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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (April 2, 2003)
Page 4 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, April 2, 2003 House considering extending state unemployment benefits Biscuit Fire salvage aim of Atkinson A measure sponsored by Sen. Jason Atkinson (R- Jacksonville) to address the Biscuit Fire that ravaged the Illinois Valley last summer, has been approved by the Sen- ate. It now goes to the House for consideration. Atkinson said he intro- duced Senate Joint Memorial 2 to send a clear message to the federal government and the Bush Administration. The measure urges the federal government to revise its forest firefighting priorities to match the forest-fighting priorities of the state of Ore- gon and to cooperate with state and local agencies when fighting fires. It also calls on the federal government to quickly salvage the Biscuit Fire region in co- operation with the Oregon Dept. of Forestry; to restore and replant the landscape in the region; and, to provide funding for reforestation and economic renewal in the re- gion. “Salvaging the burned timber quickly will not only provide a much needed boost to the Illinois Valley but is also essential to reducing the fuel load on the forest floor for this summer,” Atkinson said. The measure further rec- ommends the U.S. Forest Ser- vice permanently station a rappelling or smoke-jumping team in Illinois Valley where the facilities for such a group are already in existence. “It is too bad it took this disaster to prove why we need to rein- state the smoke jumper base,” Atkinson commented. The measure, Atkinson said, “will not fall on deaf ears on Capitol Hill or in the White House.” Atkinson noted that Presi- dent Bush visited the Biscuit Fire region last summer and is “very much in tune” with natural resource issues in Southwestern Oregon. “Not only will this fall upon (the president’s) ears the right way at the White House, but also upon a Congress that is wondering how come fire season was so bad in 2002 and how can we avoid it,” in the future, Atkinson said. Atkinson represents Jack- son and Josephine counties, including the area devastated by the Biscuit Fire. He is the vice chairman of the Senate Rules committee and serves on the Senate Water and Land Use Committee. COOL IN POOL - There was good attendance last summer at Illinois Valley Swimming Pool in Cave Junction, as shown by this file photo. A committee, led by CJ Councilman Rita Dyer, is working on a financial plan to keep the pool open this summer. The House Business, La- bor and Consumer Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Betsy Close (R-Albany), has voted unanimously to send legislation to the House to extend unemployment benefits to unemployed Oregonians for an additional 13 weeks. Senate Bill 2 was for- warded to the House with a “do-pass recommendation,” and the committee also re- moved a subsequent referral to the Joint Ways and Means Committee to expedite the bill through the legislative proc- ess. “SB 2 is a good bill that will help unemployed Orego- nians during the current eco- nomic crisis,” said Close. “I’ve received unemployment benefits in the past after losing my job and know how impor- tant these dollars are to Ore- gon families.” SB 2 extends benefits to Oregonians who have lost, or will soon lose, all access to unemployment benefits. It would provide $29 million for those benefits; money that was set aside during last year’s first special legislative ses- sion. Republicans and Democ- rats applauded Close’s efforts on SB 2. It was to be heard on the House Floor this week. Chamber, IVCRT look at possibility for cell phone ‘advertising’ to help tourists Taking advantage of cel- lular telephones carried by persons on vacation, who could obtain business and tourism information as they enter Illinois Valley, was a topic during an I.V. Chamber of Commerce meeting. The chamber board met on Thursday, March 20 in the Junction Inn. The idea of cell phone “advertising” was out- lined by George Fence, chair- man of the board for I.V. Community Response Team. Fence said that discus- sions have been held with frontier/Citizens Communica- tions telephone company, and the Oregon Dept. of Transpor- tation (ODOT). The phone company is said to be working up a cost for cell phone mail- boxes that could be used by valley merchants, and which could be accessed by persons coming into the valley. ODOT has been contacted regarding highway signs that might be used, and Fence suggested that the chamber’s two “Welcome” signs along Red- wood Hwy. could be utilized. Chamber directors took no action on the matter, but indi- cated that they thought such a plan has potential advantages for the valley’s merchants. In other matters, the chamber board: *Heard from Pam Cooper, director of Community Educa- tion in the valley for Rogue Community College, that 14 new classes are among the 28 offered for the spring term. In addition, she said that she is working on the summer schedule, and that those with ideas for classes, or who want to teach classes, should con- tact her through (800) 411- 6508, Ext. 7373; or at the Learning Center in the RCC Belt Bldg. in Kerby. *Heard from Cooper, as board chairman of I.V. Family Coalition, that the organiza- tion is sponsoring a fund- raising circus on May 15 on a site between I.V. High School and the coalition center. *Was advised that tours of Oregon Caves National Monument, 20 miles east of Cave Junction, resumed on Friday, March 21 following the winter closure due to snow and low attendance. *Was told by Jana Fincher, chairman of the an- nual Concerts in the Park pro- gram, that this year’s series will begin on June 28 with a classic car show in coopera- tion with Cave Junction Lions Club. Six other concerts are planned after the first. *Noted that there are pos- sibilities of seeking grants from the city of Cave Junction and Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce to replace Christmas decorations. It was stated that the current decora- tions were used when obtained by the chamber some 25 years ago, and that they are worn out. The board also indicated that the city should take at least partial responsibility for Downtown CJ decorations. RCC president freezes salary to aid budget College managers’ salaries will be frozen next year because of revenue decreases To help bridge a $2.3 mil- lion gap between revenue and projected expenses next year, Rogue Community College President Rick Levine has requested a freeze of his sal- ary. Salaries of all RCC man- agers will be frozen next year, and collective bargaining is under way with faculty and classified (non-teaching) units in hopes of achieving “zero cost” salary adjustments. Levine, whose salary and benefits are negotiated di- rectly with the RCC Board of Illinois Valley News An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and published by Robert R. (Bob) and Jan Rodriguez Bob Rodriguez, Editor El Jefe Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post Office as Official Newspaper for Josephine County and Josephine County Three Rivers School District, published at 321 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523 Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523 Post Office Box 1370 USPS 258-820 Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330 Volume 66, No. 2 Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild, Chris Robertson, Sharon Silva & Becky Loudon Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Education, said that he wants to be treated “like everyone else.” RCC officials are grap- pling with the prospect of a $2.3 million revenue shortfall next year, and a $5.7 million shortfall during the biennium. The college board accepted Levine’s offer with thanks. In another attempt to meet the projected revenue short- fall, the board approved an increase in fees for equipment replacement and college ser- vices effective July 1. A $2- per-credit technology fee, im- plemented for the first time this school year, will be dou- bled. The fee is used to fund computer and other technical equipment replacement. In addition, a registration fee, also implemented this year, will be renamed to “college services” fee. It’s based on the number of en- rolled credits per term, and also will double. Students who take one or more non-credit classes will pay $10 a term, while those who enroll in one to five cred- its would pay $30 per term. Half the college services fee will continue to be used in the next general fund; the other half will be used to establish a special fund to offset opera- tions of facilities. Every $1 of fee increase generates ap- proximately $120,000 in addi- tional revenue, said RCC. In another matter, the board accepted a $144,730 grant from the U.S. Dept. of Labor through the Oregon Dept. of Community Colleges and Workforce Development. The grant will help fund a new coalition of regional education and social service providers “that has teamed up to make staff employee training stronger and more cost- effective for area agencies.” Life is what happens to you while you are making other plans. - John Lennon - Living Alternatives 16th Anniversary Celebration DEADLINES: News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters 3 P.M. FRIDAY (Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be accepted until Noon, Monday with an additional charge.) POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ welcomes letters to the editor provided they are of general interest, in good taste, legible and not libelous. All letters must be signed, using complete name, and contain the writer’s address and telephone number. The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify authenticity. The ‘News’ reserves the right to edit letters. One letter per person per month. Letters are used at the discretion of the publisher. Unpublished letters are neither acknowledged nor returned. A prepaid charge may be levied if a letter is inordinately long in the editor's opinion. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One year in Josephine County - $20.80 One year in Jackson and Douglas Counties - $24.40 One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state -$28 POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR. 97523 Please join us for hamburgers & frozen yogurt. Saturday - April 12 - 2-5 p.m. 116 Redwood Highway, Cave Junction At Living Alternatives we treasure & encourage God’s gift of life!