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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (July 30, 2003)
Page 5 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, July 30, 2003 I.V. survey... (Continued from page 1) pen in the next year? *Based on the strengths and weaknesses, what do you want the town to be good at, or known for, five years from now? Besides the 10 queries about the overall commu- nity, Koski also has seven questions about the Boys & Girls Club. The intent is to determine the level of support for a facility in the valley that could cost per- haps $1 million without federal grants available. Part of the assessment is to help I.V. Community Response Team continue to plan and continue to implement a strategic plan. “We’re looking for a baseline of activities and issue,” said Koski, who has been in the area since 1975. A similar survey, he said, was conducted in 1999 by Rural Develop- ment Initiatives under the Oregon Economic Devel- opment Dept. Once the current val- ley assessment is finished, it will take about another month to compile a com- prehensive report, Koski indicated. The report will be made available. “We want to know what folks think about their valley and ways to make it better,” Koski said. Man dies in crash with a semi-truck on Highway 99 On Friday, July 25 at approximately 12:55 p.m., the Oregon State Police responded to a reported motor vehicle collision on Hwy. 99 at Savage Creek Road some six miles south of Grants Pass. An International semi- truck driven by Lester Washburn, 67, of Selma, was northbound on Hwy. 99 when it crossed over the center line and struck a Ford LTD car driven by Donald Hawkins Jr., 53, of Medford. Hawkins was trans- ported by air to Providence Hospital in Medford, where he died from his injuries. A passenger in his vehicle, Winnie Taylor, 31, of Medford is listed in serious condition at Provi- dence Hospital. Washburn was not in- jured in the collision, OSP said. The accident is under investigation by troopers from the Central Point and Grants Pass office of OSP. Did you find it? The first person to bring the ‘hidden’ coffee cup in this issue to the ‘I.V. News’ office will receive one free 16 oz. beverage at Z-Coffee. Frick questions council... (Continued from page 2) look at obtaining off-street parking property, perhaps by trading the 40-acre “old city park” at the end of South Old State Road. Or, he said, the council could sell the site and use the money for developing property it owns. The council agreed to review the entire matter of off-street parking and sell- ing surplus property. The matter is to come before the council again during its Monday, Aug. 11 meeting. In other matters: *City Recorder Jim Polk said after adjourn- ment that Diane Petros began work on Monday in the clerk II position (utility clerk) vacated by Betty White due to illness. Pet- ros, from Turlock, Calif., most recently was em- ployed by Crossroads Ani- mal Hospital & Pet Supply in Cave Junction. Polk said there were 76 applicants. *The council agreed during its meeting to ask Three Rivers School Dis- trict to provide other op- tions regarding a proposed well near the planned foot- ball field at Illinois Valley High School. The district provided four options, with one rec- ommended, but the council balked at aspects involving vacation of property. Festival vendors OK to spend night in booths, motor homes Some vendors at this year’s Wild Blackberry Festival will be allowed to sleep in their booths or in motor homes, the Cave Junction City Council agreed. The festival will be held in Downtown CJ on the weekend of Aug. 9-10. Following a request from Rachel Bennett, festi- val chairman, the council voted approval 3-0 during its meeting in city hall on Monday evening, July 28. Councilmen Rita Dyer and Dan Fiske were absent, although Fiske arrived later in the meeting. Bennett said that per- mission has been received from Shop Smart Food Warehouse and Western Plaza for vendors to park their motor homes on their lots during the festival. Those who will sleep in them must keep them as much out of sight at night as possible, Bennett indi- cated. In addition, those who plan to sleep in their booths must be completely enclosed. Bennett said that there will be private secu- rity, and that vendors not obeying the rules will be asked to leave. Permission also was received for bands to play at the two parking lots. The council also agreed to allow festival volunteers to mark city sidewalks for booth spaces on Thursday, Aug. 7, and to allow set-up the next day after stores close. In addition, Bennett volunteered to empty city trash receptacles during the festival, and the council thought it a good idea. (Editor’s Note: Watch the “I.V. News” Aug. 6 issue for festival events and attractions.) Clerks say ‘no’ to minors attempting to buy alcohol Nine of 10 licensed businesses in Jackson and Josephine counties said “no” to selling alcohol to a minor during a recent com- pliance operation con- ducted by the Oregon Liq- uor Control Commission. A clerk at Albertson’s Food Center, 1360 Plaza Blvd. in Central Point, was cited for selling alcohol to a minor. Store clerks who make an illegal sale must go to court and are subject to fines of up to $350. Licensees of these businesses also face OLC administrative sanctions including fines or license suspensions. Two inspectors from OLCC’s Medford regional office and a minor volun- teer participated in the compliance sweep June 12. The businesses in Cave Junction that refused to sell included Art’s Red Garter Steakhouse and Sa- loon and My Brother’s Pub. The Redwood Select Market, 1201 Redwood Ave. in Grants Pass also passed the test. During a compliance check, young people age 18 through 20 attempt to buy alcohol from licensees or their employees to see if they are properly checking identification and obeying state law prohibiting alco- hol sales to anyone under 21. The underage volun- teers, who are supervised by OLCC inspectors or other law officers, carry their own legal ID and are advised not to lie about their age. The OLCC offers training to store clerks, service permit holders and others on ID checking techniques, identifying false identification and the laws regarding minors and alcohol. for Les and Lorraine Saffer Family & friends are invited to an open house Saturday, Aug. 9 - 2 to 5 p.m. I.V. Senior Center 520 E. River St., Cave Junction No gifts, please Medford divided over super Wal-Mart By MEDFORD “MAIL TRIBUNE” Sobered by a visit from the world’s largest retailer to the planning de- partment, and heeding pleas from worried citi- zens, the Medford City Council has decided to try and stop the Wal-Mart Su- percenter from coming to Miles Field. During a study session, the Medford Council dis- cussed prohibiting the pro- posed “big box” store. “The city council can stop Wal-Mart,” City At- torney Ron Doyle told the council. So the council agreed to call an emergency coun- cil meeting for Monday, July 28 in order to direct staff to pursue changing laws and ordinances that would restrict such pro- jects. In April, Jackson County officials revealed plans to sell approximately 30 acres, including the Miles Field site near the South Gateway Center, to Wal-Mart for about $14 million. Wal-Mart officials announced in June that its Talent store will close when the South Gateway Wal-Mart Supercenter opens. Such developments are regular Wal-Mart stores combined with a full- service grocery store. One recently opened in Grants Pass. Company officials an- nounced three weeks ago that the store on Hwy. 62 in Medford will close when a Wal-Mart Super- center opens in Central Point. The supercenter build- ings are more than 200,000 square feet, about double the size of the current stores. On July 18, Wal-Mart staff and architects met with the planning depart- ment staff in a pre- application meeting to dis- cuss requirements. So it’s a race against the clock. Doyle said state law requires that the council give 45 days notice to the Oregon Dept. of Land Conservation and Devel- opment before adopting new regulations. He warned, however, that the date the store’s Please don’t drink and drive application is submitted determines which planning rules apply. “So in essence if coun- cil were to get started on the process, Wal-Mart may find out and beat you to the punch,” he said. “I share everybody’s concern, not just about Wal-Mart, but about big box (stores) as a whole,” said Councilman Bob Strosser. “I don’t think we can cut selective rules and go after this in the time frame we’ve got.” Councilman Claudette Moore said Wal-Mart isn’t a bad thing. “We have big boxes already,” she said, adding that even when Kmart pulled out of its big build- ing, it became Winco, which she said is benefi- cial. Councilman Jim Key disagreed. “I’m unable to accept a defeatist attitude,” said Key, explaining that he has recently heard from many Medford residents who do not want the store. “If we do nothing, our citizens will certainly take us to task,” he said. He said he’s afraid that in another four years the retailer would just pull out of the supercenter, because the Medford and Central Point stores are only seven miles apart, and they’d have to give up one. “Somebody’s stuck with a huge, huge store,” he said. Doyle cautioned the council about the amount of staff work that would be involved in the process to try to rush it when Wal- Mart may move quickly anyway. He said they may just want to think about future policies. But Councilman Skip Knight said he didn’t want to see the project go for- ward. “This company is a travesty to the local com- munity,” he said. Even members who supported the “fast track” policy change admitted this is the 11th hour. “This could have been addressed a lot earlier. I wish it had been done sooner,” Strosser said. (R)
