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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (May 7, 2003)
Biscuit Fire work could come soon New charter lists major revisions Decisions on two projects designed to restore federal lands affected by last year’s Biscuit Fire have been an- nounced by Scott Conroy, Rogue River and Siskiyou National Forest supervisor. The decisions allow for hazard tree removal along roads and/or the collection of special forest products such as firewood, mushrooms and other vegetation on a permit- ted basis. Those interested can contact their area forest ser- vice office to obtain permits. Conroy signed the hazard tree removal along roads deci- sion on April 28, and the spe- cial forest products collection decision on April 23. A com- plete description of these pro- jects, including maps and a table of roads that will be treated is available at the Web site: “www.biscuitfire.com.” A Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be re- leased this summer that will cover a number of additional projects, including salvage harvest, reforestation of up to 30,000 acres, and construction of fuels management zones. Claiming that a revised charter will “eliminate the constant turmoil and ineffi- ciencies in the spending of our tax dollars,” a grassroots group is pushing for voter ap- proval of a new charter with significant changes for Jose- phine County. Chief petitioners for Com- mittee for the Improvement of Josephine County Govern- ment are Jerry Smith, Harry Mackin and Jack Rollins. They and others spent the last two years, Smith said, study- ing the charters of the other eight home-rule counties in Oregon. “We took the best from each of them,” he said. Smith said that plans are to gather at least 2,377 peti- tion signatures by Aug. 4, which would be 90 days prior to the Nov. 4 election. The proposal for changing the county charter includes seven commissioners instead of the current three-member board. Sept. 4 would be the deadline for those wanting to file for four commission seats, assum- ing the three current ones keep their seats, which they’ve said they’ll vacate if the proposal passes. If the measure makes the ballot and is approved, it would take effect on Jan. 5, 2004, Smith said. Major ele- ments of the charter change proposal: *There will be seven com- missioners, three of them elected at-large; four elected by district. *District commissioners, including one comprised of Illinois Valley and those resid- ing in the area up to the Jerome Prairie area, must live in the district and would be elected only by voters from that district. Smith said of the current three commissioners, three live in the city of Grants Pass, and one in rural Grants Pass. *A county administrator would be hired to “handle the daily operation of our county business.” The seven commis- sioners would “be primarily a policy-making body.” Smith said that as far as School rally against cuts set May 12 Like numerous public schools across the state, Ever- green Elementary School, Lorna Byrne Middle School, and Illinois Valley High School in Cave Junction are bracing for unprecedented cuts in programs. That is, if the education funding proposed by the Ore- gon Legislature becomes real- ity. Currently, the three schools are looking at the pos- sible loss of 10 to 12 teaching positions. As a result, class sizes at the schools will rise. Lorna Byrne is looking at the possible loss of its coun- seling position and all funding for extracurricular activities. The USAF Jr. ROTC program could be cut at the high school. In addition, vice prin- cipal positions may be cut. In response, Save Our Schools (SOS) has formed to show legislators that cutting education is irresponsible gov- erning. SOS is a grassroots organization made up of par- ent and student representatives from 22 schools in the Three Rivers, Rogue River, and Grants Pass school districts. An SOS rally will be held at Riverside Park in Grants Pass on Monday, May 12 at 5 p.m. to call on legislators in Salem to stop cutting school budgets and provide adequate funding for public education. Buses will provide free transportation for I.V. resi- dents to and from the rally. Buses will leave IVHS at 4:15 p.m. and return at approxi- mately 7 p.m. According to Dave Toler, SOS coordinator and a mem- ber of the Three Rivers board, “This is I.V.’s chance to show its support for our schools be- fore it’s too late.” FUNNY FACES FEELING FRISKY - In preparation for the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus coming to Cave Junction on Thursday, May 15, ‘Skeeter’ the Clown visited the Boys & Girls Club at Evergreen Elementary School on Monday, May 5. ‘Skeeter’ helped youngsters apply clown makeup. Circus performances will be at 5 and 7:30 p.m. on the field between I.V. High School and the I.V. Family Resource Center. The circus is a fund-raiser for the I.V. Family Coalition. Commissioners will resign if measure passes Josephine County’s three- member board of commission- ers will resign immediately if a proposed major revision to the Josephine County charter reaches the November ballot and is approved by voters. “The three of us are very much opposed to the pro- posal,” said commission Chairman Jim Brock, adding that they’ll resign if it’s passed. He said that he and fellow commissioners Harold Haugen and Jim Riddle be- lieve that the proposed changes, including having a seven-member board with nominal salaries and no bene- fits -- and addition of a county administrator -- would be harmful to the county. Under the proposal, the seven commissioners would receive $500 per month. They would be responsible for set- ting policy, with a “county manager” overseeing day-to- day operations. The current three commis- sioners each are paid $86,321 annually including salary and benefits. And that amount, said Brock, is not that much when one considers the re- sponsibilities and liabilities that come with the job. Commissioners set policy, work for the betterment of the county and deal with its daily operations, Brock indicated. “The general feelings of the board,” said Brock, “are (Continued on page 4) Healing comes naturally to I.V. acupuncturist By BRITT FAIRCHILD Staff Writer For more than 5,000 years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used to treat such ailments as asthma, arthritis and nausea, among others. While the Eastern hemi- sphere’s health-care partner- ing of acupuncture and herbs has gained some acceptance here in the Western world -- acupuncturists in California gained primary-care status in the late 1970s -- many still view TCM as supernatural or voodoo. In Illinois Valley, licensed acupuncturist Jo Anne Stone is working to help change that attitude. “Chinese medicine is what I call blame free,” said Stone, who opened Illinois River Acupuncture in Kerby in July and spoke at this year’s Dome School Spring Health Faire. “No matter what the problem, there is a physiological reason for it.” For example, in Chinese medicine, there are 20 differ- ent causes of a headache, Stone said, noting many inter- nal problems reveal them- selves in external ways. “The strength of TCM is we don’t have to name (a problem). We look at the symptoms,” she said. Stone uses the pulse and the tongue’s physical appear- ance to initially determine a patient’s (term she uses for those she treats) problem and the proper therapy. Most treatments include a JO ANNE STONE tailored combination of Chi- nese herbs and acupuncture. Sometimes Chinese massage and Tai chi are incorporated. “Herbs especially are nu- tritious to the body,” Stone said, adding that they provide healthy elements lacking in vitamins. Often used to ease pain, acupuncture is based on the theory that there is energy, or “chi,” flowing through the body. Stone explained that “chi” moves the blood along path- ways, called channels or me- ridians, aiding in circulation and organ function. If its flow is blocked or unbalanced at any point on the pathway, it may result in illness. Each pathway, she noted, is associ- ated with two of the body’s organs. Acupuncture -- of which there are several types includ- ing the use of heat, pressure, and thin needles -- then stimu- lates the movement of “chi” to restore health. By inserting thin needles into the skin at specific points, Stone is able to penetrate “chi.” Depending on the pa- tient’s needs, she then either gently moves the needle in the point, or adds more needles in other points on the body. “I’m trained to treat many things,” Stone said. She has used TCM to treat a variety of problems, includ- ing allergies, headaches, menopause, as well as back and other muscle pain. Prior to establishing her acupuncture practice in Kerby, Stone, who has lived in the valley for four years, said she treated people in their homes. Before that, she saw patients for several years at a practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She also completed sev- eral apprenticeships while fin- ishing a four-year program at American College of Tradi- tional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco. There she learned to speak and read Chi- nese as part of her training, following one year of pre- medicine study. Stone was 33 when she started at the college, and had already spent years teaching special education. “I got here (into TCM) because I was sick,” she said. As a child, Stone suffered anemia and digestive prob- lems. By 30, she experienced severe joint pain and walked with a cane. The condition was later diagnosed as what is now called fibromyalgia; she was told she had early osteoarthri- tis as a result of malnutrition as well. A severe and painful case of eczema on her hand led Stone to seek TCM treatment. “I walked in off the street,” she said, adding she had always been curious about Chinese medicine. A 1995 American College of Traditional Chinese Medi- cine graduate, Stone received her Oregon state license for acupuncture approximately two years ago, she said. There are particular health challenges here with the damp climate, Stone noted, adding her particular interest in infec- tious diseases. “We have more issues with external diseases because it’s windy and damp,” she said. Stone noted that TCM can also be effective in caring for children, particularly in treat- ing high fever, allergies, asthma and other conditions which could develop into more serious problems. More information about acupuncture is available from the National Center for Com- plementary and Alternative Medicine, within the National Institutes of Health, by phon- ing 888-644-6226 or visiting t h e W e b s i t e : www.nccam.nih.gov. “Chinese medicine is a lifestyle,” Stone said, “in which one “strives to be in harmony with the environ- ment. “Disharmony causes ill- ness. I think that’s really what the ancient Chinese were about.” (Continued on page 4) Illinois Valley precipita- tion averages in inches: Sept.- 1.09 Oct. - 3.60 Nov.- 10.05 Dec. - 12.16 Jan. - 11.17 Feb. - 8.44 Mar. - 7.03 Apr. - 4.4 Illinois Valley precipita- tion for the last several months in inches: Nov. 2002 - 12.5 Dec. 2002 - 19.6 Jan. 2003 - 6.85 Feb. - 6.3 Mar. - 6.1 Apr. - 13.55 inches of rain, 4 inches of snow. *Submitted by Chris Granville. These amounts were collected in a rain gauge on his porch in Selma.
