November, 2025
On this program we cover the government shutdown and how it’s affecting you and your neighbors in Curry and Del Norte Counties. We’ll tell you where to get food if you’r hungry. The Curry County Board of Commissioners and Sheriff John Hardin court recently, we’ll explain why. A spooky double feature and an independent filmmaker showcased at the Redwood Theatre and our Phantom Gourmet reviews the new Twisted restaurant in Brookings.
Transcription:
Speaker 1 • 00:00
Welcome to First Friday, a news magazine program covering the Northern California and Southern Oregon coast. Coming up, the government shutdown and how it’s affecting you and your neighbors in Curry and Del Norte counties. We’ll tell you where to get food if you’re hungry. Plus, the Curry County Board of Commissioners and Sheriff John Ward in court recently. We’ll tell you why. Also, a spooky double feature and an independent filmmaker at the Redwood Theater. And our Phantom Gourmet reviews the new Twisted Restaurant in Brookings. 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 Jefferson Public Radio, and the Oregon Capital Chronicle. First Friday is made possible in part through a grant from the Roundhouse Foundation, 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. [ Music ] >> I’m Laurie Gallo-Stoddard in the KCIW Newsroom. In our lead story, the federal government shutdown continues and that means checks for food assistance that were supposed to go out on November 1st didn’t. And now folks are scrambling to feed their families. Now, you should know that the government does have billions of dollars set aside for emergencies like this, and multiple federal judges have told the Trump administration to use that money. But it could be a while before folks start to see that help, and there’s no telling how much help will be available. We do know that it won’t be as much as they normally get. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps to feed roughly one in five Oregonians, and that’s why Oregon Governor Tina Kotak says she’s sending $5 million to local food banks to help hungry families. It’s probably not enough, because Oregon food bank officials say for every meal it provides, SNAP provides nine meals. Still, some money is better than nothing, and all of this, of course, is an attempt to create a stopgap for folks who depend on federal dollars from the SNAP program to eat. And you might not know how important those SNAP dollars are to your neighbors. Jessica Saynard-Andrews reports that in Del Norte County, as in Curry County, thousands of families won’t have enough to eat without some help.
Speaker 2 • 02:46
Though the Trump administration said Monday that it will partially fund SNAP this month, local food pantries are ensuring families have enough to eat while waiting for those benefits to kick in. Some 3,900 Del Norte County households rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as CalFresh, in California. Health and Human Services Director Rennell Brown said, “Last week, before two federal judges ordered that the Trump administration needed to provide at least partial funding to snap, the Donato Community Food Council activated the Emergency Food Task Force. Aya Mahan, the Food Council’s Food Program Director, said the task force is making sure no one is duplicating efforts. A lot of people want to help. Pacific Pantry at the Family Resource Center of the Redwoods has expanded its hours to sign new households up for food bags, while Rural Human Services continues its monthly round of commodity deliveries. This week, they delivered to Smith River and Fort Dick. Pacific Pantry’s mobile market also delivered to Klamath on Tuesday. Pacific Pantry at 494 G Street in Crescent City is open from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday in November except November 29th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Pacific Pantry’s mobile market will be in Smith River on the third Tuesday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon at Juan Cuet Hall and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the United Methodist Church on Beckstead Avenue. Pacific Pantry will also be at the American Legion Hall in Gasky from 10 a.m. to noon on the fourth Tuesday of the month. For more information call 707-464-0955 extension 2115 or visit www.frcredwoods.org/programs. RHS will bring commodity boxes to the Gaskey American Legion Hall from 10 a.m. to noon and the Hiuchi Hamlet store from 1230 to 230 p.m. next Tuesday, November 11th. RHS will deliver to Klamath from 10 a.m. to noon on November 18th and will offer commodity boxes at its Crescent City location at 286 M Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on November 19th and November 20th. For more information call 707-464-7441. At both food pantries, people are asked to self-verify their income and present a photo ID. For KCIW and Redwood Voice, this is Jessica Sanar Andrews.
Speaker 1 • 05:13
If you are in Curry County and can share some food, please consider delivering easy-to-eat foods like canned tuna, chicken, beans, peanut butter, pasta rice. Also, a greatly appreciated as well any fresh produce, eggs, milk, feminine products, diapers, baby food, and formula. And here’s where you can go for help or to drop off those badly needed items. The Brookings Harbor Farmers Market at 15786 Highway 101 is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 to 3. The Curry County Food Bank is open Monday through Friday from 9 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. They’re at 1403 North 11th Street in Brookings. And St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, located at 401 First Street, is open Monday through Friday from 9 to noon. Now if you’re in need you can also go online to needfood.oregon.gov. Again, that website, needfood, N-E-E-D-F-O-O-D, all one word, needfood.oregon.gov. Now we’ll repeat all of this information at the end of the program so you’ll have plenty of time to get a pen and paper, and we’ll also have this information posted on our website, kciwnewshub.org. That’s KCIWnewsHub.org. Californians have voted to redistrict its voter maps. Prop 50 was a response to President Trump telling Texas to redraw its maps to favor Republicans. Now, all of this, of course, is about keeping control of Congress. Right now, Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the presidency. But opposition to the Trump administration policies was on full display all over the country on October 18. The so-called “No Kings Day” was an international day of protest. Millions of people in thousands of cities took part. Reports from Del Norte say Crescent City saw some 600 to 700 take to the streets. In Curry County, 600 people gathered in Gold Beach, another 50 in Port Orford, and dozens more in Brookings. In Gold Beach, there was music, drivers honking horns, colorful costumes and signs. Joy May was one of the organizers and told KCIW it was a peaceful demonstration.
Speaker 3 • 07:34
Our organization, Indivisible North Curry County, is hosting the rally today here in Gold Beach. It looks like a whole lot of people here. Do you have a count? We are so happy with the turnout and so impressed. We have close to 600. There might be more than 600, but we’ve got some real firm counts that put us between 590 and 600 people. Any issues? Any problems? No. And people have responded so well. We’re trying to keep everyone safe, so we’re making sure people stay on the sidewalk. Everyone has just been so happy and joyous, and no incidents of any kind of violence or agitation or anything. We are here to love America and that’s what people are
Speaker 1 • 08:24
all about today. Anything else you’d like to say? Just that I am so proud of my
Speaker 3 • 08:30
county, Curry County, who has come out in force to show their patriotism. That was
Speaker 1 • 08:37
Joy May from North County Indivisible who says some 600 folks demonstrated against the Trump administration on No King’s Day in Gold Beach in front of the County Courthouse. Now we should note that there were a handful of the president’s supporters also there and again the rally was completely peaceful. Curry County is of course a beautiful place to live. We’re remote and rural but that also comes with its challenges and the past few years have exposed the need for faster better coordination during an emergency. As Linda Lee reports a powerful new network is taking the lead calling itself the Curry County Community
Speaker 4 • 09:14
organizations active in disaster. Formed in 2022 and modeled after successful initiatives nationwide, CCC-OAD is a unified effort to ensure that when disaster strikes, our local resources are managed efficiently and everyone’s needs are met. We saw the critical need for better communication and coordination between nonprofit agencies and local government. Ruth Dixon told KCIW, who is the chair and founding member, “And we decided to do something about it,” she stated. This collective expertise allows the CCC-OAD to address everything from supplying food and water to providing crucial mental health support. Ultimately, the goal is simple, to make Corea County a more resilient place for everyone. As Dixon sums it up, “CCC-OAD is the bridge. It’s a network of community-based organizations, tribes, and businesses, and government entities all working together to strengthen our ability to withstand and recover from any emergency. For more information and to sign up for alerts, log on to cccoad.org or contact [email protected].
Speaker 1 • 10:40
It looks like Curry County Commissioners Jay Trost and Patrick Hollinger will keep their jobs. A recall petition didn’t get enough signatures to make it to the ballot. Meanwhile, animosity between the Curry County Board of Commissioners and Sheriff John Ward ended up in court, and Jefferson Public Radio’s Justin Higginbottom has more.
Speaker 5 • 10:59
The court ruled that Sheriff John Ward must provide the board with contracts his office has made with outside agencies. The sheriff is also required to hand over personnel records and duplicate keys to all county vehicles, and Ward must cooperate with the board in selling county owned property. But the court ruled against an order requiring Ward to attend commissioner meetings, and the judge will leave it up to a jury to decide on whether the sheriff must provide all available records to commissioners when they ask. Ward has argued there’s some material he can only share with other law enforcement. I’m Justin Higginbottom in Ashland.
Speaker 1 • 11:35
A second court date on November 4th finalized judgment and gave wins to both the Curry County Board of Commissioners and to the Sheriff. We’ve posted that formal decision on our website kciwnewshub.org. That’s kciwnewshub.org. Meanwhile the Curry County Board of Commissioners held another special meeting on November 5th once again talk about a proposed RV park on the banks of the Rogue River. That land was home to a First Peoples village, and a local group wants to turn the area into a cultural center instead of an RV park. November is Native American Heritage Month, and we remind you that we do live, work, and play on the unceded ancestral lands of the Tollowa people. Tollowa descendants and their culture have persevered in spite of state-sanctioned attempted genocide of all indigenous people. peoples during the California Gold Rush. The region currently known as Curry and Del Norte County encompasses the sacred sites, villages, and homes of peoples from many tribes, including the Tolowa Nation, the Tolowa Dene Nation, the Yurok Tribe, the Elk Valley Rancheria, the Puglica Tribe of the Yurok people, and other Native persons whose indigenous affiliations are not recognized by the United States government. You might not be able to fly out of Crescent City anymore. In Del Norte County, Crescent City’s airport depends on federal dollars to run, and that means the government shutdown could shut down the airport. As Jessica St. Nor Andrews reports, it looks like the airport will be open for at least the next two weeks.
Speaker 2 • 13:16
Though an early potential casualty of the federal government shutdown, commercial air service in Del Norte and Curry counties will continue through November 18th. Advanced air flies into and out of Crescent City with funding from the Essential Air Service program. But the U.S. Department of Transportation stated twice in October that the program would be suspended due to the government shutdown. It was first set to be suspended on October 11th, but was extended to November 2nd after the department secured additional funding. On October 29th, Border Coast Regional Airport Authority Director Sean Rosenthal said the Transportation Department stated the program would be funded through November 18th. But the Joint Powers Authority operating the airport was at the mercy of the system at this point. Rosenthal said he notified Advanced Air that the airport authority wouldn’t be able to cover its costs after November 18th. He hoped the shutdown would be over by then. The Hawthorne-based carrier that offers flights between Crescent City and Oakland and Crescent City in the Los Angeles area, has said it would continue to operate in the region for as long as it can even if the EAS program funding isn’t renewed. “Advanced Air cares deeply about the communities we serve, including Crescent City,” Barbara Hunt, its vice president of business, told Redwood Voice. The Essential Air Service program serves 175 communities nationwide, with the alternative Essential Air Service program offering more flexibility. According to Rosenthal, the program provides the airport authority with about $400,000 for commercial air service. He said the airline bills the airport authority, which is then reimbursed when it shows proof of payment to the feds. For KCIW and Redwood Voice, this is Jessica St. Nair, Andrews.
Speaker 1 • 14:56
The city of Brookings is shifting gears. Thanks to a major grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation, the city’s added two brand new electric trucks to its fleet. And here’s the best part. It was done at virtually no cost to taxpayers. Linda Lee has more.
Speaker 4 • 15:11
These two full-size Ford electric lightning trucks will be supporting both police and public works operations. Equipped with onboard generators, these vehicles are more than just transport. They’re mobile power sources able to power tools and lights for staff responding to emergencies or conducting maintenance in the field. City Manager Tim Rundell highlighted the financial wisdom of the moves, telling KCIW, “By adding electric trucks to our fleet and building on the charting infrastructure, we’re improving efficiency, cutting operating costs, and positioning the city to meet future demands without placing a burden on taxpayers. The grant, which came from an Oregon Department of Transportation carbon emission program backed by the federal NEVI initiative, covered 90% of the purchase price. City staff then secured an additional $15,000 in federal tax credits, bringing the total cost to Brookings down to almost zero. Major Isaac Hodges added, “It’s a real win for Brookings,” noting the team was able to maximize grant funding, bringing the new vehicles that had the strength in the city operation at virtually no cost to our community. The city will also be installing two level two charging stations at City Hall for fleet use, expected to be completed by 2026. This move is part of a nation push towards electric vehicle future, bringing reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally smart infrastructure right here to Brookings.
Speaker 1 • 16:41
The Redwood Theater in Brookings held a special spooky double feature to celebrate Halloween, and our Jason Liddell says the independent filmmaker behind the horror movies was in the audience. He caught up with him and has this report.
Speaker 6 • 16:54
Florida filmmaker Robert Mann was back in Brookings over Halloween weekend for a new double feature event at the Redwood Theater. On October 30th, the Redwoods showed two of Robert’s films, R.B. & B. and Pumpkin Carver.
Speaker 7 • 17:06
I’ve never done a double feature, so I thought this would be kind of a fun thing to do, theatrical double feature, do it at Brookings.
Speaker 6 • 17:11
That was Robert Mann himself, multiple award-winning independent filmmaker from Florida, currently based in Las Vegas. This wasn’t Robert’s first time in Brookings. He first came to town in 2022 for the very first Wild Rivers Film Festival, where he showed his psychological thriller, R.B. & B.
Speaker 7 • 17:28
Dan spring in as you know, Dan and he invited me he said look I’m doing a new festival because I have known him for about 15 16 17 years something like that From the Orlando Film Festival. So he knows a lot of my films and then actually he did a Evening of Robert man, if you remember we did about five six seven films, whatever it was
Speaker 6 • 17:49
Rb&b is the story of a couple on their first anniversary at a beautiful bed-and-breakfast in the country where the owners are anything But what they seem Pumpkin Carver, however, is a film of a different flavor. A teen slasher a la the Scream franchise, where a young man grapples with the traumatic effects of a Halloween prank gone terribly wrong. There are, of course, pumpkins akimbo.
Speaker 7 • 18:10
And you know, Pumpkin Carver is much more Halloween-ish. I mean, the pumpkin. There’s probably 50, 80 pumpkins in that movie.
Speaker 6 • 18:17
While independent film may not always have the money for big A-list actors, they often serve as a jumping off point for many people’s careers, and Pumpkin Carver is no different. One of the starring roles went to actress Minka Kelly.
Speaker 7 • 18:29
Minka Kelly, she was great to work with. Almost a couple months after we did that, she got the spot for Friday Night Lights. And then she was in The Roommate, and she’s been doing a lot of stuff ever since.
Speaker 6 • 18:42
Robert already has plans to come back to the Wild Rivers Film Festival to debut a new short film currently in production titled Kissing Raindrops.
Speaker 7 • 18:50
And, you know, we’re just trying to get film
Speaker 6 • 18:52
more introduced into Brookings. For KCIW News, I’m Jason Liddell.
Speaker 1 • 18:59
And if you’re looking for a nice meal to enjoy before you go to the theater, our Phantom Gourmet says you should check out a new restaurant called Twisted.
Speaker 8 • 19:08
So Twisted is a new restaurant with wonderful old faces. It’s Angela. If you’ve ever went to O’Halloran’s, you certainly know Angela. She’s an amazing person in a restaurant. She knows her way around. And in the kitchen is James, who was the chef at O’Halloran’s for five years. So moving forward, they’ve taken over the old Asama, which is right by Maddie’s. It’s called Twisted. The food is terrific. They open at 4.30, no reservations. And the menu’s incredible. I was only there once. We sat in the bar. It was nice. I had the prime rib. I don’t usually do that. It was 42 bucks. It was fabulous. Couldn’t even eat it all. Really. Medium rare, perfect. She told me to get it rare because by the time you get it, it’ll already be cooked a little bit. She knew what she was talking about. She was right on. I think you can get the drift. It was fabulous. My accomplice, who will stay a phantom as well, had the Alfredo with beautiful, beautiful prawns on it. We had a beautiful salad. The salads are made fresh. All the salad dressings are made there. We were too full for dessert. The soups were incredible and it was all-inclusive. It’s a deal when you want to have a nice night out. Twisted, twisted. It’s set right off of 101 at Benham, right in the same parking lot as Maddie’s. And while our
Speaker 1 • 20:52
phantom gourmet enjoys eating out, we remind you that the government shutdown has meant families you know are going hungry. So please help if you can by donating canned tuna, chicken, beans, peanut butter, rice, pasta, also greatly appreciated fresh produce, eggs and milk, feminine products, diapers, baby food, and formula. And you can drop off those items at the Brookings Harbor Farmers Market, the Curry County Food Bank, or St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. If you need more information, please go to needfoodoregon.gov. That’s needfood.oregon.gov. N-E-E-D-F-O-O-D dot Oregon dot gov. You’ve been listening to First Friday. First Friday is a partnership between KCIW/Curry Coast Community Radio, KFUG/Crescent City, the Del Norte Redwood Voice, Jefferson Public Radio, and the Oregon Capital Chronicle. You can find a copy of this program and other news at kciwnewshub.org. That’s kciwnewshub.org. First Friday is made possible in part through a grant from the Roundhouse Foundation, 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. 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. Find out more at kciw.org. That’s KCIW.org. And for the latest news and information, go to the KCIW News Hub online at KCIWNewsHub.org. That’s KCIWNewsHub.org. I’m Laurie Gallo-Stoddard, and from all of us here at the News Hub, thank you for joining us on First Friday. [ Music ]