Laurie and Ken Podesta-Daniels have been in the auto repair business in Brookings for five years. The Pilot/Evelyn Cook

“It’s our way of giving back to the community. This town has been amazing to us,” said Laurie Podesta-Daniels who owns and operates Doctor “D” Autocare along with her husband, Ken Podesta-Daniels.

“Ken has always wanted to have his picture on money, so we’re giving out Doctor ‘D’ dollars with his picture on them,” she said.

It sounds too good to be true: A catering service offering gourmet meals delivered to the location of your choice – free of charge.

Yet that’s exactly what Roger Gilbert and Ernest Madden, the creators of Brookings’ two soup kitchens, have chosen as their next culinary project.

“We want to support any organization in town that has an event that needs food by providing, preparing and delivering a meal,” Gilbert told the Pilot.

In 1978, there were three guys with three pieces of equipment, and a vision.

That’s what it took to build Tidewater Contractors into a successful business, General Manager Scott Darger told the Business Outlook Conference last week.

“It is difficult for a business to flourish in a small community,” he said. “The ones that do have leaders who have vision. The ownership of Tidewater has had the vision of what’s going to be important.”

CRESCENT CITY – The Crescent City Walmart will be open 24 hours a day starting Saturday, Jan. 29, according to store officials.

The decision comes in preparation for Walmart’s expansion into a “Supercenter,” which is anticipated to begin this summer. Store officials said the expansion will bring a full line of grocery items and additional merchandise to the Washington Boulevard location.

Bob Boucher, local Walmart store manager, said he hopes the upcoming change to a 24-hour store will bring in more business.

Brittany Jenkins is owner of Modele Salon.

She said she has been very busy setting up and decorating the salon to create a relaxing urban environment for her clients, with just a touch of big city style, using only the best and latest high end products to provide the newest styles in cut and color, her specialties.

Those products include Bumble and Bumble shampoo, hair crème, and styling products, all rated four-star. Brittany specializes in consultations to ensure her clients receive the appropriate desired services that will enhance their natural beauty.

Brookings sculptor Luke Thornton creates a unique product: one-of-a-kind wooden urns to hold the ashes of departed pets.

His special talent was recently recognized by a group dedicated to elite show dogs.

Thornton said he is one of only 70 vendors invited to participate in the Rose City Classic Dog Show, in Portland, Jan. 19 through 23, where approximately 4,000 very well-bred dogs will be showing off.

GOLD BEACH – Questions about a rumored merger between Curry County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) and Curry Health District were raised at a recent Curry County Board of Commissioners work session.

Commissioner Georgia Nowlin challenged CCHHS Director Jan Kaplan to explain why the commissioners hadn’t been consulted.

Kaplan said he’d held informal discussions with the Curry Health District for the district to take over his department as early as next July.

Brookings orthodontic specialist Terry D. McDonald, DDS, has been recognized by the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists (PCSO) with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

McDonald accepted the award in Honolulu during PCSO’s 74th annual session in October. It’s the society’s highest award, and only two other orthodontists have received it since the society was founded in 1929.

McDonald’s other credentials include an MS and a Diplomate American Board of Orthodontics.

Tracie Gutierrez’ lifelong love of collecting has resulted in a business for her and bargains for the public.

Gutierrez, owner and manager of The Treasure Collector resale store on Highway 101 South, told the Pilot, “I did all this collecting stuff my whole life, and you can’t keep everything,” so...

Last April, she opened The Treasure Collector to help others find what they want at prices they can afford, and to relieve her overstock.

It’s a family affair. Two new businesses – Outdoor Living Spaces and Pirate Energy – share not only the same building at 16160 Highway 101, but also some of the same relatives.

Pirate Energy is owned and operated by Harold Bailey, with the help of family members including his wife Lisa, and provides batteries and supplies for autos, trucks, boats, RVs, ATVs, motorcycles, golf carts, solar applications and more.

Outdoor Living Spaces, owned and run by Bailey’s sons, Ryan Mattes and Robert Bailey, offers aluminum awnings, patio and screen rooms, carports, and decks.