Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Page 9
Kulongoski cracks down IVHS spreads musical cheer with free concert
A free, public program
season, will be on the pro-
ages audience participa-
year to be honored with a
on statewide meth abuse
By Medford
Mail Tribune
and Wire Services
Gov. Ted Kulongoski
has announced establish-
ment of a new task force
that will tackle metham-
phetamine abuse statewide,
which he called one of
Oregon’s biggest crime
problems.
“Methamphetamine is
estimated to be the driving
force in 80 to 90 percent of
property crimes committed
in Oregon,” Kulongoski
said in a speech last before
the Citizens Crime Com-
mission in Portland.
With new, cheaper and
purer forms of the drug
coming on the market, “it
is anticipated that use of
this drug will increase
sharply.”
Last year, arrests
linked to meth made up 78
percent of total drug ar-
rests by Jackson County’s
Narcotics Enforcement
Team.
Nearly 87 percent of
the agency’s overall drug
arrests were connected to
meth in 2001. Most sus-
pects are apprehended in
Medford, officials said.
The task force will
include law enforcement,
treatment specialists, the
pharmaceutical industry
and others who can craft a
plan by early next year.
Although meth long
has been recognized as one
of the state’s main drug
concerns, this is the first
time a governor has sin-
gled it out for attention.
Craig Campbell, Ku-
longoski’s public safety
adviser, said the plan is to
go after the drug at all lev-
els, from monitoring the
everyday chemicals used
to make it to treatment pro-
grams for users who be-
come addicted.
He said the task force
will have approximately 20
members and will first
meet in late January. The
hoped-for result is a plan
of action the governor can
implement or take to the
Legislature.
Campbell said Kulon-
goski is most nervous
about the emergence of a
crystallized form of meth,
known sometimes as “ice,”
that is cheaper, stronger
and more addictive than
other forms.
“It’s cheap,” Campbell
said. “It produces a high
the first time. It’s one of
those drugs that, once you
use it, that’s it.”
The task force will
look at precursor chemi-
cals used to make the drug,
which can be found in
common products such as
Sudafed, an over-the-
New sidewalks
coming soon
to downtown
Work to replace city
sidewalks damaged by tree
roots will begin this week,
and the job is to be fin-
ished by year’s end.
City Recorder Jim
Polk made the announce-
ment about the work dur-
ing the Cave Junction City
Council meeting in city
hall on Monday night,
Dec. 8.
The job is to be done
by Reed Construction of
Eagle Point. It will involve
sidewalks and tree grates,
with new trees to be
planted next year. The city
had a number of trees re-
moved this year because
roots damaged sidewalks.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
counter allergy pill, he
said. The governor hopes
to find a way to track how
such chemicals come into
Oregon and how they’re
acquired, Campbell said.
Kulongoski also wants
to study how the drug is
sold on the streets and in
schools, and how treatment
programs can become
more effective.
of current and traditional
holiday compositions will
be presented on Wednes-
day, Dec. 17 by Illinois
Valley High School
(IVHS) music students.
Led by T. Lund, the
vocal and instrumental
concert will begin at 7 p.m.
in the IVHS cafetorium.
Lund, director of music, is
one of only five music
teachers nationwide this
Mr. Holland’s Opus
Award during a presenta-
tion in Carnegie Hall with
actor Richard Dreyfuss,
who played Mr. Holland in
the film about him, making
the presentation.
The performance will
feature the IVHS Swing
Choir, Concert Choir, and
Concert Band. Various
holiday melodies, plus a
couple of spirituals for the
gram.
“There’ll be traditional
winter music, much of it
upbeat,” said Lund. There
also will be a Sousa march
and the well-known
“Brahms’ Lullaby,” he
said, plus a Christmas
march, and excerpts from
the music of “Star Wars.”
In addition, said Lund,
the popular “Up on the
Housetop,” which encour-
tion, will be presented.
“We’re going to have
fun, and are looking for-
ward to this performance
for the community,” said
Lund.
Holiday Concert
Wednesday, Dec. 17
IVHS cafetorium
7 p.m.