these historical sites open to the public. For more information about their save the lighthouse campaign, or to become a member of the nonprofit, visit www. CapeBlancoHeritageSociety. com.

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