December, 2025
On this edition Brookings Annual Nature’s Coastal Holiday Light show is plugged in and lit up at Azalea Park … we’ll tell you how to watch it. You’ll learn about a 70-year old Brookings establishment that can feather your nest, and the latest news for Last Chance Grade, plus the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Benefit concert mean local schools are getting some major cash, and our Phantom Gourmet says she knows where to find a great burger.
Transcription:
Speaker 1 • 00:00
Welcome to First Friday, a monthly news magazine program covering the Northern California and Southern Oregon coast. Keep listening. Over the next half hour, we’ll tell you about an amazing light show, How to Watch It. You’ll learn about a 70-year-old Brookings establishment and tell you the latest news for Last Chance Grade. Also, how much money did the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy benefit concert make for local schools? We’ve got the totals. And our Phantom Gourmet says she knows where to find a great burger. Stay with us, all this and more, coming up right now. This is First Friday. You’re listening to First Friday, a monthly news magazine program produced at the studios of KCIW/Curry Coast Community Radio. First Friday is a partnership between KCIW, KFUG Crescent City, the Del Norte Redwood Voice, Jefferson Public Radio, and the Oregon Capitol Chronicle. First Friday is made possible in part through a grant from the Roundhouse Foundation and from listeners like you, and because of the generosity of Robert “Silky” O’Sullivan, who loves ferns, silly words, beautiful music, and his late wife Alice. I’m Lori Gallo-Stoddard, and on this December 5th, we begin with some very bright and colorful good news. You’ve probably noticed Azalea Park has been transformed over the last few weeks. Wire shapes of bells and snowmen and foxes and trains, butterflies and angels have sprouted on the grass and along the pathways of the park. Well, tonight, thanks to countless volunteer hours and we’re not sure how many extension cords, the park is lit up with what looks like a million gazillion lights, and Arlinda Lee has more.
Speaker 2 • 01:51
Nature’s Coastal Holiday Festival of Lights is here! For over a quarter of a century, Azalea Park has quietly transformed into one of the world’s most spectacular holiday destinations. We’re talking about Nature’s Coastal Holiday Festival of Lights, celebrating its 28th anniversary this year. What began in 1997 with a modest 20,000 lights has exploded into a dazzling showcase, boasting over 3 million lights. turning the park into a month-long winter wonderland. And the world is noticing. In 1997, 7,000 people enjoyed the inaugural show. But last year, the event welcomed over 34,000 visitors, with guests traveling from dozens of states and more than eight foreign countries. This incredible success is fueled entirely by community spirit. The Festival of Lights is 100% volunteer-coordinated and staffed. That same spirit of volunteering is still at the core of the event. Oh, did somebody say Santa? Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for photos every Friday and Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Festival of Lights. The Festival of Lights runs nightly from November 28th to December 28th, from 5 to 9 p.m., weather permitting. Get ready for a spectacular 45-minute walking tour that will truly light up your holiday season.
Speaker 1 • 03:19
Again you can find out more at naturescoastalholiday.com. That’s naturescoastalholiday, all one word, naturescoastalholiday.com. And if you haven’t made it yet, the good news is the show continues at Azalea Park until December 28th. And more good news coming from Azalea Park. We now know how much money the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert raised. You may remember the internationally acclaimed band was in Brookings over September. They donated their time and energy but didn’t get paid to perform. Folks did pay to see them rock the clamshell to the tune of $15,000. And every penny goes to the music programs at Del Norte and Brookings Harbor schools. Now all of this was made possible because of the Partnership for Performing Arts, an shared. And Del Norte County has some more good news to share. A group called the Redwoods Happiness Initiative says its Crescent City After Thanksgiving Rally was such a success, more get-togethers are planned for the coming weeks. And as Troy Lea reports, folks in Crescent City are definitely getting the
Speaker 3 • 04:25
message. Signs of love and encouragement. That’s the idea behind the Redwood happiness initiative. Organizers say they want to inspire joy and happiness, especially when there’s so much negativity in the air. So what do they do? They stand on busy street corners and wave signs. Those signs say things like, “You are loved,” “You are enough,” and “Follow your dreams” in both English and in Spanish. The idea is to show the community some good vibes, so of course, I joined them and was blown away by the positive response we got by Pastor Byers. It really felt great to take part in showing the community some love and encouragement, and I know I’ll be joining them again. You can join us too if you’d like to learn more and find out when the next Redwood Happiness Initiative event will take place, go to their Facebook page That’s Redwood Happiness Initiative, again on Facebook. For KCIW News, I’m Troy Liam, at-large in Crescent City, and that’s the tea.
Speaker 1 • 05:36
Happiness, of course, can come in all kinds of packages, especially this time of year when Santas and Secret Santas are at their busiest. And that’s where organizations like Toys for Tots can help. To find out where to drop off or where to receive toys for kids and families who need a little extra love, go to the Toys for Tots website. That’s toysfortots.org. Toys for Tots, T-O-Y-S-F-O-R-T-O-T-S, toysfortots, all one word, dot org. That website will direct you to drop-off points in both Curry and in Del Norte County. And filling gaps, keeping bellies full, also very much on the mind of a local contractor who reached out by Facebook to open his home to others in Brookings on Thanksgiving. Shantz Crowe says it takes a village, and in his words, “We’re all in this together.” He tells us he plans to open his home again for a Christmas meal as well. And in Del Norte County, the recent government shutdown meant people also needed a little extra food. Jessica Sainar Andrews says one organization was there to help. Here’s her report.
Speaker 4 • 06:42
Community Food Council Food Program Director Aya Mahan had natural disasters like the Smith River Complex wildfires and mined when she helped create Del Norte County’s Emergency Food Task Force in September 2024. But it was a man-made crisis that prompted its activation for the first time on October 29, 2025. Nearly 4,000 Del Norte County families were faced with a delay in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits starting November 1st due to the federal government shutdown. SNAP benefits were restored as of November 10th, but Mahan says, “the backbone of what we have to maintain food security was being threatened.” The Emergency Food Task Force remained activated for 17 days. It officially demobilized on November 21st following a debrief of its members. At the start of that mobilization, during the first week of November, Pacific Pantry served 380 households, or about 1,050 individuals, Food Bank Director Marina McNeil said. Roughly 50 of those 380 households were brand new, she said. And the number of new clients is expected to increase. On November 21st, the week before Thanksgiving, McNeil said 14 new families had signed up for the program. She said she began preparing for the Snap Gap the week of October 20th, contacting Redwood Empire Food Bank in Santa Rosa for extra food, and working out a plan to deal with the extra need. Meanwhile, it launched a community food drive in addition to its regular holiday food drive, distributing blue barrels to local businesses to accept canned or dry goods. Community emergency response team members stepped in to help distribute food and Crescent City’s Public Works crew helped unload food trucks, she said. With the emergency food task force demobilized, the Delanoir Office of Emergency Services, which provided a resource hotline during the crisis, was seeking information from the community. This includes finding out if they were already receiving SNAP benefits as well as how the pause impacted their ability to purchase food for their families. Mahan, who said the Emergency Food Task Force’s goal was to make sure services weren’t being duplicated, said she also hoped to capture the economic loss to the community as a whole. She said she heard from the owners at the local grocery outlet, who said the store lost $30,000 during the first week of November because people with SNAP benefits weren’t able to shop. Mahan said she hoped people had ideas about how the Emergency Food Task Force could go about Measuring the economic loss Del Norte County felt during the snap gap. For Redwood Voice and the News Hub, this is Jessica Senar Andrews.
Speaker 1 • 09:22
You’re listening to First Friday, a monthly news magazine program produced at the studios of KCIW, Curry Coast Community Radio. And in Brookings, two organizations are celebrating anniversaries. first a local business, Linda Lee says Feather Your Nest has been around for 25 years.
Speaker 2 • 09:41
The journey to ownership is a great story of transformation. Owner Tammy Towner spent three decades running a successful hair and nail business, all the while fueling her true love, creating unique mixed metal jewelry. Tammy’s connection to the store began simply because the original owner carried her jewelry line. When the original owner retired, Tammy eagerly took the reins. Tammy still creates a lot of the jewelry sold at Feather Year Nest today, but the true secret to the store’s longevity is the local community. Tammy credits their 25-year success to the loyalty of the local customers. During the pandemic, she noticed, the Brookings community rallied around not just her, but most of the small businesses. Tammy’s philosophy is simple, help each other succeed. She told KCIW, “I just feel like in any kind of a community, but especially in a small community, we need to help each other out.” She emphasizes that her focus remains local. “That’s why we’ve been here 25 years,” she said, “because of the people that live here that support us.”
Speaker 1 • 10:53
– And as Linda Lee tells us, community support is also very much a part the Manley Art Center’s longevity and success. The Pelican Bay Art Association, or PBAA, just marked a magnificent milestone – 70 years
Speaker 2 • 11:08
of supporting the arts in our community. What began in 1955 in the garage of local visionaries Virginia and Clyde Manley has grown into the leading hub for artists of all types. From the Manley’s garage, the group moved to a workshop on Front Street, then a few other spots until Virginia Manley secured their forever home, a house she eventually deeded to the association, ensuring their permanent place in the community. Today, the PBAA embraces all art forms, from ceramics to visual arts to literary arts and even the performing arts. Colleen Chambers, president of the PBAA, told KCIW, “We have a group called the Mud Slingers,” she said. “They create a lot of pottery and play in the mud. There’s even a 10-week class that people can take. A major focus for the PBAA is nurturing the next generation through the Children’s Art Program. Vice Chairperson Jenny Graham runs the program monthly, supplying everything kids needs. The classes cater to the 7 to 14 year old age group and scholarships are available. The heart of the The Association is the Manly Arts Center Gallery, a member-run space where the artwork changes monthly, bringing fresh inspiration to every turn of the calendar. From paintings and photography to fiber arts, wood and metal artwork, and even a regular music group, the PBAA tries to embrace it all. For more information, log on to manlyartscenter.com. manlyartcenter.com
Speaker 1 • 12:55
A relationship between Japan and Delmarke County could be the last chance for last-chance grade. That stretch of Highway 101 is prone to landslides and earthquakes, and as Jessica St.R. Andrews reports, that’s something Japanese
Speaker 4 • 13:08
engineers know a lot about. As Caltrans works to refine the design for a one-mile mile-long tunnel around last-chance grade, supervising transportation engineer Jamie Mattioli is excited about working with tunneling experts from Japan. Mattioli, who visited that country last month, pointed out that its engineers have built 11,000 highway and road tunnels in seismically sensitive areas similar to the unstable stretch of US 101 south of Crescent City. But Mattioli’s trip wouldn’t have been possible without the sister city relationship between Crescent City and Rikuzentakata, Japan. Its people still remember the Del Norte High School students who returned a 20-foot fishing vessel named Kamome home to Japan three years after the community was devastated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, Mattioli says. To stand by Komome and visit the site of Rikuzentakata, it was on our way past the tunnel project and the Sanriku Expressway. “I felt proud of our community, proud of the youth. We heard from many people who expressed gratitude for their support.” Those words of gratitude also came from the vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, Mattioli said. Mattioli’s visit included Caltrans District 1 Director Matt Brady, representatives with Barnard, Traylor, and Myers, the general contractor for the Last Chance Grade Project, as well as Del Norte County Supervisors Darren Short and Chris Howard. Howard described the geological similarities between the Del Norte coast and Japan’s Tohoku region as uncanny. He said he introduced Brady and Madioli to Rikuzentakata delegates Futoshi Toba and Kiyoshi Murakami at a rural county representatives of California meeting in Sonoma County in September 2024. It was Murakami and his connections with the Japanese central government that led to the collaboration between Madioli, Brady, and their counterparts at MLIT, Howard said, pointing out that we have a lot to learn when it comes to tunnel building in the United States. Two months prior to Caltrans’ introduction with the Rakusentaketa delegation, the department announced that a 6,000-foot tunnel was the preferred alternative for routing US-101 around Last Chance Grade. It will be the longest tunnel Caltrans has ever built, and is expected to cost $2.1 billion according to its June 2024 announcement. Caltrans is expected to start its value engineering process for the Last Chance Grade tunnel project Matioli said. This means the department will be looking at ways to improve the current design and find potential cost savings. One possible lesson, Matioli said he learned in Japan, that could be applied to the Last Chance Grade Project is the construction of a smaller tunnel alongside the primary tunnel. That pilot tunnel would allow engineers to do geotechnical investigation work during the project construction and accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists as well as emergency responders when it’s finished,” Mattioli said. Meanwhile, Short pointed out that this recent trip is a new development in the ongoing sister city relationship between Crescent City and Racoos and Dakota. “What began in 2014 as a cultural exchange between youth has led to the creation of Komome Ale at Sea Quake Brewing and Komome Dry Jack at Rumiano Cheese,” Short noted. “The new collaboration between Caltrans and MLIT is a new chapter,” he said. For Redwood Voice and the News Hub, this is Jessica Sainar Andrews.
Speaker 1 • 16:29
And up north of Brookings, a federal judge has told the Coast Guard to return its search and rescue helicopter immediately to Newport, Oregon. The order is temporary, but the judge is also considering a permanent injunction that would prevent the helicopter’s removal. Now this is a story that’s gotten national attention, and here’s what we know. Newport’s Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter has helped Oregon’s Central Coast residents, fishermen and tourists since 1987. But the helicopter was located 95 miles south to North Bend last month without warning. That upset Newport citizens, and Newport’s Republican State Senator Dick Anderson sent a letter to Homeland Security Kristi Noem asking for the chopper’s return. He told her that, quoting exactly here, “the absence of a helicopter in Newport during crab season creates an unacceptable and preventable threat to human life.” You may know that fishing is among the most deadly of professions, and that Newport, Oregon, is the Dungeness crab capital of the world. So their Coast Guard helicopter literally means the difference between life and death for boaters in that area. And that’s why Newport wants its chopper back. But it’s still not a done deal. And to compound matters, word is a federal defense contractor is looking to reserve hundreds of hotel rooms there for a year. We’re told that’s the latest sign a push to build an unpopular immigrant detention center at the Newport Airport hasn’t gone away. So folks in Newport are wondering what the federal government has planned for their small city and how much they have to say about it. And closer to home, the small city of Brookings will be getting a new mayor soon. That’s because Mayor Isaac Hodges is moving out of the city and into the county, and that means he isn’t eligible for his office anymore. That of course will leave a vacancy and we are told the city council will appoint a new mayor next year. And we’ll also know next year whether a Del Norte County official is headed to jail and if so, for how long. It’s a story about drunk driving and consequences. Redwood Voice reporter Jessica Sanar Andrews has been following this story and joins us now. Well, Jessica, I guess the first question I have to ask is, who is Randy Hooper and why is he making news?
Speaker 5 • 18:43
Randy Hooper is the Assistant County Administrative Officer for Del Norte, and he is the second highest unelected county official. He does a lot for the county. His most recent projects have been to oversee the development of the county strategic plan. There’s a major rehabilitation of the jail that’s going on, that’s kind of in the planning stages currently. And he’s also charged with helping to develop the county’s legislative platform and as part of the budget.
Speaker 1 • 19:21
So it sounds like he is very involved in government in Delmark County. So what happened on April 19th?
Speaker 5 • 19:30
He was involved in a collision with Megan Postma at the corner of US 101 and Sand Mine Road. was charged with felony hit and run and driving under the influence. So Hooper
Speaker 1 • 19:43
pleaded no contest and he did ultimately he he initially issued a plea of not
Speaker 5 • 19:49
guilty and he he ended up changing that plea to a no contest. It was it was no contest to DUI causing injury as a result of a plea agreement. So what what
Speaker 1 • 20:03
ended up happening? What did, what was he sentenced for? So on on November 13th he
Speaker 5 • 20:11
was sentenced. He appeared before Judge Follett and Judge Follett went along with the plea agreement even though Trinity County probation officer remembered because of Mr. Hooper’s affiliation with the county he worked with county he’s not he’s not in the probation department but he worked with the probation chief in Del Norte County so Trinity County probation had had been overseeing his case and in their pre-sentencing report they had asked they had recommended Judge Bollett to to let the felony charges stand and to have Mr. Hooper served three years felony probation as well as 90 days in jail. Judge Follett instead decided to go along with a plea agreement which if Mr. Hooper attends DUI classes as well as two AA meetings a week his felony
Speaker 1 • 21:16
charges gets reduced to a misdemeanor. So wrap this up for me and tell me in a few sentences why this is so controversial and what ended up happening. I mean it sounds to me like a guy who’s got some pull with county folks, did something bad and got caught and now there’s a little bit of controversy about what his punishment should be. Is that
Speaker 5 • 21:49
kind of correct? There is. So I did speak with the victim, with Megan Postma, and she said that she’s not interested in restitution from Mr. Hooper, but she says it’s important to her that his felony charges stick. And she says that it’s because, you know, she knows what it’s like to struggle with addiction and with alcoholism. And in her opinion, she says that you don’t, that a misdemeanor charge isn’t the same as hitting rock bottom, that it’s not enough of a consequence for Mr. Hooper to really feel the weight of his actions.
Speaker 1 • 22:40
Has Hooper said anything about the accident publicly?
Speaker 5 • 22:43
So Mr. Hooper said that being booked into the jail, the same facility that he’s working on renovating, forced him to confront the truth about where I was headed. He said I now recognize for years I had been using alcohol to manage stress and anxiety, and while I was not the sort of alcoholic who always needed to drink or who even drank frequently, I can now clearly recognize that I was the sort of alcoholic who when he did drink would drink to excess without consideration for the damage it would cause. He said that he felt that that his arrest has already resulted in substantial consequences, consequences not only for him but for his family as well because of the media coverage and its amplification on social media.
Speaker 1 • 23:34
So what’s what’s the bottom line now? What what happens next?
Speaker 5 • 23:39
So he will he is supposed to serve out his plea agreement And he will return to court in March so he’s still he’s still Fulfilling his role as the assistant county administrative officer. There are people that are not happy about that they don’t feel like, they’re questioning why he’s continuing to work for the county when, you know, when he’s got been charged with the level of DUI that he’s been charged with.
Speaker 1 • 24:15
So I guess this is a story that will will continue and will, Obviously, you’ll be following it, correct?
Speaker 4 • 24:22
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 • 24:23
Absolutely. Okay. Commercial crabbing opens in mid-December, but Oregon anglers know that as of December 1st, the fees for crabbing, fishing, hunting, and clamming went up. Why? Well, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says it needs more cash to maintain healthy fish and habitats. The last time the state raised fees was six years ago, and ODFW says the new fees will help cover higher costs of things like hatchery fish food and will help to protect fish populations from poachers. Well, no poachers at the Railroad House restaurant, but we did send our Phantom Gourmet there to check out the burgers. Here’s what she found. Hi, everybody.
Speaker 6 • 25:08
Phantom Gourmet back again. Well, for my second review, I had mentioned was Our House, or Our Railroad House restaurant called Our House. My husband and I call it 401 Oak because that’s exactly where it’s located. It’s the red tin topped roof building. They’ve changed a few times and Our House has been here now for a while. And if you like a burger or you like a grilled panini and you’re into just low key, the TV’s are on. If you’re into sports, they’ll put on exactly the game you want to watch, real nights that way. The barkeep is lovely if you like sitting at the bar. Her name’s Kim. Everybody there is friendly. You can sit outside, even in a little bit, you know, cool weather because they have those big heaters out there. Like I say, I love the burgers. I’ve had paninis and I love them too, but I generally go there for a burger. The Phantom, that’s me, I love the Blue Caboose, you can guess what that’s about. There’s an aioli burger with some grilled pineapple on it. You can get a straight burger if you want. My sidekick, the Major Phantom, he loves Twin Tracks. I have been there with a girlfriend, we split it in half and it was more than enough for the two of us. It’s huge. I think they put three burgers in there. I’m not sure. It’s massive. Sides. Great fries. They do something called garlic fries. Never had it before. Love it, love it. If you like your fries crispy, all you have to do is say that and they’ll do it. I’ve never had dessert because we’re always too full. Oh, their beers are great. They have a great beer called Fort George. Really like it. They have some other good drafts, Casablanca. So yeah, I have nothing but good things to say about our house.
Speaker 1 • 27:07
Get a great burger at the Railroad House on Oak Street in Brookings. Thank you for joining us on First Friday. Our half-hour news magazine program airs on the first Friday of every month with this exception. Our volunteer staff is taking time off to enjoy the holiday, so the next First Friday will air in February. We remind you that First Friday is produced at the studios of KCIW Curry Coast Community Radio. KCIW is an all-volunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. We depend on listeners like you to pay the rent and to keep the lights on. To find out more, go to kciw.org. That’s k-c-i-w dot o-r-g. And for the latest news and information, go to the KCIW News Hub online at kciwnewshub.org. Kciwnewshub.org. I’m Laurie Gallo-Stoddard, and for all of us here at First Friday and at KCIW, thank you for joining us. [ Music ]