Sudden Oak Death
South Coast trees continue to be face danger More on this, page 5
SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2023
Brookings, Oregon
Petitions seek removal of Brookings mayor, two councilors ELLIOT SCHWARZ Country Media, Inc.
registered to vote in Brookings. If Curry County Clerk Shelley Denney verifies the minimum number signatures required, the officers named in the recall petition are informed and must resign within five days or submit a “statement of justification.” If that statement is submitted a
Petitions have begun circulating asking for the recall of Brookings Mayor Ron Hedenskog and city councilors Ed Schreiber and Michelle Morosky. Petitioners have until Oct. 10 to gather 463 valid signatures of voters
Ron Hedenskog
Ed Schreiber
recall election will be held
within 35 days of the end of the five-day period. According to the O r e g o n Michelle S e c r e t a r y Morosky of State’s office, and other government officials,
the cost would be about $30,000 for each of the three recalls. Dennis Triglia, the chief Petitioner for the Committee to Recall Mayor Hedenskog. Triglia, a former Brookings City Councilor, has joined Henry “Hank” Cunningham as the chief petitioner to recall
Councilor Ed Schreiber and Debra Worth, who is the chief petitioner to recall Brookings City Councilor Michelle Morosky. All three said the reinstatement of Janell Howard as Brookings City Manager prompted them to file the recall petitions. See RECALL, Page 10
cinema by the sea
Inaugural Wild River Film Festival opens in Brookings Aug. 17 Tickets, Please
ELLIOT SCHWARZ County Media, Inc. Premiering in Brookings for its first run, the Wild Rivers Film Festival (WRFF) will host more than 50 films, features, documentaries, and shorts beginning Aug. 17 with three more days of films and related events through Aug. 20, showcasing independent works — films that are passion projects for the filmmaker rather than formulaic Hollywood studio fare. WRFF is designed to bring these works here and further Brookings’ reputation as a destination location known for its other events such as the kite and pirate festivals, Slamin’ Salmon Derby and Salmon Run golf tournaments. The WRFF will be the region’s only film festival this year. There is a small festival at Humboldt State University, student-run and geared towards short films the Ashland Independent Film Festival will not be held this year.
VIP Elite Passes ($200) allow access to all events over the four days of the festival VIP Passes ($150) provide access to all films and events, except for daily filmmaking seminars Festival Passes ($50) include access to all films Friday-Sunday Day Passes ($20) will provide access to all films on a given day. Seating will be prioritized according to pass type.
Interaction opportunities Along with the celebration of the power
of film, art, and story in the region the WRFF events will include opportunities to meet and interact with the producers, directors, and actors in the films. And parties. The hub of the festival is the Redwood Theater, 621 Chetco Avenue in Brookings, where feature films will be shown. Theater owner Scott Larson described red carpet events before showings, and after-parties. “There will be a red-carpet event before the film [with] producers and actors,” and classic film themed after-parties on the deck of the new pocket park adjacent the theater. “1920s feeling… out on the deck, with the sunset, and cocktails, and food, and music,” Larson said. These will be available to festival ticket holders. Short films will be presented at The Chetco Playhouse – the WRFF describes them this way, “Be prepared to see what many believe to be the heart of any great film festival and that is truly independent cinema. Edgy, twisted, sweet, corny, you name it. The films that we will show at the cozy Chetco Playhouse will be some of the best films that will never be on your TV.” Documentaries will be screened at The
Chetco Library. More from the WRFF - “If you love documentaries then grab some popcorn and settle in for three days of docs from around the world. The films that you will see at the newly renovated library will be heartwarming, tragic, funny, and historical. Don’t miss the chance to see them!” In addition to helping generate visitor traffic, “the bigger idea is… to create a niche industry, film making industry here” according to WRFF Board of Directors President Mark Gautreaux. In pursuit of that goal, Gautreaux explained “We plan on doing a three-week intensive school for film making. Students 15 to 25 years old in the local area, about 20 students. Though complete details aren’t final yet, Gautreaux said, “It’ll be run by two filmmakers that have on the order of 10 films in production. Daniel Springen and Robert Douthat.” Douthat is a board member of WRFF, Springen is the festival’s executive director, with 15 years of experience directing the Orlando Film Festival, will be curating the films chosen for the WRFF. See FESTIVAL, Page 10
Southwestern Oregon Community College set to expand ELLIOT SCHWARZ Country Media, Inc.
college in 2010. The first donation provided the land the college needed to create a 25,000 sq. ft. facility in 2012 for in-person instruction and a distance learning connection with the main campus in Coos Bay. It also provides space for a lab serving the Nursing and allied health training programs to provide highskill professionals for Curry General Hospital, medical clinics, and care facilities, according to college officials. Other plans include an expansion of the college’s cutting-edge apprenticeship and heavy equipment
Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) is about to triple the size of its campus. Rio Ti n t o and Southwestern Oregon Community College have announced a 28.25acre donation valued at approximately $165,000 to the college’s Curry Campus. The land donation will triple the size of the campus about two miles north of Brookings. It adds space to the west and south of the existing 10-acre site, which the company donated to the
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simulation training for both high school juniors and seniors, and adults that includes operating equipment such as forklifts, loaders, bulldozers, graders, cranes, and similar equipment. These offer state registered preapprenticeship programs. This would tie in with developing space for a technical facility related to manufacturing and trades. Another program envisioned would be natural resources and forestry career pathways. The new site, featuring upland, forested, and wetland area is ideal for providing teaching opportunities related tom
Courtesy photo from Rio Tinto Aerial view of the Southwestern Oregon Community College campus in Brookings. natural resources and forestry career pathways. Timeline The college plans to
explore these and other possibilities with Curry residents in 2024, as it revisits its Master Facilities Plan for a mid-range plan update.
The facilities, and others that might be included in this new growth phase would greatly expand the See GROWTH, Page 10
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