HARVEST KITCHEN at
St. Matthias Episcopal
Church in Cave Junction
added a holiday touch to
its year-round efforts to
provide meals for those
who need them. The
group on Monday, Dec.
23 provided a Christmas
meal, including a visit
from Santa Claus, who
distributed gifts. Harvest
Kitchen is operated by
volunteers, and dona-
tions of various types
always are welcome.
(Photos provided cour-
tesy of Harvest Kitchen)
Seven-point economic plan in works
Hosts of the statewide
economic summit in Portland
recently unveiled a seven-
point plan for reinvigorating
Oregon’s sluggish economy.
Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Ron
Wyden (D), Gordon Smith
(R), and Gov.-elect Ted Ku-
longoski (D) forged a plan for
state and federal leaders to
work in concert to respond to
Oregon’s economic needs and
promote economic progress.
In a speech before summit
attendees, Wyden said that the
mission of the leaders attend-
ing the summit is to “do eve-
rything within our power to
bring this state’s recession to a
speedy close … to give the
people of our state confidence
that Oregon will weather the
next economic deluge better
than it has weathered this
one...
“To ensure that Oregon is
poised to take advantage when
the nation’s economy heats up
once again.”
“As Sen. Smith and I have
done in the U.S. Senate, today
I challenge Oregon’s elected
officials to leave their politics
at the threshold when it comes
to working toward a brighter
future for Oregon’s econ-
omy,” Wyden told the crowd
of more than 1,300 elected,
community and business lead-
ers representing each of Ore-
gon’s 36 counties.
The seven-point economic
agreement lays out opportuni-
ties and timelines for Ore-
gon’s state and federal elected
leaders to work together to
improve the state’s long-term
economic outlook.
Wyden, Smith and Kulon-
goski agreed to:
*Form a joint task force
within the next two months to
identify and evaluate federal
research appropriation and
grant opportunities to review
relative potential for job crea-
tion and business spin-off.
The force will include repre-
sentatives designated by each
senator and governor-elect.
*Seek a new federal-state
partnership on natural re-
sources that allows for Ore-
gon-driven solutions to critical
federal resource issues.
*Make establishment of
an Oregon-trained, world class
engineering workforce a top
federal funding priority.
State-fed funding for safe water on tap
A federal-state partnership
that began in 1996 to improve
drinking water safety has
brought approximately $100
million in federal loan funds
and state matching funds to
Oregon communities, accord-
ing to state Dept. of Human
Services (DHS).
Most of the water systems
are small, although those in
Springfield, Pendleton and
Woodburn also have received
loans.
“So far, $62 million in
loans have been made to pub-
lic water systems in 40 com-
munities that will bring safer
drinking water to more than
158,000 people,” said Dave
Leland, DHS. “Many addi-
tional communities are lining
up to use the rest of the
money.”
The program is the Safe
Drinking Water Revolving
Loan Fund. Authorized by
Congress in 1996, it made
$9.6 billion available nation-
wide through 2003. In Ore-
gon, DHS administers the
fund through a partnership
with the Oregon Economic
and Community Development
Dept. (OECDD).
Leland said the fund al-
lows water suppliers to make
improvements, many times
involving major construction
projects, that would not have
otherwise been possible. “The
bottom line is that these com-
munities will be better able to
comply with federal Environ-
mental Protection Agency
(EPA) drinking water quality
standards,” he said.
Drinking water safety im-
provements include installing
new or improved water treat-
ment plants, constructing new
wells and storage tanks and
replacing miles of pipeline.
Several of the projects
have been completed and as
communities repay their loans,
funds are made available to
other communities.
“Our success is based on
the specific expertise both we
and DHS bring to the pro-
gram,” said Jim Breithaupt,
OECDD. “Working together,
we make low-interest loans to
water systems throughout the
state, helping improve drink-
ing water safety and bringing
money into the community.”
OECDD provides 20 per-
cent in state matching funds
and awards and manages the
loans to Oregon communities.
Community water suppliers
submit their water improve-
ment applications to DHS,
where a priority list is devel-
oped.
Information is on the Web
at www,ohd,hr.state.or.us/
dwp/srlf.htm or phone (503)
731-4010.
I.V. BIKERS conducted its
fifth annual distribution of
gifts to Illinois Valley boys
and girls with items ob-
tained from the annual Toy
Run. The run was held on
Dec. 7; the distribution oc-
curred on Tuesday, Dec. 24
in the I.V. Senior Center.
Members of I.V. Bikers gave
away hundreds of toys, in-
cluding a roomful of bicy-
cles. Refreshments also
were available. Children got
to sit on Santa’s lap; ask
him for a gift; and they were
handed out from behind the
curtain, where there was an
immense stack of toys and
games. The bikers said that
they greatly appreciate use
of the I.V. Senior Center.
CJ CARES staged its
annual Christmas morn-
ing breakfast in Jubilee
Park for all who didn’t
have anyone else with
whom to spend their
morning. Led by Lynn
Boucher, of A+ Mini
Storage, a number of
volunteers helped pre-
pare, serve, and clean
up. In addition, the vol-
unteers helped distrib-
ute toys in the park pa-
vilion. And Jerry Bryan
and Amy Machado, of
Otter Creek Transporta-
tion delivered 45 meals
and toys to people un-
able to make it to the
park. This year’s break-
fast required 45 pounds
of pancake mix, and nor-
mally 25 pounds are
used. Also, the meal in-
volved 80 pounds of
sausage, 60 dozen eggs,
20 pounds of ham, and
approximately 500 toys.
The annual grass-roots
effort is supported by
many valley businesses
and private individuals.
Watch for a ‘Thank You’
ad from CJ Cares in next
week’s issue.