FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020
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SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946
Brookings, Oregon
Azalea Festival schedule announced Entrants sought for July 18 parade THE PILOT Observing Oregon’s requirements for large gatherings under Phase 2 of the reopening, the City of Brookings continues to plan for the 81st Azalea Festival set for July 17-19. Traditionally held over Memorial Day weekend, the festival was postponed this year because of concerns of transmission of
COVID-19. On June 4, having had success with Phase 1 of reopening under state guidelines, Curry County was allowed to relax some of the restrictions which prevented previously the festival and other events and activities. Still, physical distancing, gathering size limits, and sanitization guidelines must be observed. Currently, the city is seeking parade entries, and the 2020 Azalea Festival Pageant will be held this Saturday, June 20, at 6 p.m. at the Brookings Elks
Lodge. Entry to the pageant is by ticket only. This year’s Azalea Court members are Alonna Nails, Brooke Firestone, Cartyr Fitzhugh, Kasilyn Ulery and Kaylee Cover. A long-time traditional part of the festival, celebration of pioneer citizens, will not be held this year. The planned schedule of events for the festival weekend includes:
Friday, July 17 • Meet and Greet at City Hall
(invitation-only), 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. • Reading of the Names at City Hall Flag Pole, 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 18 •Vendor Street Fair on Frontage Road, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Coastal Home Health & Hospice Rummage Sale, 585 5th St., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parade on Highway 101 through city of Brookings, 10 a.m. • Shrimp Feed at Azalea Park, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Azalea Park Program at Aza-
lea Park, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 19 • Vendor Street Fair on Frontage Road, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.Church Community Service at Azalea Park, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. • Elk Annual BBQ at Azalea Park, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. • The Italian Guys Concert at Azalea Park, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Vendor and parade applications are available online at brookings.or.us/342/Azalea-Festival.
Gold Beach council censures mayor THE PILOT
The Pilot Photos
In a socially-distanced nod at tradition, some members of the Brookings-Harbor High School Class of 2020 toss their caps in the air after they are officially graduated on Saturday, June 13.
Brookings-Harbor High School Class of 2020
It’s a wrap!
THE PILOT The challenges faced by the Brookings-Harbor High School Class of 2020 were many, but the graduation ceremony on Saturday, June 13, was graced by glorious weather. Many traditions were honored, but the entire class did not have a chance to get together on the field of Elmer Bankus Stadium because of requirements intended to avoid spread of COVID-19. Instead, officials and graduates participating in presentations and making speeches kept their distance — mostly — and the event was live-streamed so other students and their families waiting in cars for their turn to enter the stadium could observe. Among those giving speeches were Salutatorian Destiny Roberts and Valedictorian Ethan Hooper. More Graduation on Page A8
School board chair Alan Nidiffer presented Valedictorian Ethan Hooper.
Salutatorian Destiny Roberts gives her address.
Teacher Tim Buehler was presented with the Staff Member of the Year award and gave the keynote speech.
Del Norte has a new active COVID-19 case ‘Biobot’ measures virus in wastewater THE PILOT As of the latest information Thursday morning, Curry County has no new confirmed active cases of coronavirus — but a new case was confirmed in Del Norte County on Tuesday. In a report to the city coun-
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cil in Crescent City, Del Norte Public Health Officer Dr. Warren Rehwaldt said it was hard to say how many cases might be out there — and also noted that the proximity to Curry County, where some reopening was allowed sooner than in Del Norte, may impact residents living south of the Oregon-California border. Rehwaldt said the Del Norte health office has two main goals: First, to slowly filter the virus
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through the community and build up heard immunity in the population in a safe way. Second, to use aggressive contract tracing tactics to identify cases and keep clusters of new cases in check as much as possible. “It may reach a point where that’s not going to work, or it might not work enough to keep the virus increasing. And that’s when we have to be especially watchful and careful. Contact
tracing seemed to be very effective with the last outbreak we had,” he said. “We also need to recognize that most of Southern Curry County is still part of our medical system. And if the disease starts taking hold in Southern Curry County, it’s going to impact our health care system, especially at the hospital,” Rehwaldt said. More Covid on Page A8
The Gold Beach City Council voted to censure Mayor Karl Popoff Tuesday evening after an hour and 40 minute closed session that included a consultation with Christy Monson, the city’s legal counsel. Council members Tamie Kaufman and Summer Matteson asked the council to meet to consider comments made by Popoff in an email to members of the board of directors of Oregon Coast Community Action. The mayor has represented the city on that board. In a 3-2 vote in a telephonic public meeting that followed the executive session conducted online via Zoom, the council concluded that the language used by Popoff in his email violated city policy. The email in question was sent to Kim Brick, executive director of ORCCA, along with other board members and staff, in response to an email Popoff and others received from Brick. In her email, Brick discussed deep levels of institutional racism in the country and explained that nationwide community action programs like ORCCA stemmed from the Civil Rights movement. ORCCA is a charitable organization that provides resources through programs such as the South Coast Food Share, South Coast Head Start in addition to working to help those in need including those experiencing homelessness. “Kim, with all due respect,” Popoff wrote in his response, “you can shove your racism bandwagon. “I am so sick of having people throwing up racism/white privilege at every turn,” he continued. “You want to know what is hurting blacks? The welfare system. NO dads at home. And, you know what? It is also hurting whites, and American Indians. Black lives don’t matter to Black Lives Matter people....” Following discussion Tuesday night, three Gold Beach city council members — Matteson, Kaufman and Becky Campbell— voted that this email violated city policy while two members — Larry Brennan and Anthony Pagano — said that it did not. The policy is outlined in the City of Gold Beach Policy Manual which, according to the manual, applies to all city employees, volunteers and elected officials. Policy 200.4 regarding harassment and discrimination was discussed. “The City of Gold Beach is committed to a work environment that is free of illegal bias, prejudice and harassment and More Mayor on Page A10
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