Ready for Pomp and Circumstance....
Brookings-Harbor to celebrate Class of 2026
For the Pilot
Brookings-Harbor High School will celebrate the achievement of 97 new graduates at the annual ceremony from 2 to 4 pm. Saturday, May 30, at Lundeen Field in Brookings’ Azalea Park.
The Class of 2026 Valedictorians are Robert Krebs and Oceana Powers-Schmitz. Elyza De Vera has been named Salutatorian. Additional students earning Honors Diplomas this year
include: Mia Eames, Morgan Ferris, Patrick Hatch, Julius Johnson, Alex Justman, Johanna Larson, Lexie Newman, Sahara Sankoh, and Sierra Stout. Honors Diploma recipients complete rigorous coursework, including advanced math, science, and college-level dual credit courses. Additionally, salutatorian De Vera and Andrea Ramirez-Cortes have earned the Oregon Seal of Biliteracy. This is the official state verification of a student’s
ability to speak, read, and write in their home language, or any additional language other than English.
Commencement will include recognition for Gary Suter, Teacher of the Year, and Sandy Garrison, Staff Member of the Year, as voted by the graduating class. Mr. Suter is a Career Technical Education teacher at the high school, teaching classes such as welding, woodworking, and robotics. Garrison is the high
school’s front office secretary. This year’s keynote speakers will be Kristi Fulton, a longtime counselor who is retiring this June after nearly 33 years with the school district, and Ashley Pruitt, BHHS Registrar. For additional event information, including parking and seating maps, and a list of the Class of 2026 candidates, visit bhhs.brookings.k12.or.us/apps/ pages/graduation2026.
Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation releases 25,000 juvenile Chinook into Smith River
The Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation’s Fisheries Division and staff at Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery released approximately 25,000 juvenile Chinook Salmon into the lower Smith River on Friday, May 15. The release was the culmination of an annual fish enhancement program that started with the seining and spawning of adult Chinook in late fall.
The hatchery aims to release a total of 60,000 Chinook salmon this spring to support subsistence harvest for tribal members and maintain local recreational fishing opportunities for the public.
The process began last October when staff from the Nation’s Natural Resource and Public Works and Facilities departments, with help from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, collected adult Chinook Salmon from the mainstem Smith River using a beach seine. The salmon were transported in a holding tank by trailer to the hatchery.
At the hatchery, eggs were collected from females and fertilized using milt (sperm) from males. The eggs were incubated until they hatched. In February, Fisheries Division and hatchery staff began transferring Chinook salmon fry (young salmon whose yolk sac is almost fully
Primary 2026: Election Results for Curry County
Staff Report
As of the morning after election day on May 19, 2026, voter turnout for the Midterm Primary was up compared to previous years at 43.5% in Curry County. That is 8,406 of the 19,338 eli-gible voters. This is nearly a 4% increase on the 2022 midterms, representing almost 900 more votes than before. It puts Curry County well above the state average of 32.2%, showing great amounts of civic engagement!
Here are the preliminary results as of reporting on May 20. These numbers are still to be cer-tified and subject to change.
Local Races & Measures
The race for county commissioner was won by incumbent Lynn Coker by a hair and will lead to a runoff in November against challenger Jeremy Dumire. At the time of writing, the gap be-tween Coker and Dumire is ~2%, or just 164 votes.
Port Orford’s measure for funding the Port Orford Police Department (POPD) was success-ful, while the Brookings-Harbor School District (BHSD) bond measure for improving school facilities was not. The BHSD will lose a matching state grant of $6.1 million with the measure not passing.
Curry County Commissioner, Position 1
Measure 8-119 City of Port Orford,
Local Results for State and Federal Contests Curry County’s selections for state and federal races all saw victory as of writing, including a surprise nomination for Senator for David Brock Smith, who has served previously as the State Senator for Curry County’s District 1. Smith received strong support from Curry and Coos County, helping him over the line. He will face Senator Jeff Merkley in November.
Running unopposed for their chance to represent District 1 as State Representative, in-cumbent Court Boice (R) will face Bret Cecil (D) in the general election. While familiar matchups will occur on the federal level as well, where Val Hoyle (D) will once again be chal-lenged by Monique DeSpain (R) for the District 4 Congressional seat.
The gas tax was shot down by a large margin, both in Curry County and statewide. Tina Ko-tek will face Christine Drazan for the gubernatorial race in November.
Here is how Curry County voted in these wider races. For
More Results on page 3
Brooking-Harbor Class of 2026. Photo provided
Tribal Resource Specialist Erika Partee, right, is joined by hatchery employee Steve McCown and Frank Ault from the Public Works and Facilities Division. Not pictured: Fisheries Division Manager Jennifer Jacobs.
'Quietly surviving'
By Abbey Hope
Surviving has meant many different things to me over the last nine years. When I was 18, it felt like I just needed to hold on a little longer and then the nightmare would be over.
In my early 20s, survival meant enduring PICC lines my body rejected, and giving myself IVs several times a day. It also meant desperately hoping for a breakthrough.
By my mid-20s, survival meant making it through every minute of excruciating pain, not knowing what else to do for my body. It felt like we had tried everything to make me better.
Now, at 27, survival still means most of these things. But it also means something new: It means the little flickers of hope I get from spending evenings each week on Zoom with others who live their days surviving this as well. These are people in the middle of this battle with me. And let me tell you, they are pretty amazing to be making it through this.
Every year, the CDC estimates that there are at least 476,000 new cases of Lyme Disease in the U.S. In reality, there are many more, because traditional lab testing is poor and many cases go undiagnosed or unreported.
A recent ABC News article reported that the number of weekly visits to the ER for acute tick bites is at its highest level since 2017, according to the CDC. In some places, the visits for tick bites are more than double what they normally are this time of year.
The fact is, if you are getting diagnosed in an
ER, you are actually quite lucky, as you will often get rapid treatment and be able to treat the acute infection. The most important thing is that you DO treat it and make sure you get a sufficient course of antibiotics to wipe it out. Unfortunately, many cases never reach the ER. Some ticks are as small as a poppyseed, so it’s not always easy to see them on you. To make matters worse, the “classic bullseye rash” often never appears to warn you. Without immediate treatment, the infection can burrow deep and spread to your joints, your heart, and the nervous system.
This is what happened to me. I have no idea when the tick bit me. It could have been when I was a little kid or when I was in high school.
All I know is it hit me with vengeance at 18 years old. Suddenly, my body, which was used to working out 3-4 hours a day and competing in track and field, began to struggle to function in a million different ways at once. My stomach was hurting often, and I struggled to eat. I had severe shortness of breath that an inhaler didn’t help, I was having cold/flu symptoms nearly every week, I was having to urinate over 20 times a day despite drinking very little, and I would have severe itching. There was also pain all over my body. We could barely run down one problem before another one would get worse. All while I tried to compete on
Memorial Day Quiz: Remembering America’s undeclared wars
By J. Mark Powell InsideSources.com
We pause on Memorial Day to remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Yet, many folks are surprised to discover thousands of service members died in conflicts that weren’t actually “wars.” How much do you know about our country’s undeclared wars? Find out in this short, informative quiz.
1. What makes military combat an actual war?
A: An executive order
B: A vote of Congress
C: A popular referendum D: A petition drive
Answer: B. While the U.S. Constitution names the president commander-in-chief of the military, Article 1, Section 8 specifies that only Congress can declare war. The 1973 War Powers Resolution authorizes the president to use military force for a limited time.
2. The first undeclared war came in our nation’s earliest days. Which rival nation did it involve?
A: Great Britain
B: Germany
C: France
D: Russia
Answer: C. The “Quasi-War” from 1798 to 1800. France tipped
the scales in our favor during the Revolutionary War by sending its fleet and lending us a lot of money. Spats after the French Revolution led to fighting on the high seas between the two former friends, with several hundred casualties on both sides.
3. The Marines’ Hymn famously recalls “the shores of Tripoli.” What undeclared war does that line reference?
A: The Gold Coast Incursion
B: Nicaraguan Deployment
C: The Indonesian War
D: The Barbary Pirates War
Answer: D. In the early 19th century, pirates from the Barbary States (parts of modern Libya, Algeria, Tunis and Morocco) were seizing U.S. Navy ships, taking sailors hostage, and holding them in exchange for an astronomically high ransom. Washington told the Navy, “Go get ’em.” Several dozen Americans died in the fighting.
4. America’s deadli-
est war was actually an undeclared conflict. What was it?
A: The Revolutionary War
B: The Civil War
C: World War II
D: The Vietnam War
Answer: B. That’s right, our nation’s bloodiest conflict wasn’t a declared war. Officially, war can only be declared by one country against another. The North didn’t recognize the Confederacy as a sovereign nation. So, Congress instead declared a state of rebellion within the seceded states. Federal documents referred to it as The War of the Rebellion.
5. The longest war in American history was undeclared. What was it?
A: The Seminole War
B: The Choctaw War
C: The Apache War
D: The Arapaho War
Answer: C. America was expanding westward in the 1800s, but the Apache tribe said, “Not on our land.” So, it fought. And fought. And fought. The fighting was so prolonged that there was rarely a 90-day stretch of peace during the 37-year era. The Apaches even fought the Confederates during the Civil War. Violence tapered off after 1886, but there were sporadic battles as late as 1924.
Chetco Pelican Players present Barefoot in the Park
The Chetco Pelican Players are bursting with excitement to introduce “Barefoot in The Park” by Neil Simon, premiering on June 12th at the community theater! The Neil Simon classic will be directed by Loreena Wood. Prepare to be swept away by this heartfelt journey of two newlyweds, Paul and Corie Bratter, as they dive headfirst into the chaos, comedy, and undeniable magic of love. Their tiny New York apartment
becomes a battleground of surprises—an eccentric neighbor, a well-meaning (but slightly overwhelming) mother, and a dinner party that turns into pure comedic gold.
This play isn’t just witty and fast-paced—it’s an emotional rollercoaster full of those unexpected, laugh-out-loud moments that will stay with you long after the curtain falls.
The production runs on the weekends from June 12 to 28, with Friday and
Saturday shows starting at 7:00 PM and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM at the Chetco Pelican Playhouse in Brookings. Tickets run $15 for adults and $7 for students and can be purchased online at chetcopp. booktix.com, or by calling (541) 469-1857 for reservations.
“Come feel the joy, the laughter, and the warmth of this unforgettable story,” say the Chetco Pelican Players!
the track team and graduate from high school. In his song “Monster,” Singer/songwriter Jesse Ruben, a Lyme warrior himself, puts words to what it’s like to have this infection: “There’s a monster in my body, and it’s livin' in my limbs, and it's tearing through my system like a hurricane wind that won’t stop.”
That’s exactly how it felt, but because we didn’t know what was wrong with me and we hoped simple answers would come, I continued with my college plans. It wasn’t till an appointment a week before I left for college that a doctor finally suggested I might have Lyme disease. She had a do-it-at-home kit from a lab called “DNA Connec-
tions” that she gave me. I was really lucky in this respect—she had a good test for Lyme. A lot of people aren’t that lucky. Many people are tested for Lyme disease and then told they don’t have it when they get a negative “western blot” (blood test). But the fact is that the most common CDC- recommended tests ordered by doctors are extremely inaccurate, missing up to 78% of cases! To truly know whether you have Lyme disease, you must be tested by specialized labs. Unfortunately, getting diagnosed was just the beginning of my story. I thought it would be a rather short chapter of my book, too. I figured now that we knew what the problem was, we could fix it, and I would get on with college life. I was very wrong, though. When a Lyme infection has buried itself in your
body for years, there's no simple answer. Currently, there is no cure for chronic Lyme disease. There are, however, many wonderful stories of patients reaching remission and leading fairly healthy lives. The problem is that there is no single, well-documented treatment that works effectively for the majority of people.
A huge part of why Lyme doesn’t have a cure or a clear treatment plan is that there’s almost no research funding. For example, Lyme is one of the most common infectious diseases in the US, with fifteen times more diagnoses than new HIV infections. Yet, HIV/AIDS funding by the NIH is roughly 50-100 times more than Lyme.
Compared with other vector-borne infectious diseases, funding for Lyme disease remains very low. Lyme disease research has been allocated about $63 per patient, while West Nile Virus receives about $13,600 per patient, and Malaria receives $118,823 per patient.
Duke Wilhelm
2025 at home in Talent, Oregon, after a lengthy illness. A longtime resident of upper Gardner Ridge, Brookings, Oregon, Duke had a deep affinity for the
wilderness and the wild, hiking many of the drainages of the coastal rivers and ranges. Duke enjoyed taking his children on canoe adventures up the Chetco, trailblazing on the coastal headlands and camping out in Windy Valley.
Duke helped warm the hearths of many Brookings folk over the years, delivering firewood cords in his old Power Wagon, Ford or Chevy pick-up. He appreciated those connections, and each of his friendships in the community.
Duke is survived by his children, Dasho, Djuna, Cascade, Mira and Altaira Wilhelm; sisters Kal
and Laura Wilhelm, and life-long friend Martha Wilhelm.
The family thanks Asante/Rogue Regional Medical Center, Heimann Cancer Center, and Siskiyou DaVita for their kind and skillful care. Special appreciation to Patrick Jenness, Nathan Riddle and partners and friends for steady support, and to Sophia for compassionate care. A celebration of Duke's life will take place at Capella chapel in Azalea Park, Brookings on June 21, from 2-5 pm. Friends of Duke and his family are very welcome to attend.
absorbed) to outdoor ponds for their next stage of growth, where they learn to feed. During the ponding process, staff weigh and count small batches of fry to estimate the number of
All of these factors together are how I ended up at a support group for Lyme patients like me. It’s called Generation Lyme. We meet several days a week on Zoom and spend time together sharing what is going on in our week, supporting each other, and asking/answering Lyme treatment questions.
I would change every piece of my Lyme story if I could, except the part where I met some of my best friends through these meetups. One defining characteristic of our meetups is the variety of states represented.
that have been ponded. On May 15, the first of two batches of juvenile salmon were transported in the holding tank to the Fred Haight Boat Ramp on the Smith River.
All of the juvenile Chinook salmon are adipose-clipped and given a coded wire tag prior to release. This helps distinguish them from wild populations and to track their survival, migration and catch rates. The data collected helps the hatchery staff and other wildlife agencies manage fisheries while protecting vulnerable wild fish.
nature:
• Wear light-colored clothing: long pants and a long-sleeve shirt. Tuck your pant legs into socks. Wear a hat.
• Always apply tick repellent. Lemon eucalyptus and rose geranium oils repel ticks. There are several all-natural sprays available. Products with DEET are also effective.
• Products containing Permethrin may be used on clothing, gear, and your property.
• Stay in the middle of the trail and away from foliage.
• Don't sit on logs, lean against trees, or walk through tall grass
In fact, Lyme disease has been found in all 50 states! It is not just an East Coast infection, as it’s often thought of, even here in southern Oregon, Lyme is present. But there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk of a tick bite when you go out in
When I got sick with Lyme Disease, I would never have imagined that 9 years later I would still be waking up having to fight it every day. But the one thing it hasn’t taken from me yet is the ability to write. That is why this May, which is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, I am sharing this information with you. We live in so much beautiful nature that should rightfully be explored! But it’s important to practice tick safety to reduce your risk of infection and to be educated about Lyme disease in case you have been exposed. Enjoy nature and be safe! Some of the information for this article was provided by Lymelight Foundation and ProjectLyme. Other helpful resources for Lyme disease are The Lyme Treatment Foundation, Lyme Warrior, and Global Lyme Alliance. If you would like to join a Generation Lyme Meet-up, check out their website here: https://www. genlyme.org/
Hope From page 2
Monday, May 11
7:2 am — Old County Rd & N Bank Chetco, dispute/fight
9:03 am — Oak St/ Stout Park, city ordinance violation
2:05 pm — Railroad & 5th, non-injury traffic crash
9:35 pm — Old County Rd, criminal mischief
Tuesday, May 12
10:07 am — Brookings Police Department, warrant service
5:06 pm — Chetco Ave, warrant service
11:31 pm — Red-
DAILY
Daily Meal, Chetco Activity Center, 550 Chetco Lane: 11:15 am - 12:30 pm.
All Year Long Beyond 250 Oral History Project, Chetco Library. Anyone who has called Brookings-Harbor home is welcome to share lived experiences for the oral history project. Learn more and sign up at chetcolibrary. org/Beyond250.
Mondays
• Line dance lessons, Brookings Elks Lodge, 800 Elks Drive: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Membership not required.
Absolute beginners 10:30 am, improver 11:00 am, intermediate 12:00 pm. $2 minimum donation.
Qi Gong for Health & Vitality, Chetco Library: 5:30 pm. Free class with licensed instructor Linnie. All are welcome; donations appreciated.
Tuesdays
• Brookings-Harbor Garden Club Work Party, Brookings Botanical Garden: 10:00 am - 11:30 am. Bridge, Chetco Activity Center: 12:15 pm.
• Line Dancing, Brookings Elks Lodge: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Donations requested. Storytime, Chetco Library: 10:30 am. Stories, songs, and games for young children. Tween Club, Chetco Library: 3:30 pm. Activities for youth ages 10-13. Pinochle and Card Games, Chetco Activity Center: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm.
Amateur Radio Net, Gasquet Net: 6:30 pm (147.18); DN Amateur Radio Club: 7:15 pm (146.88).
• Line dance lessons, Crescent City Elks Lodge, 359 H Street: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Membership not required. Absolute beginners 10:30 am, improver 11:00 am, intermediate 12:00 pm. $2 minimum donation.
wood Bar, assault
Wednesday, May 13
6:43 am — Del Norte Ln, identity theft
7:37 am — Social Security Bar, illegal camping
10:48 am — Easy St, stalking
1:22 pm — 5th St, hit-and-run
1:48 pm — 2nd St, criminal trespass
3:37 pm — Brookings Police Department, custodial interference
5:45 pm — Wharf St, false information
9:55 pm — Moore St, harassment
POLICE BLOTTER
Thursday, May 14
4:27 am — Brookings Core Response, assault
8:54 am — 5th St, theft
1:16 pm — 2nd St, intoxicated subject 1:25 pm — 5th St, forgery/fraud/bad check
4:05 pm — Glenwood Dr, disorderly conduct
5:46 pm — Ransom Ave, disorderly conduct
8:26 pm — Mount Emily, suspicious conditions
8:28 pm — Easy Sr, theft
8:43 pm — E Harris Heights Rd, loud noise
9:09 pm — Huckleberry Ridge Rd, criminal trespass 11:05 pm — Mill Beach, loud noise
Friday, May 15
4:45 am — Rainbow Rock Trail, threats
12:59 pm — Pioneer Rd, disorderly conduct
1:05 pm — South Bank Chetco River Rd, false information 1:49 pm — 5th St, dispute/fight 3:47 pm — Chetco Ave, forgery/fraud/bad check
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Ukulele Group, Chetco Activity Center: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm. Bring your instrument and a music stand. Music provided.
Wednesdays • T’ai Chi, Chetco Activity Center: 9:00 am - 10:30 am and 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm. Qi Gong for Health & Vitality, Chetco Library: 9:30 am. Free class with licensed instructor Linnie. All are welcome; donations appreciated. Line dance lessons, Brookings Elks Lodge, 800 Elks Drive: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Membership not required. Absolute beginners 10:30 am, improver 11:00 am, intermediate 12:00 pm. $2 minimum donation.
• The Walking Group, Azalea Park: 11:00 am. Meet by Capella by the Sea. If raining meet at Brookings Harbor Shopping Center by the barbershop. 541-412-8664.
• Afternoon Creation Station, Chetco Library: 1:30 pm4:00 pm. Drop-in activities for school-aged kids. Recorder Group, Chetco Activity Center: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm. Bring your instrument and a music stand. Music provided.
Men’s Club Golf, Salmon Run Golf Course: 9:00 am. Friendly team and individual play. All skill levels welcome. Bob K: 701-2697822. Cribbage Club, Wild Rivers Pizza: 5:30 pm. Thursdays Rowdy Creek String Band, Chetco Library: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Open rehearsal for acoustic string instrument players.
• Bridge, Chetco Activity Center: 12:15 pm. Widows and Widowers Coffee Clique, Community Center, Airport Way, Gold Beach: 10:30 am - 11:30 am.
• Checkmate Corner, Chetco Library: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Weekly chess club for all ages and skill levels. Easy Flow Yoga, Chetco
Library: 5:30 pm. Free class. Participants should be able to comfortably get up and down from the floor. All are welcome; donations appreciated.
Recreational Table Tennis, 102 Park Street, Brookings: 6:30 pm. Intermediate players welcome; bring your own paddle.
Line dance lessons, Crescent City Elks Lodge, 359 H Street: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm.
Membership not required.
Absolute beginners 10:30 am, improver 11:00 am, intermediate 12:00 pm. $2 donation. Jean: 541-2518998.
Fridays Bingo, Chetco Activity Center: 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm.
• The Walking Group, Azalea Park: 11:00 am. Meet by Capella by the Sea. If raining meet at Brookings Harbor Shopping Center by the barbershop. 541-412-8664.
• Pinochle and Card Games, Chetco Activity Center: 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm. T’ai Chi, Chetco Activity Center: 9:00 am - 10:30 am. Threads, Hooks, & Needles, Chetco Library: 10:30 am. Fiber arts club for knitters, sewers, and more.
Saturdays Saturday Storytime, Chetco Library: 10:30 am. Stories, songs, and games for young children.
Saturday Shuffle: Pokemon, Chetco Library: 1:00 pm. Play and trade Pokemon cards with guidance from an experienced player.
Sunday, May 31
Scholarship Winners’ Recital, Seventh-day Adventist Church, 102 Park Ave, Brookings: 3:00 pm. Partnership for the Performing Arts presents SOU scholarship-winning student musicians and Dr. Alexander Tutunov. Free to the public. Tuesday, June 2
History at Your Fingertips, Chetco Library: 1:00 pm3:00 pm. A free workshop
only three months, two weeks, and four days, the U.S. captured Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. Many Filipinos wanted self-government. Washington disagreed and sent 126,000 troops there. A particularly savage war ensued. Three
Saturday, May 16
4:54 am — 2nd St, theft
10:00 am — Chetco Ave, criminal trespass
1:23 pm — Pine St, disorderly conduct
1:26 pm — Chetco Ave, disorderly conduct
2:36 pm — Ruth Ln, custodial interference
2:49 pm — 5th St, fire alarm
3:19 pm — 5th St, theft
5:42 pm — Shopping Center Ave, fire
6:42 pm — W Benham Ln, unauthorized use of vehicle
Chetco Library: 1:30 pm.
with Southern Oregon University’s Maureen Battistella exploring Oregon historical databases. Registration recommended at Chetco. librarycalendar.com.
Wednesday, June 3
• The Care and Maintenance of Fruit Trees, Chetco Library: 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm. Experienced gardener John Savage presents a workshop on caring for fruit trees. Doors open at 5:00 pm; presentation begins at 5:15 pm. Presented with the Brookings-Harbor Garden Club.
Friday, June 5
• Calamity at the Coquelle Creamery, Sawdust Theatre, 120 N. Adams St., Coquille: 7:00 pm. Champagne benefit performance. All seats reserved; tickets $25.
Saturday, June 6
Afternoon Indie Films: Wowzer!, Chetco Library: 2:00 pm. Free monthly screening with the Wild Rivers Film Festival. Local author Joanie Lindenmeyer and director Michael Gorse will attend; Q&A follows. Calamity at the Coquelle Creamery, Sawdust Theatre, 120 N. Adams St., Coquille: 7:00 pm. Opening night show. All seats reserved; tickets $10.
Monday, June 8
• Spice World Bags, Chetco Library: all day. Take-home spice bags include a tester sample, trivia, and recipe suggestions. Supplies limited; first come, first served.
Tuesday, June 9
Author Talk and Mini Writing Workshop, Del Norte County Library, 190 Price Mall, Crescent City: 5:15 pm - 6:30 pm. Meet local author Joanie Lindenmeyer, known for Nun Better: An Amazing Love, Joyously Free! and other books. Special guest: Joanie Lindenmeyer, best-selling author.
Wednesday, June 10 D&D One-Shot Adventure,
years later, more than 4,200 Americans and perhaps 20,000 Filipino combatants were dead, with thousands more wounded.
7. At times, the United States has joined with other countries in fighting an undeclared war. This one was a debacle.
Youth ages 10-16 can learn tabletop role-playing basics and complete a short adventure. No experience needed; space limited, sign up in advance.
• Bookworm Buddies Club, Chetco Library: 4:00 pm. For 2nd- through 5th-graders. June discussion: Princess Cora and the Crocodile and Baby-sitter’s Little Sister: Karen’s Kittycat Club.
Thursday, June 11
Game Hub, Chetco Library: 3:30 pm. Open gaming on the Nintendo Switch 2 plus board games. K-12 students welcome.
Pub Grub Book Club, Misty Mountain Brewing, downtown Brookings: 5:30 pm. Casual book club for adult fans of graphic novels. June selection to be announced.
Friday, June 12 Creative Cafe, Chetco Library: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm. Free monthly art event for adults and teens. June focus: stop motion animation.
Saturday, June 13 • Disaster Preparedness with the Red Cross, Chetco Library: 10:30 am. Free class on wildfire prevention and preparation. VFW Post 966 meeting, 507 Pacific Ave, Brookings: 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. Wartime veterans are encouraged to join. Help us save our Post, buy a brick. 541-412-6236. • Dress a Girl, Trinity Lutheran Church, 1200 Easy St: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Monthly meeting to sew dresses and shorts for children worldwide. Bring your lunch and bring a friend. Jane Knox: 209-815-2100.
Art Walk Open House, Chetco Library: 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm. Light refreshments and featured handcrafted glass art by Garrett J. Smith in the Forest Gallery. Calamity at the Coquelle Creamery, Sawdust Theatre, 120 N. Adams St., Coquille:
sian Civil War
Answer: D. After Russia’s czar abdicated and was murdered, civil war broke out between the Reds (Communists) and the Whites (anti-Bolsheviks, some of whom were pro-democracy while others wanted the Romanov dynasty restored).
8:06 pm — Dawson Rd, criminal trespass
8:10 pm — Parkview Dr, fire 10:26 pm — Azalea Park, warrant service
Sunday, May 17 8:41 am — Pacific Ave, fire alarm 9:14 am — MP 342.5, traffic crash 11:35 am — Chetco Ave, criminal trespass 5:09 pm — Fern Dip, DUII
9:49 pm — Barnacle Rock Rd, telephone harassment
additional 8,000, called the American Expeditionary Force Siberia, shipped to Vladivostok:13,000 U.S. troops in all on Russian soil. Nearly 425 Americans died in the unsuccessful effort.
ABOUT THE WRITER
A: The 1855-1857 Walker Expedition
B: The 1916-1917 Pancho Villa Expedition
C: The 1916-1924 Dominican Republic Occupation
D: The 1918-1919 Rus-
The U.S. joined an international military force backing the Whites. Some 5,000 soldiers of the American North Russia Expeditionary Force (nicknamed the Polar Bear Expedition) were sent to Arkhangelsk, with an
J. Mark Powell is a former TV journalist. His nonfiction book “Witness to War: The Story of the Civil War Told by Those Who Lived It” is available at jmarkpowell. com. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
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McLennan Excavation is looking for a full-time working foreman to join their growing team. The working foreman will have full understanding of underground utilities and grading. Foreman will have full working knowledge of the use of heavy equipment needed for all excavation projects. Leadership, communication, critical thinking, and problem solving under pressure will be essential in this position. The ability to successfully manage projects and use project management software tools is also a must. McLen-
nan Excavation offers health & dental benefits as well as 401K opportunities. Email your resume to: lily@pipeandrock. com or drop off your resume & apply directly at 98109 N. Bank Chetco River Road; Brookings, OR. Open hours are Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm. Please be prepared for a prospective interview.
McLennan Excavation is looking for a part-time &/or full-time Concrete Finisher. The finisher will expertly pour, level, and smooth concrete on surfaces including pads, walls, sidewalks, curbs, and driveways. Strong working knowledge of hand-held and power tools including power vibrators, polishers, cutting saws, and edging tools will be important in setting forms, patching existing surfaces, and cutting expansion joints. The ability to monitor the curing of the concrete to ensure a high-quality finish is also a needed. **Should be physically fit and able to stand for long periods of time, work on their knees, lift heavy materials, and work outdoors in high heat and in the coastal cold, wet, and windy conditions. Apply directly at 98109 N. Bank Chetco River Road; Brookings, OR. Or send resume to lily@pipeandrock. com Open hours are Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm. Please be prepared for a prospective interview.
McLennan Excavation is looking for full-time Commercial Drivers Licensed Dump Truck Drivers for local deliveries and equipment mobilization. Drivers should be familiar with using manual and automatic dump trucks, transfers, and lowboys. McLennan Excavation offers health & dental benefits as well as 401K opportunities. Apply directly at 98109 N. Bank Chetco River Road; Brookings, OR. Or send resume to lily@ pipeandrock.com Open hours are Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm. Please be prepared for a prospective interview.
Approx 600 sqft. Renter pays electric. $1000/mo + $1000 dep. Background check required. If intersted call 541469-6119
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There will be a Budget Meeting for the Upper Chetco Fire Protection District, 17548 Gardner Ridge Road on Wednesday June 3rd, 2026. Meeting will begin at 5:30 PM, followed by a quarterly meeting at 6:00 PM. The public is encouraged to attend. Respectfully submitted Lori Wraith. 5/27/2026 Pilot 425747
NOTICE OF LIEN SALE PACIFIC COAST STORAGE LLC 16003 HWY 101 SOUTH, BROOKINGS, OR 97415 541469-2188 On Wednesday, June 10th , at 3 pm the contents of units leased by Donald Pariseau Jr (B-32 & C-27), Rick Gonzales (B-30), Tyler Melton (B-19) and Shannon Ray (C16) will be sold to foreclose liens for non-payment of rent and any expenses of this sale in accordance with ORS 87.685. Bids may be submitted online at WWW.STORAGETREASURES.COM 5/27 & 6/3/2026 Pilot 426717
NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS On May 15, 2026, the Curry County Circuit Court of Oregon appointed Brandy Hosack as the Personal Representative (PR) in the Estate of David Scott Hosack Case #26PB04481. Claims against the estate must be presented to the PR, with proper vouchers, within 4 months from the 1st publication date or they may be barred. All persons whose
1BR 1BA apartment. Upstairs.
Oregon’s U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle headed to rematch with GOP challenger Monique DeSpain
By Mia Maldonado Oregon Capital Chronicle
The race to represent Oregonians living along the state’s central and southern coast and parts of the Willamette and Umpqua River Valleys in Congress will be a rematch of 2024.
U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, a Lane County Democrat representing Oregon’s 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, easily fended off her Democratic challengers in Tuesday’s primary election, with nearly 78% of the votes counted shortly after 8 p.m. Melissa Bird, a small business owner from Corvallis, had received nearly 19% of the vote, and Daniel Bahlen, a Eugene resident and former behavioral health professional, was at almost 3% of the vote.
Hoyle’s primary win means that once again, she’ll face Republican candidate Monique DeSpain in November.
Hoyle in the 2024 gen-
eral election defeated DeSpain, an Air Force veteran and attorney, by nearly eight percentage points.
But DeSpain, who said she refuses to give up on the people in the district, won the district’s Republican primary with almost 87% of the votes counted by 8 p.m. and beating Stefan Strek, a Southern Oregon University student who has run unsuccessfully for governor and Congress in past elections.
Hoyle is a former state lawmaker of eight years and led the state’s Bureau of Labor and Industries from 2019 to 2023. She is in her second congressional term, and if elected again, she said she’d use her relationships across the district and political spectrum to serve as a liaison between constituents and federal agencies. Hoyle said she supports bipartisan legislation and investments that help the district, as well as fighting back against unconstitutional attacks from the Trump administration.
Hoyle had nearly $493,000 in her campaign account, according to federal records as of late April.
DeSpain has never held elected office before, but she worked for several years for one of the state’s most prominent Republicans, state Rep. Kevin Mannix of Salem. She spent much of her time in the military as an attorney with the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
If elected, DeSpain said she’d prioritize public safety by addressing the fentanyl crisis and supporting border security, as well as supporting small businesses and making Oregon more affordable. She also supports stewarding Oregon’s natural resources to create jobs and support forest management, as well as accountability with tax dollars.
DeSpain had about $247,000 left in her campaign account as of late April.
https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/05/19/
oregons-u-s-rep-val-hoyleappears-headed-to-rematch-with-gop-challenger-monique-despain/ Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States
Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains edito-
rial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.
Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle (left) and challenger Monique DeSpain, Republican nominee to represent the 4th Congressional District (right). (Campaign photos)
Live Author Talk Watch Party: George Takei discusses 'They Called Us Enemy '
From the Chetco Community Public Library
Join us in front of the big screen at Chetco Brewing for a live author talk with George Takei to wrap up this year's One Book, One Coast event!
LA County Librarian and Director, Dr. Skye Patrick, and Long Beach Public Library Director, Cathy de Leon, will sit down in conversation with actor, author, and activist George Takei, author of They Called Us Enemy. They'll be talking to George about the experiences that led to the creation of his memoir, what it means to be a good neighbor and citizen in the face of
overwhelming challenges, and how shared books and stories build stronger communities.
George Takei is a renowned civil rights activist, social media icon, Grammy-nominated recording artist, New York Times bestselling author, and pioneering actor whose career has spanned over six decades. Best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, Takei has appeared in more than 40 feature films and hundreds of television episodes. He has leveraged his public profile to champion social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and marriage equality.
Takei’s advocacy is
deeply personal. As a child during World War II, he and his family were among the 125,000 Japanese Americans unjustly imprisoned in U.S. incarceration camps—a formative experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to civil rights and public service. Currently, Takei serves as chair emeritus and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Japanese American National Museum. He was appointed to the Japan-United States Friendship Commission by President Bill Clinton and, in 2004, was honored by the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for
his significant contributions to U.S.-Japan relations. The event will take place at Chetco Brewing on
Sunday May 31, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. If you can’t attend the in-person event, you can watch online from
chetcolibrary.org.
Iran war, skyrocketing fuel prices battering Oregon’s economic forecast
By Alex BAumhArdt Oregon Capital Chronicle
Oil prices have dou-
bled since Oregon’s top economists last met with reporters and lawmakers to discuss the state’s economic outlook, creating a “new economic reality.”
The latest forecast, which economists Carl Riccadonna and Michael Kennedy previewed for reporters Tuesday evening ahead of a Wednesday meeting with the House and Senate revenue committees, is a sharp departure from February’s. Then, higher-than-expected corporate profits, consumer spending and new federal tax cuts had provided a buffer against what was expected to be a steep drop in state income tax revenue from sluggish job growth and wage stag-
nation plaguing not just Oregon, but the nation.
But President Donald Trump launched the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in late February, oil prices have soared from $50 to more than $100 a barrel, driving up inflation, tanking the nation’s economic growth estimates for the year and further eroding wages and hiring. Economic growth from last summer’s federal tax and spending megalaw was expected to accelerate the nation’s GDP by 1% in the first half of 2026. That expectation has been completely dropped in the last three months.
“Rising energy prices basically impose a tax on households and businesses,” Riccadonna explained. “Often there’s not a lot of flexibility around energy consumption, which means
when prices move, that very quickly translates into a new economic reality, and that’s very much what we’re grappling with in this forecast update.”
Potential homebuyers and budding business owners who hoped interest rates would drop soon will be further waylaid.
“One quarter ago, we were talking about the Fed continuing this cycle of interest rate reductions,” Riccadonna said of rates, which the Federal Reserve incrementally lowered by 2% over the past year.
“Now it looks like, at best, they’re on an extended hold, and in fact the market is now starting to price in the possibility of the Fed raising interest rates by the end of this year,” he said.
In a statement, Gov. Tina Kotek said she is focused on keeping the state
budget whole and policies that will ease the pain households are feeling as costs rise.
WHAT IS BEING PLANNED?
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) proposes to permanently restore a section of highway, known as Last Chance Grade, located on U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County (postmiles [PMs] 12.7 to 16.5). Last Chance Grade is a 3.5-mile-long section of highway approximately 10 miles south of Crescent City. The project would permanently restore the highway in response to landslide activities that have created roadway damage and frequent highway closures for decades.
WHY THIS PUBLIC NOTICE?
Caltrans has prepared the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation.
WHAT’S AVAILABLE
at information about the project. SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document computer disk. To obtain a copy in one of these alternate formats, please write to or call Caltrans, Attention: Public Information Office District 1, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95501; (707) 445-6600 Voice, or use the California Relay Service TTY number, 711 or 1- 800-735-2929. Last Chance Grade Permanent Restoration Project U.S. Highway 101 — Del Norte County
The Final EIR/EIS, which includes a response to comments made on the Draft EIR/EIS, is now available to the public.
WHERE YOU COME IN
You can view the Final EIR/EIS on the project website at lastchancegrade.com or in-person at the Caltrans District 1 Office, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and at the Del Norte County Library, 190 Price Mall, Crescent City, CA during open hours.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please contact Stephen Umbertis at stephen.umbertis@dot.ca.gov for more information about the Final EIR/EIS or Lianna Winkler-Prins, Caltrans Project Manager, at lianna.winkler-prins@dot.ca.gov or (707) 798-7737, for more information about the project.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document is available in Braille, in large print, on audiocassette, or on computer disk. To obtain a copy in one of these alternate formats, please write to or call Caltrans, Attention: Public Information Office, District 1, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95501; (707) 445-6600 Voice, or use the California Relay Service TTY number, 711 or 1-800-735-2929.
“Oregonians are feeling the financial pressure from high fuel prices and escalating inflation driven by the Trump administration’s conflict with Iran, so I’m thankful that Oregon is maintaining a balanced budget to protect core services,” she said.
In a rebuke of the forecast showing rising oil prices driving economic uncertainty, House Minority Leader Rep. Lucetta Elmer, R-McMinnville, blamed it instead on “a concerning economic trend brought on by pro-regulation, anti-business policies coming out of Salem.”
Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr, a Dundee Republican, acknowledged oil prices as a concern, and said Democrats over the years had exacerbated the pain via fuels taxes meant to address the rising costs of climate change.
“Over the last decade, Democrats in Salem have implemented repeated tax hikes, mandates, and regulations that have steadily increased the cost of gas, electricity, and heating bills for Oregon households and businesses,” he said.
Few winners
The only winners in the current economy are corporations raking in rising profits and wealthy individuals heavily invested in a booming stock market,
Riccadonna and Kennedy explained. A small handful of tech “hyperscalers” are driving the perceived gains, such as AI processing and data centers selling cloud computing and data storage and management, and the semiconductors needed for the server farms.
“We’ve just gotten a bunch of tax returns for 2025 in, throughout the filing season, and one of the things they’re showing is weaker wage growth than we would have expected, but much stronger dividend growth, capital gains growth, IRA growth, everything that’s market sensitive, market-based growth,” Kennedy said.
Although income tax revenue generated from capital gains taxes on the sale of stocks is buffering overall earned-income losses in Oregon, at least $23 million of income tax revenue state lawmakers expected to have on hand when they walked out of the Capitol at the end of the short legislative session in March has been lost due to declining wages and stagnant employment.
When they ended the session, lawmakers thought they were sitting on an end balance of $368 million. Today, that’s more like $345 million, Kennedy said, and that $345 million exists mostly because Democratic lawmakers voted to detach the state tax code from three of 115 provisions of the new federal tax code, a decision
state Republican lawmakers oppose and have vowed to send to Oregon voters via ballot referral in November.
Private sector forecasters recently put the likelihood of recession this year at about 30%, Oregon’s economists said, though they themselves forecast a likelihood closer to 22%, up from 20% three months ago. Their modeling shows that if oil goes up to $150 per barrel for at least three months, a recession is imminent.
“What we’ve done is repeatedly shocked our macroeconomic model with higher and higher energy prices to see at what tipping point it basically pushes the economy into recession,” Riccadonna said. “We’re not at that level, but that doesn’t mean in the shades of gray period, in the interim, that it doesn’t eat into our growth forecast.” Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/05/20/ iran-war-skyrocketing-fuel-prices-battering-oregons-economic-forecast/
OLIVE & POPEYE By Randy Milholland
AMS Track & Field give incredible showings at Districts and State
By Jason Liddell
The Azalea Middle School Track & Field team gave an impressive showing at the Far West League District meet on May 6. The boys team placed 3rd overall, and the girls team took 7th place. Azalea competed against 13 other teams in their league, including impressive teams such as North Bend and Marshfield.
Azalea shone in the long-distance 800- and 1,500-meter races. 8th grader Leila Newman took 1st place in both races with
a Personal Best (PB), and with a Season Best (SB) in the 1,500m. The AMS boys dominated the 100- and 200-meter hurdles events thanks to 8th grader Tyler Camp. Camp took first place in both races with PB’s in each. In the relay events, Azalea boys took first place in the 4x400 relay (each member of a four-person team runs one full lap of the track while strategically passing a baton to the next runner). The winning team was composed of Marcus Devereaux, Tyler Camp, Judson Jones and Curren Christensen.
In field events, 8th grader Ariel Fleming took
5th in the Discus event with a PB, and 8th grader Ashlynn Burkman placed 3rd in the High Jump. Max Petrie took 5th with a PB in the Pole Vault. Only the best from Districts, like Camp, Newman, and fellow 8th graders Beckham Katavich and Max Petrie, get to go on to compete at “State," which is more commonly known as the Meet of Champions, in Corvallis, OR. In that Meet of Champions on Friday, May 15, Azalea competed against more than 160 other schools across Oregon.
Leila Newman took 10th place in the 800-meter event with her best time this season. Tyler Camp continued his impressive season by placing 1st in the Meet of Champions Finals in the 100-meter Hurdles with another PB, and 3rd place in the 200-meter Hurdles, taking home two medals on the day. The only other event for Middle School Track & Field left in the season is the Nike Nationals Meet, which don’t include hurdle races, so Camp will not be entered.
SNAP interviews required for all households starting June 1
Staff Report
Starting June 1, 2026, all SNAP households must complete an interview when they apply for or renew their monthly food benefits.
This change returns SNAP to standard federal rules, which require interviews for all applications and renewals. These rules help make sure benefits are accurate and reflect each household’s current situation. An interview must be completed before benefits can be approved, according to a release from the Oregon Department of Human Services.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some households were allowed to skip renewal interviews. This temporary flexibility ends May 31, 2026.
This includes households
that previously did not need an interview, such as those where:
• All adults are age 60 or older or meet the SNAP definition of disability, and
• No one in the household has income from work
For some people, this may be the first time they complete a SNAP interview when renewing their benefits.
Interviews are a standard part of SNAP. They help:
• Confirm information
• Prevent errors
• Make sure people receive the correct benefit amount
• Connect people to the full benefits and services they may qualify for
What this means for people
People applying for or renewing SNAP benefits will need to complete an interview
before their benefits can be approved or renewed.
“These updates help make sure people receive the correct SNAP benefits for their current situation,” ODHS SNAP Director Jessica Amaya Hoffman said. “We know adding another step may be challenging. Our staff are here to help answer questions and support people in the way that works best for them. Completing the interview and providing documents when requested helps us process benefits correctly and connect people to the full amount they qualify for.”
What people can do now
• Make sure ODHS has your current contact information
• Watch for mail, email, text messages or phone calls from ODHS about your interview
• Respond to messages from ODHS to avoid delays
• Connect with ODHS in the way that works best for you—online, by phone or in person
Learn more about SNAP at Oregon.snap. gov Ways people can contact ODHS
• Online: Through a ONE Online account
• By phone: Call 800-699-
9075 or 711 (TTY), relay calls
welcome
• In person: Visit a local office (find one online)
• By Mail: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
About SNAP in Oregon SNAP is a cornerstone of Oregon’s fight against hunger, helping more than 1 in 6 people in Oregon, approximately 27 percent of households, afford groceries. This includes children, working families, older adults, and people with disabilities. Every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 to
$1.80 in local economic activity. SNAP drives an estimated $1.6 billion into the Oregon economy each year. But even with SNAP benefits, many families still struggle to meet their basic needs, especially amid the rising cost of food and housing. Everyone deserves access to healthy food, and the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is committed to making sure people in Oregon receive the right amount of SNAP food benefits they qualify for.
