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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Brookings, Oregon

Brookings City Council launches investigation into City Manager Janell Howard the circumstances regarding City Manager Janell Howard, who is currently on paid leave and facing a criminal theft charge. Council members voted to sign an agreement with Ferraris Inves-

BY BREEANA LAUGHLIN The Pilot

The Brookings City Council voted to hire an independent investigator to look deeper into

tigations and Consulting company during a special council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 6 following an executive session. Ferraris Investigations will collect and analyze information

about the incident and provide a conﬁdential report to the city council as to whether Howard violated any city policy, code, process, procedure or employment agreement terms.

Rogue River dredging well underway The Army Corp of Engineers decided to contract the project to American Construction. The $5.3 million contract is reducing the amount of gravel and other sediment at the entrance of the boat basin. It is also designed to preemptively remove gravel further up the river in anticipation of future years. Speer credited Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio for helping the Army Corps and local governments secure the funding for the project. “The federal channel is what the Army Corps of Engineers normally maintain, but we also have 200,000 yards of gravel upstream of the federal channel,” said Port of Gold Beach manager Bill McNair. “If you just dredge the federal channel this year, then next year that gravel moves in. So, we are going up toward the bridge, beyond the channel and preemptively removing another 150,000 cubic yards and hauling it to the disposal site so next winter it won't wash into the channels.” In the long-term the Army Corp will save money by spending a little bit of extra money so next year they won't have to return, he said. About 184,000 cubic yards of material has already been dredged from the harbor, according to project manager Speer. The plan

BY BREEANA LAUGHLIN The Pilot

The Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing a massive dredging project at the entrance of the Rogue River. The dredging is a key component of keeping the Port of Gold Beach harbor open for recreational vessels, including jet boats, fishing guides and sport fisherman. “The big picture for us is that we do this all over the Oregon Coast – at Federal navigation channels – to maintain them for commerce and recreation,” said Army Corps of Engineers public affairs officer Tom Conning. Conning was joined by Army Corps of Engineer Oregon Coast Project Manager Greg Speer, Gold Beach Port Manager Bill McNair and County Commissioner Court Boice at a site visit last week to go over different aspects of the dredging project. The dredging at Gold Beach typically happens annually using the Corps' dredge, Yaquina. But an excessive amount of sediment prevented that project from getting done for the past couple years. “Every year we like to come in and dredge the entrance as far as we can get. But it's infilled so much that the captain wasn't comfortable coming in so we missed the last two years of dredging,” said project manager Speer.

Please see DREDGING Page A2

The Pilot

Photo by Breeana Laughlin/The Pilot

From Left: Army Corps of Engineers public affairs officer Tom Conning, Port of Gold Beach manager Bill McNair, Army Corps of Engineer Oregon Coast Project Manager Greg Speer and Curry County Commissioner Court Boice met at a site visit last week to discuss the $5.3 million dredging project.

Contributed photo

Block” an after-school program that was started by Mark Gautreaux, the owner of Forecastle Books. He has teamed up with 8th grade English teacher Carol Zochi to lead the writing program. “Lethal Love” is the fourth book that has been published by Writer’s Block participants. The latest book features ﬁve short stories and they are all tied together by the theme of love and death, Gautreaux said.

A group of Azalea Middle School students are now published authors. The young authors will be signing copies of their new book “Lethal Love,” during the second Saturday Art Walk from 3 to 6 p.m. at Forecastle Books in Brookings. The middle school students signed up to be part of “Writer’s

INDEX

Police Blotter

Weather modiﬁcation license denied

BY BREEANA LAUGHLIN

Student authors will be signing their books during the Second Saturday Art Walk. Pictured are, back row, from left, Morgan Ferris, Patrick Hatch and Kaylee Hall. Front row, Ava Crino and Sierra Stout The Pilot

Please see INVESTIGATION Page A10

Project applicant plans appeal

Student authors signing their book at Art Walk

BY BREEANA LAUGHLIN

Ferraris Investigations was recommended by the city’s general liability insurance program CIS, or City/County Insurance

“One story has a curse. Another has poison. Another story ﬂips the Peter Pan story on its’ head and has Peter Pan as the bad guy,” Gautreaux said. Over the course of the Writer’s Block program, students learn about the writing process, how to craft short stories and how to edit their work. “The kids become published authors and it’s pretty exciting for them. They also get to learn a

little bit of entrepreneurship and a bit of philanthropy,” Gautreaux said. Proceeds from book sales allow Writer’s Block program managers to cover costs of printing, and to award $100 to each student that publishes their work. Any extra money is donated to the South Coast Humane Society. Forecastle Books is located at 553 Chetco Ave in Brookings.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture denied an application to build a cloud-making machine in Curry and Klamath counties on the grounds that they had insufficient information to address any adverse effects on agriculture, forestry and public health and safety. “That’s all it came down to – is that we just didn’t have enough information,” said Oregon Department of Agriculture Operations Specialist Eric Nusbaum. Nusbaum traveled to Gold Beach to take public comments on the application Aug. 22, and the agriculture department announced its decision to deny the application Aug. 30. A dozen people weighed in with their thoughts about having a weather modification machine built in Curry County during an in-person and virtual meeting, and another 10 submitted written comments. Nusbaum said his office was also flooded with calls and emails after the meeting. Many members of the public who spoke during the comment period expressed concern about a lack of information being brought to them, and if the project would be a good fit in Curry County. But Alexander Jenkins, the chief scientific strategy officer at Oannes Research and Development Corporation, said he isn't giving up on building his Aquaelicium in Curry County. According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, applicants may petition for reconsideration within 60 days of the decision. Jenkins said he is planning to appeal to the decision and to have an in-person meeting with members of the Department of Agriculture that he hopes will lead to a different outcome. “I look forward to having a face to face to see what could be discussed and see what data they used to justify the decisions that they made,” he said, adding; “We have all the qualifications needed.” Jenkins and the Oannes Corporation claim that the Aquaelicium has the ability to solve all the world's water crises and save the planet. According to the corporation, the machine, called an Aquaelicium, can add rain into the atmosphere by producing clouds. The corporation also claims the machine can separate salt out of ocean water, purify contaminated water and provide drinking water. An informational video on the Oannes website outlines a process where water is taken from the ocean or sea and held in a 50 to 500 million gallon holding pond. The water is then further placed in a vortex where a quantum thermodynamic process Please see CLOUD Page A10

Phone Number: 541-813-1717 • Address: 15957 Highway 101 S STE 1, Brookings, OR 97415 • Email: Circulation@CountryMedia.net A4

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