SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946 www.currypilot.com
FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2022
Brookings, Oregon
Hiker dies after falling near Natural Bridges By DAVID RUPKALVIS The Pilot
A 56-year-old hiker from California died Sunday after slipping and falling from the cliffs near the Natural Bridges viewpoint, south of Gold Beach. Curry County Sheriff John Ward said Nam Ing of Pennygrove, Calif., was hiking with friends when he slipped from the trail and fell around 300 feet to the rocks on the shoreline below. Ward said the sheriff’s office received a 9-1-1 call Sunday reporting the accident. Sheriff’s deputies and the search and rescue team quickly responded along with Oregon State Police, Cal Ore Life Flight Ambulance, Brookings Fire and Cape Ferrelo Fire. One EMT with the Brookings Fire Department who was also a search and rescue member had made his way down to the victim and relayed that the person was deceased. Deputies and an Oregon State Trooper arrived and spoke to several people including witnesses. Curry County Sheriff’s Dispatch contacted the U.S. Coast Guard and Reach Air, but due to the location, they were unable to assist. The Curry County search and rescue team set up a rope system and lowered one rescue rappeler down to the victim. The SAR
team along with fire volunteers, raised the rescuer and Ing back to the top of the cliffs. The Coast Guard had responded with a helicopter and stood by in the area for safety reasons until they were no longer needed. The Oregon State trooper coordinated with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office to contact the family of Ing. The trooper also contacted the Curry County District Attorney who authorized the release of Ing to Redwood Memorial. “This is such a tragedy, and from all of us here at the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, we send our condolences to the Ing family,” Ward said. “We also want to remind everyone that even though the area of Natural Bridges is so beautiful to visit, it is also very dangerous. We seem to be called to that area often for rescues and recoveries. “Being one of the first responders involved in this recovery, I want everyone to know just how fortunate Curry County is to have such amazing and experienced people who risk their lives on a daily basis to rescue those in need or bring closure to the family for those who perish. My thanks to the Curry County Dispatch, Brookings Dispatch, Brookings Fire, Cape Ferrelo Fire, Cal Ore Life Flight, Oregon State Police our Sheriff’s deputies, and our SAR team.”
Contributed photo
Curry County Search and Rescue team members use a rope and fully system to help recover the body of a hiker who fell near Natural Bridges.
Meeting on fire danger planned for June 9 By DAVID RUPKALVIS The Pilot
Contributed photo
After several years of being unable to dredge, the Rogue River in Gold Beach has filled with 200,000 cubic yards of debris. Beginning this week, dredging will begin to clean out the port.
Dredging begins at Gold Beach this week The Pilot Army officials recently announced a $5.3 million contract award for dredging the Rogue River at Gold Beach. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains navigation channels along the Oregon coast and dredging is
an important component of keeping the Rogue River Harbor open for recreational vessels, including jet boats, fishing guides and sport fishermen. Corps staff anticipates starting dredging June 1 with work continuing through October, depending on weather.
“Annual maintenance dredging is critical for Gold Beach access,” said Greg Speer, Oregon Coast project manager. “We understand this can have impacts to the fishing industry, so we want to communicate as early as possible that this dredging will be happening this year.”
American Construction won the bid and will be doing all dredging in this area this year. “It’s important for everyone to recognize the need for dredging. As we plan this project, it’s also important for us to communicate Please see DREDGING Page A2
Honoring those who gave their all On Memorial Day, Brookings got a special treat when F-15C's from the Oregon Air National Guard 173rd Fighter Wing out of Klamath Falls flew over the city. Photo contributed by Robert McGregor
With fire season rapidly approaching, Curry County is hosting a meeting to educate the community on fire dangers and what they can do to keep wildfires at Bay. Curry County Commissioner Court Boice and fire chiefs Jim Watson and Tyson Krieger are hosting the event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 9 at the Curry County Event Center in Gold Beach. The event is free, open to the public and anyone concerned about wildfires is encouraged to attend. The annual meeting to discuss fire danger has been a mainstay in Curry County since 2017, when Boice put together the first gathering. Later that year, the Chetco Fire burned close to Brookings, showcasing the potential danger when wildfires break out in Curry County. “We lost over 192,000 acres, and it came dangerously close to our city of Brookings. The next catastrophic fire year, we lost 174,000 acres in the 2018 Klondike Fire which also came within only one mile of our community of Agness,” Boice said. Due to an ongoing drought, experts are predicting 2022 will be an above average year when it comes to wildfires. Therefore, being prepared could make the difference between disaster and safety. Watson and Krueger will share their knowledge about fires during the meeting, giving tips on ways to avoid starting a blaze and tips on how to protect property in the case a fire breaks out. Boise said the annual meetings have proven to be successful in Curry County, as the county has avoided any massive blazes since 2018. “Oregon has one of the best Please see FIRE Page A2
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