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WEEKEND EDITION FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946

www.currypilot.com

Brookings, Oregon

COVID-19

City postpones Azalea Festival Tenative dates are July 17-19 BRIAN WILLIAMS The Pilot

The City of Brookings postponed the 81st Annual Azalea Festival. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state guidelines, and the safety of our citizens, we will be moving

the 81st Annual Azalea Festival to the weekend of July 17- 19, 2020. We plan to move forward with the hope of bringing our community back together for a memorable and much -needed celebration of the Azalea Festival,” city officials stated.

The Azalea Festival was slated for Memorial Day weekend. The festival is the marquee event of the year for Brookings and Harbor and draws thousands of people to the Southern Oregon Coast. The Azalea Festival was awarded the “The Oregon Heritage Tradition” award. Organizers had targeted

deciding to cancel or postpone the event by May 1. There have been four confirmed COVID-19 cases in Curry County, three have recovered and zero deaths. Governor Kate Brown’s March 23 stay-home orders remain in place, limiting gatherings and still asking people to continue to wear masks and social distance.

The Azalea Festival has been postponed to July 17-19. Brian Williams, The Pilot

See Azalea, Page A8

#BETHELIGHT

COVID-19

Board cancels county fair Smaller event planned when COVID-19 orders are relaxed BRIAN WILLIAMS The Pilot

Brian Williams, The Pilot

People were drawn to the lights on Friday, April 24, of Elmer Bankus Stadium lights at Brookings-Harbor High School. The district participated in the #BeTheLight senior tribute for the first time on Friday and is planning to do it again in May and June (dates TBA). The stadium lights were turned on for 20 minutes starting at 8:20 p.m. — 20:20 military time in honor of the Class of 2020.

COVID-19

Transient lodging ban not lifted in Curry County BRIAN WILLIAMS The Pilot

Brian Williams, The Pilot

Ocean Suites Motel on Lower Harbor Road is just one of the transient lodging estatablishments in Curry County that has been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.

Index Classifieds....................B1-4 Comics.............................A4 Crosswords.....................A4 Obituaries.....................A6-7 Weather............................B4

Weather HIGH LOW

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GOLD BEACH — The Curry County Board of Commissioners did not lift the ban on short-term transient lodging stays, which includes hotels, motels, and RV parks, in the county. An attempt to lift the ban was voted down on Wednesday, April 29. Chairman Christopher Paasch was in favor of lifting the ban, while fellow commissioners Sue Gold and Court Boice were not in favor of lifting it right now. It would have gone into effect on May 1. All three commissioners were in favor of lifting the prohibition but in the end,

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low their transient lodging bans to expire and jointly sent a letter to the BOC asking it to keep its ban in place. The county is expected to revisit the ban next week after hearing from Governor Kate Brown, who is expected to talk about the reopening plan for the state on May 4. The ban on any rentals of less than 30 days were put in place following Brown’s stay-home order by the cities and the county to curb tourists from coming to the county and potentially bringing COVID-19 to the area. To date Curry County has had only four confirmed COVID-19 cases, all have recovered.

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RISE SET

Fri 6:10 8:17

Sat 6:09 8:18

Sun 6:08 8:19

Mon 6:06 8:20

$1.50

5-day forecast, tides and complete weather: Page B4

Call us 541-813-1717

See Fair, Page A8

Sunrise/Sunset

Past four days

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could not agree to when it should happen. Gold was in favor of lifting the ban with stipulations that CDC guidelines specific to the hotel and motel industries were followed. Paasch amended his motion to include this and then Gold asked if it would be possible to give impacted businesses a week to adjust. Boice wanted to wait to hear from the governor before lifting the restriction. Paasch did not amend the motion again and called for the vote. The vote by the BOC puts the county in line with its three incorporated cities — Gold Beach, Port Orford and Brookings. All three had extended or did not al-

GOLD BEACH — The 2020 Curry County Fair was canceled by the Curry County Fair Board at its April 17 meeting. The board met via Zoom and made the tough decision, said CEO Kaitlyn Coleman. Following the meeting, a post was made on the Event Center on the Beach Facebook page. The Curry County Fair was scheduled for July 29-Aug. 1 at the Event Center on the Beach in Gold Beach. “2020 has brought a series of unknown and unexpected trials to each of us,” the Facebook post stated. “Today the Curry County Fairboard made the extremely difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Curry County Fair. The decision was not made lightly but the health and well-being of our community remains a priority. The unknown timing for the lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions and reopening of public gatherings requires large events to make decisions such as this well in advance. “We plan to move forward with the idea of a smaller community event at a date to be decided as restrictions are lifted and gatherings start to be allowed. We hope to use this event to bring our community back together and show each other the love and support that makes Curry County what it is.” Coleman said the smaller community event will look much different than the usual fair. The goal is to have something after the restrictions on large gatherings are relaxed. “It’s going to look a little different than what we are used to but we still want to do something as soon as we can,” Coleman said. “We just don’t know when that

Fax 541-813-1931

Online www.currypilot.com


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