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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (April 16, 2003)
Hubbard leaves CJ deputy job After almost three years as the principal lawman for the city of Cave Junction, Deputy Keith Hubbard will leave the position at the end of month to return to the regular patrol division with the Jose- phine County Sheriff’s Office. Hubbard, a canine officer who has patrolled Illinois Val- ley since fall 1996, announced the personnel change during the Monday night, April 14 city council meeting in city hall. The city, which contracts with the county for a full-time deputy based in CJ, has not yet selected a replacement, said City Recorder Jim Polk. Hubbard noted that he’s had a great time in the posi- tion. Concerning financial mat- ters, the council appropriated $4,600 from its reserve fund for the purchase of a battery- operated man-lift. The ma- chine has already been put to use hanging banners across Redwood Hwy. downtown. The council also ap- proved Oregon Community Development Block Grant reimbursement for more than $21,000 in funds used so far to purchase benches, trash receptacles and for other street and sidewalk improvements in downtown. Also during the meeting, Mike Cavallaro, executive director of the Rogue Valley Council of Governments, a voluntary association of gov- ernmental groups in Josephine and Jackson counties, gave a power point presentation. He touched on community devel- opment, land-use planning, and senior and disability ser- vices, as well as other associa- tion services and the associa- tion’s financial status. An agreement between RVCOG and the city for assis- tance in staff reports and other duties followed. Linda Vogel submitted a request for $200 in funds to support “Through the Chil- dren’s Eyes,” a public art pro- ject co-sponsored by the Arts Council of Southern Oregon and Oregon Arts Commission. The project team’s lead artist, Janet Vasquez, with pre-kindergarten through fifth- grade students from Illinois Valley schools is working to create mobile murals. The first series of murals, completed by Dome School students, is dis- played outside Pizza Pit. Vogel or another repre- sentative was not present at the meeting. In other business the council: *Proclaimed May 26-30 as “American Legion Auxil- iary Poppy Days.” *Approved a land parti- tion for Don Hall at 447 Old Stage Road. *Removed the continued public hearing on ordinance 434, regarding chronic public nuisance, for a rewrite of the ordinance. The council also held an executive (closed to the pub- lic) session. -Britt Fairchild Supporters dive in to help boost $wimming $plash MOBILE ART PROJECT - Students from Dome School in Takilma were the first group to work with Cave Junction artist Janet Vasquez on a mobile mural project, “Through the Children’s Eyes.” A collaborative effort between Oregon Arts Commission, Arts Council of Southern Oregon, Vasquez and Illinois Valley schools, the goal of the project is to expand youngsters’ appreciation of art. Above, 8-year-old Levi Vasquez and 10-year-old Geneva Vasquez, who assisted in the first round of the murals showing the seasons of Illinois Valley, stand with two of them on the outside wall of Pizza Pit during the Second Friday Night Art Walk. Related photo on page 8. (Photo by Britt Farichild) By SAM NEWTON The fight to keep the Illi- nois Valley Swimming Pool open this summer has entered another stage with a circula- tion of petitions to do just that; keep the pool open. Because of a lack of funding and a question as to whether the pool will stay open, the I.V. Pool Commit- tee will send the signed peti- tions to the Josephine County commissioners to make them aware of the general feeling of the valley. “We have made a lot of improvements to the pool throughout the last three years,” said Bob Wendover, a committee member. “We’ve installed a new boiler to make the water warmer, a pool cover to retain the water temperature, a new paint job inside and out, and new fencing and shade cover. “To put that kind of money into it and have it shut down would be a shame,” he said. “This facility has a lot to offer to the valley, including a swim team, diving team, water aerobics and water wellness classes and swimming les- sons,” he said. “It’s also avail- able for private parties. “The pool offers area em- ployment with most of the life- guards being from I.V.,” said Wendover. “The Boys & Girls Club uses the pool quite a bit, with admission being $2 per youth, he added. “With a donation from private individuals it was possible for the admission to be knocked down from $2 to $1, which increased attendance from approximately 10 chil- dren to 30,” Wendover said. The committee is conduct- ing a study to locate alternative funding besides money from the county, but the process will take approximately three years. Those interested in keep- ing the I.V. Pool open are en- couraged to write letters or phone the commissioners and express their opinions. Eradication of knapweed could involve glyphosate Public comment nixes picloram, urges hand work SISKIYOU HEALTH CENTER CELEBRATION - Many guests attended a 30th anniversary cele- bration of Siskiyou Community Health Center on Friday, April 11. Besides a wide array of hors d’oeuvres and beverages, the open house included tours of the facility. Above, physician as- sistant Sue Terran (right) was among staff members, as well as Dr. Lucinda Kolo, who visited with guests. (Related photo on page 11) LIVING ALTERNATIVES EVENT - The 16th anniversary of Living Alternatives in Downtown Cave Junction was observed on a rainy Saturday, April 12. Those attending were given free hamburgers, frozen yogurt, soft drinks, and information about the women’s support center. It offers various assistance including free pregnancy tests. Among those enjoying the hospital- ity were Christen Fierro, Nycholas Koesel, and Anna Koesel with baby Izabella. By BRITT FAIRCHILD Staff Writer Picloram will not be used to help eradicate several spot- ted knapweed populations in Illinois Valley. Instead, the I.V. Ranger District plans to examine spraying another herbicide, glyphosate, on portions of the noxious weeds sites near On- ion Camp at the north end of Illinois Valley. Similar to Round-Up, the less toxic, and also less pow- erful glyphosate, would be used in combination with hand-pulling the plants. The change in the ranger district’s proposed action was prompted by letters from area residents during a 30-day pub- lic comment period on the spotted knapweed Environ- mental Assessment (EA). Comments regarded piclo- ram’s potential health and en- vironmental hazards, said botanist Cecile Shohet. “We took those comments seriously,” Shohet said. The possibility of using an alternative herbicide, how- ever, wasn’t necessarily good news to some. Many of the nearly 30 people who learned of the al- ternative action during a spot- ted knapweed project meeting on Thursday evening, April 10 in the Josephine County Bldg. in Downtown Cave Junction orally reverberated an unease with chemical treatment. “People were basically respectful, but they (the ma- jority) were adamant they did- n’t want herbicide used,” Shohet said. “They really wanted hand-pulling to be the decision. “We don’t want a lot of controversy,” she added, just find the most appropriate way to tackle the problem. Controlling the spotted knapweed populations is im- perative, Shohet said, because of the weed’s ability to spread. The Biscuit Fire disturbed the soil where much of the spotted knapweed grows, de- stroyed most of the canopy cover in the area and exposed the mineral layer of the soil, leaving it a prime area for the knapweed to invade, Shohet noted. Susan Chapp, president of the non-profit Forestry Action Committee, complimented I.V. District Ranger Pam Bode for facilitating a “constructive,” open meeting. “Round-up is better than picloram, but it has plenty wrong with it,” Chapp said. Hand-pulling is not only a more environmentally “respectful” method of elimi- nation, but it is a significant source of income for a large handful of area residents, she said. Chapp added that the hand-pullers thrive on their work and value their past suc- cesses in reducing spotted knapweed in other areas in the valley. No herbicide application however, will occur this sea- son so research on glyphosate can be done. “We are not going to spray this year,” Shohet said. She noted the plan is to weed whack and maybe dig up the spotted knapweed. The alternative method of using glyphosate will be in- cluded in the next version of the EA, she added. Bode and the I.V. ranger district team will then recom- mend an action to Forest Su- pervisor Scott Conroy, who ultimately will make the final decision regarding treatment. Chapp added she checked with the weed crew and they are committed to not letting the plants seed this year. (Continued on page 7)