WEEKEND EDITION
Friday March 27, 2020
www.currypilot.com
Brookings, Oregon
SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946
Brookings declares state of emergency Brian Williams Pilot Editor
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A bicycle rider cruises past the baracaded entrance to Harris Beach State Park. Photo by Linda Pinkham.
What’s closed? What can you still do? Linda Pinkham Staff Writer
Changes to the rules are happening so quickly with the current health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus, many people are confused about what is still allowed and what’s not. The confusion continues to grow after Gov. Kate Brown’s most recent Executive Order No. 2012 issued on Monday, March 23. “I started by asking Oregonians to stay home and practice social distancing,” the press release announcing the order said. “Then I urged the public to follow these recommendations. Instead, thousands crowded the beaches of our coastal communities, our trails, our parks, our
city streets, potentially spreading COVID-19 and endangering the lives of others across the state. Now I’m ordering it. To save lives and protect our community.” At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Brown was clear about the intent of the new order. It limits travel to “home, work, the doctor and essentials,” she said. Since the order came down, more people than ever are asking about what’s still allowed and what’s not. Lots of misinformation is being spread, and in some cases harming the community’s ability to respond. BUSINESSES The order doesn’t close all businesses.
Some businesses are deemed essential, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, health services, hardware stores, auto parts, gas stations, auto repair shops, animal feed stores, communications businesses and media like newspapers and radio. Before the recent order, businesses affected the most were restaurants, bars, taverns, brewpubs, wine bars and coffee shops. They have been limited since March 17 to having no onsite consumption and providing only takeout, curbside or delivery. That’s still true, with no changes. For a partial list of take-out and delivery More Closed on Page A3
Gold Beach passes flurry of declarations Ordinance temporarily closes transient lodging to overnight visitors
Linda Pinkham Staff Writer
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old Beach City Councilors passed a trifecta of measures at an emergency meeting held via teleconferencing on Tuesday evening, March 24. The flurry of ordinances and declarations followed a hectic
weekend of tourism that prompted many citizen complaints about the endangerment of their health and safety and the decimation of limited essential supplies and fresh foods from store shelves. Councilors first considered whether to declare a temporary state of emergency for the city,
which will remain in effect until April 28 unless extended by the council. The declaration delegates authority to the City Administrator “to take actions and issue orders necessary and reasonable to protect health, safety and welfare of the City and the public and to conduct activities that
minimize or mitigate the effect of the emergency” caused by the coronavirus. The declaration also designates two additional staff members to serve as “acting in capacity” City Administrator, Will Newdall, Public Works Superintendent, and Police Chief Tracy Wood. “Our city is at risk,
and we need to protect it,” said Mayor Karl Popoff. “To hit some sort of balance is the best we can possibly do.” The emergency declaration passed unanimously, with all five council members present. The next order of More Flurry on Page A2
Port of Brookings Harbor closes Beachfront RV Park Brian Williams Pilot Editor
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ort of Brookings Harbor commissioners temporarily closed the Beachfront RV Park but kept open access to Sporthaven Beach, the boat launch and boat docks during a special meeting Tuesday morning, March 24. “It is difficult to have to make these decisions,” said Commissioner Chairman Roy Davis. “We are publicly elected officials and we have to make these decisions to try and do the best we can. Please be kind and courteous to our Port staff because they are out there on the front lines, there are a lot of people out on the front lines and I would ask everybody to please be kind and courteous to those people.” On Monday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown directed people to “stay-at-home” as much as possible or face Class C misdemeanor charges through May 8. Also Monday, March 22, Oregon State Parks System closed its campgrounds and day-use areas to the public through May 8 after initially stating they would do so on April 3. Brown’s order came after a mostly sunny weekend that saw people not staying at home and practicing social distancing. Following the unanimous vote, 4-1, Port officials
Classifieds.................A7-9 Crosswords...............A4 Comics......................A4 Art Scene..................A10
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More Emergency on Page A5
Dear Reader
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ews related to the COVID-19 virus is changing by the minute. The Pilot continues to provide you with the most complete and accurate information possible about how these changes are affecting the lives of Curry County residents and visitors. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s recent executive order directs businesses statewide to provide for customer and employee social distancing, and for employees to work from home whenever possible. So beginning Thursday, March 26, our office hours at The Pilot for walk-in customers will be temporarily shortened to 9 a.m. – noon. In addition, our reporters will be working from their home offices, to further limit the number of employees in our office and provide for everyone’s health and safety. Meantime, feel free to call our customer service phone number at 541-8131717. We will have staff on hand from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to help with subscriptions, classified ads and other inquiries. And I can be reached at bkenfield@countrymedia. net. Thank you for your continued trust and support. Ben Kenfield Publisher
Port of Brookings Harbor commissioners temporarily closed Beachfront RV Park at a special meeting on March 24. Photo by Brian Williams.
More RV Park on Page A2
Index
he Brookings City Council declared a local state of emergency on Monday, March 23, and backed a resolution that they hope will curb tourists from flooding into the city and keep the novel coronavirus at bay. Rep. David Brock Smith (R-District 1) presented the resolution to the council that asks Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to include in a future order the temporary closure of transient tax facilities such as hotels, motels or any short-term rental of fewer than 28 days through May 8. It received unanimous approval from the council. Brock is chairman of the Oregon Legislative Coastal Caucus and was presenting the resolution on behalf of the Caucus to as many government entities along the coast that he could. He did not know when or even if the governor would close hotels and motels to tourists. The resolution specifically targets tourists. People living in hotels or motels and people such as truck drivers, traveling nurses, doctors or other essential workers would still be allowed to stay in transient tax facilities. “Never in my time did I think that I would be advocating for closing tourism in our communities but that is exactly
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