Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, July 23, 2003
FAIRCHILD FAME - ‘I.V. News’ reporter
Steve Fairchild won third place at the Oregon News-
paper Publishers Association contest for a sports story
he wrote on a blind youth soccer coach while working
for the Grants Pass “Daily Courier.”
FOOTBALL HAUL - A fund-raiser is under way
to help support the Illinois Valley High School varsity
football program, plus the freshmen and JV program
there; and the program at Lorna Byrne Middle School.
Approximately $4,000 is needed by the middle of Au-
gust. As part of the fund-raiser, businesses can exclu-
sively sponsor a quarter of the coming season’s five
home football games for $150 each; or share them
with other businesses for a total of $100 per quarter.
Sponsors will be announced on the P.A. system, and
can be included in the game programs. For more in-
formation, phone Jannie Heller of the CJ Football
Club at 597-2060; or at Evergreen Elementary from 8
a.m. to 1 p.m. through Aug. 7 at 592-3136.
ATTRACTION FACTION - I.V. Chamber of
Commerce is considering a request to place a special
phone number on the two chamber “Welcome” signs
at opposite ends of the valley, if a tourism information
phone plan is realized. George Fence of I.V. Commu-
nity Response Team outlined the idea during the
chamber board meeting on Thursday, July 17 at Wild
River Brewing & Pizza. Fence said that CRT is work-
ing with the phone company to have a special number
that tourists could phone for information about lodg-
ing, food and other attractions. With the number of
cell phones continuing to rise, it seems a logical plan,
he said.
ENLIGHTENING EVENING - Ram Dass will
appear at Central Point High School gym, 4410
Rogue Valley Blvd., for an evening of music and kir-
tan chanting on Saturday, August 2 from 7 to 10 p.m.
There is a fee. For tickets, phone (541) 734-8581.
TRACKING TALENT - A talent show will
again be part of the I.V. Lions Club Labor Day Festi-
val this year. Amateurs of all ages are encouraged to
participate in the event on Sunday, Aug. 31 and Mon-
day, Sept. 1 in Jubilee Park. Prizes and cash awards
will be presented to winners. Entries are due on
Thursday, Aug. 28. Late entries will not be accepted.
Phone Donna at 596-2719 for more information.
LIP SERVICE - Festivities at the 2003 I.V. Li-
ons Club Labor Day celebration will include a kara-
oke contest on Saturday, Aug. 30 in Jubilee Park. Tro-
phies will be awarded to winners. Phone 596-2719 for
more information.
HORSING AROUND - The 2003 I.V. Lions
Club Labor Day Festival horseshoe tournament will
be held on Saturday, Aug. 30. To sign up and for
more information, phone 596-2719.
NOTEPAD: A golf tourney in September is be-
ing planned by I.V. Chamber of Commerce to help
raise operating funds. Vicki Gill is leading the plans
for the event at I.V. Golf Course, with businesses
sponsoring teams...I.V. Community Response Team
is hopeful that its plan to be the concessionaire at Ore-
gon Caves National Monument for the next 10 years
will be approved. An answer is anticipated sometime
during August, and it would help provide stable fund-
ing for CRT and its valley community ef-
forts...Oregon Dept. of Forestry announced that
chainsaw use is now prohibited from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
(Continued from page 2)
There is no way the library
could absorb a 25 percent
budget cut without signifi-
cant operations changes.
Perhaps it is because
the library is so skilled at
making do with so little,
that few realize how
tightly budgeted library
operations are.
Long before the levy
vote, the library budget has
been very “lean,” without
any “fat” to cut. Oregon
labor laws and the union
contract also affect how
reductions may be han-
dled.
The only way to get a
balanced budget was to
make major service
changes. The staff manag-
ers and I developed a core
services proposal, concen-
trating on books, online
catalog/SOLIS, children’s
services and reference as-
sistance.
The library board dis-
cussed it extensively. They
approved it because they
agreed it provided the best
service for the dollars
available. Then the Jose-
phine County Board of
Commissioners reviewed it
and confirmed the library
board’s recommendation
as practical and effective.
Interestingly, while the
reduced hours are undoubt-
edly less convenient for
some, people are getting to
the library. For June 2003,
checkouts were actually up
slightly, to almost 45,000
items, even though the
hours were reduced 22 per-
cent from a year ago.
This proves our point
that it is more important to
do core services well than
to do many things poorly.
In the meantime, the li-
brary board is studying
financial options, looking
for ways to stabilize fund-
ing and to restore hours
and other reduced services.
Mr. Long takes issue
with mine and our library
managers’ salaries. I do
not think there is anything
I can say that would
change his mind about our
worth. I can refute his er-
roneous claim about my-
self, because I clearly
stated I was taking a 10
percent cut along with my
mangers, and I am.
A letter can be only a
brief review of this com-
plex issue. Please, anyone
with questions contact me.
If you like, send me a note
by dropping it off at the
Illinois Valley branch.
Vacancy to be
filled on JoCo
library board
124 S. Redwood Hwy.
592-2892
Open 5 to 9 p.m.
Restaurant parking in rear
Riverside Physical Therapy
Full Rehabilitation Services:
•Physical Therapy
•Occupational
Therapy
•Speech Therapy
TWO LOCATIONS
TO SERVE YOU
Cave Junction Office
218 N. Redwood Hwy.
(541) 592-6580
grants Pass Office
1619 N.W. Hawthorne Ave.
Suite 109
(541) 476-2502
•Mike Johnson, P.T.
•Jeff Wood, M.S., P.T.
The Josephine County
Board of Commissioners is
accepting applications
from volunteers to fill a
vacancy on the Library
Board of Trustees.
The deadline for ac-
cepting applications to the
board is Friday, Aug. 1.
For more information
phone the board’s office at
(541) 474-5221.
Positions open
on EMS Board
The Josephine County
Board of Commissioners is
accepting applications to
fill vacancies on the Emer-
gency Medical Services
Board.
The deadline for ac-
cepting applications is
Aug. 15.
Applications are avail-
able in the board’s office,
Room 154, Josephine
County Courthouse, Grants
Pass. Phone (541) 474-
5221 for more info.
AM ERIC AN
LEGION
FACELIFT-
American
Legion Post 70 recently
received a long overdue
makeover
thanks
to
some very ambitious
American Legion mem-
bers including Dan War-
den (photo above). Along
with a new paint job, the
post parking lot and yard
were graveled. The en-
tire renovation project
took approximately two
weeks.
(Photos contributed by
Dan Warden)
A ‘Clubs and Organizations’
entry in the July 9 issue of the
‘News’ for the area Ameri-
can Legion Auxiliary was
incorrectly placed under the
heading of American Legion
Post 70.
Page 3