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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (June 9, 2004)
Page 3 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, June 9, 2004 (Continued from page 2) BLAZE DAYS - To discuss a Community Fire Plan, Illinois Valley Fire District has scheduled public meetings to be led by Volunteer Firefighter De Spell- man, fire prevention coordinator. Meetings, all on Wednesdays, are set for 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the follow- ing locations: Selma - June 9, at Selma Community & Education Center (former elementary school); O’Brien - June 16, at Fire Station 3, corner of Hwy. 199 and Lone Mt. Road; Takilma - July 7, Commu- nity Center, 9367 Takilma Road; Kerby - July 28, RCC Kerby Belt Bldg., 24254 Redwood Hwy.; Hol- land - Aug. 11, IVFD Fire Station 4, 5465 Holland Loop Road; Cave Junction, Aug. 18, county building, 102 S. Redwood Hwy. BLOOD RUSH - An American Red Cross blood drive will be held at Illinois Valley Senior Center, 520 E. River St., on Thursday, June 10 from 1 to 6 p.m. Phone (800) 448-5433 to schedule a donation. ‘FORE!’ KIDS - Children 5 to 15 can sign up for the Junior Golf Program at Illinois Valley Golf Course from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 12. For more information, phone 592-3151. WEED NEED - “Weed Warriors” are sought. Volunteers should meet at Selma Community & Edu- cation Center on Saturday, June 12 at 11 a.m. Bring tools, gloves and water. For more information, contact Forestry Action Committee at 592-4098. POTTSVILLE THRILL - Early Day Gas En- gine & Tractor Association Inc., Branch 9 will present its annual Pottsville tractor show and swap meet weekend after next. There will be an Old Town Pio- neer Village featuring operating engines and tractors, wagon rides, a swap meet with quilting, basket and broom-making, soap-making and more. The event will be held Saturday, June 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, June 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a fee for admission. NOTEPAD - Rogue River Firefighter Mike Gavlik, son of I.V. Volunteer Firefighters Ken and Pearlene Gavlik, recently received an award during an Oregon State Police ceremony Thursday, June 3, for his assistance during a shooting incident that occurred in March involving OSP Trooper Nick Neville, who has recovered … Cold Case Squad volunteers are sought by Josephine County Sheriff’s Office to work on older homicide cases which have been closed or are inactive due to lack of leads … Jessica Mason, an IVHS student, recently was awarded a scholarship by Illinois Valley Garden Club … “Methamphetamine Awareness Day” for Thursday, June 17 was to be proclaimed during a Josephine County Board of Com- missioners’ meeting on Wednesday, June 9 … A Pow Wow will be held by Southern Oregon Indian Center on Saturday and Sunday, June 19 and 20 at Valley of the Rogue State Park beginning at noon … Bumper sticker: God bless everyone. No exceptions. LAST WORDS - I love deadlines. I like the whoosh- ing sound they make as they fly by. (Douglas Adams) people rejected the levy to indicate their displeasure with the board of county commissioners. How ab- surd. I have been coming to county commission meet- ings for nearly a year to bring to light some of the problems I see in the li- brary’s budget. Things like: *Managers taking only a 10 percent cut in pay which left their benefits in place while cutting the staff members income as much as 41 percent and having them lose or have to pay for their benefits. *Spending 34 percent of the personnel budget on the manager’s salaries, not including their benefit package. *Some managers re- ceiving 140 percent more pay than the people they supervise. I have brought these things and more to the county commissioners. But I knew other things that I did not go public with, as I believed the director de- served a second chance at passing a levy. However, since the levy has now failed twice on her watch, I believe the public has the right to know the follow- ing. The management style at the library has caused the filing of numerous la- bor grievances in the past year. An unfair labor prac- tices complaint has been filed with the state, and recently a complaint has been filed to the Civil Rights Division of BOLI. Additionally, I at- tended a commission meet- ing in December 2003 in which I heard the director give erroneous data about a personnel matter; and just recently again when the director gave her budget presentation to the budget committee about another personnel matter. The county’s own person- nel records will substanti- ate the facts in both issues if the commissioners should care to pursue these matters. Clearly the director of the Josephine County Li- brary is out of touch with the people of this county. Two tax levies have been defeated while she has been the director. Yet she does not seem to wish to accept any blame for this. The director serves at the pleasure of the county commission. Clearly the voters spoke about how they feel about the com- missioners in this last elec- tion, and I believe that the failure of the library levy for the second time was also a message. And I be- lieve the message is this: the people of this county are tired of the waste that exists and they are trying to take back fiscal control of the county. If they had trusted Sue Luce to do the right thing with more money, the levy would not have failed again. Commissioner Jim Brock has stated that the county now uses perform- ance in evaluating fiscal issues in county govern- ment. In essence are we, the citizens, getting what we are paying for at a fair price? I believe the citizens of Josephine County are dis- pleased with the library director’s performance. I believe they do not see value in her management of the library. Therefore I request that the commissioners ask for the resignation of the library director; and should she fail to resign I ask that they, as the elected repre- sentatives of the people, dismiss her. In this county, million- dollar homes are bought and sold, and we cannot keep our libraries funded properly. It is time to give the people proper funding and management of their li- braries and that is not pos- sible with the current di- rector in place. Aleksa, Christianson wed Jonathan Christianson, son of Ron and Olga Christianson of Cave Junction, married Jamie Aleksa, of Boring, Ore., daughter of Joyce Aleksa of Gresham, Ore. and Jerry Aleksa of Battleground, Wash. on May 22, 2004 at Oregon Caves Chateau. They first met there as tour guides in summer 1999. Christianson, a 1997 Illinois Valley High School graduate, has a bachelor of science degree in sound technology from University of Oregon in Eugene and is a lead technician building high-end home theater systems. His bride, with a bachelor of science degree in biology from Western Oregon University at Monmouth, is a dental steriliza- tion assistant. She will enter the dental hygiene pro- gram this fall at Lane Community College in Eugene. In the Wednesday, June 2 issue of “Illinois Valley News:” *A page 1 caption incor- rectly listed American Legion Auxiliary Unit 70 member Matt Ollis as the junior mem- ber placing flags on graves for memorial day. The boy in the photo is actually 4-year- old junior member Stormy Owens. Ollis is a 14-year-old junior member (not shown) who also aided in flag place- ment. *Also in last week’s is- sue, a page 3 caption for a African dance being per- formed by members of The Shining Stars incorrectly stated that the group demon- strated in-class activities for seventh-grade Lorna Byrne Middle School students in conjunction with their studies on Africa. The Illinois Valley Art Council’s Learning Through Art program actually organ- ized and conducted the event. IVHS Activities Calendar Brought to you by the folks at 592-3556 Cave Jct . 469-7545 Brookings/ Harbor Illinois Valley News An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and published by Robert R. (Bob) and Jan Rodriguez Bob Rodriguez, Editor El Jefe Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post Office as Official Newspaper for Josephine County and Josephine County Three Rivers School District, published at 321 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523 Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523 Post Office Box 1370 USPS 258-820 Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330 Volume 66, No. 12 Staff: Cindy Newton, Chris Robertson, Michelle Binker, Shane Welsh, Becky Loudon & Kacy Clement Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association DEADLINES: News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters 3 P.M. FRIDAY (Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be accepted until Noon, Monday with an additional charge.) POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ welcomes letters to the editor provided they are of general interest, in good taste, legible and not libelous. All letters must be signed, using complete name, and contain the writer’s address and telephone number. The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify authenticity. The ‘News’ reserves the right to edit letters. One letter per person per month. Letters are used at the discretion of the publisher. Unpublished letters are neither acknowledged nor returned. A prepaid charge may be levied if a letter is inordinately long in the editor's opinion. POLICY ON “HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE”, DISPLAY & CLAS- SIFIED ADS & NOTICES: All submissions must be hand delivered, faxed or e-mailed to us for publication. Submissions must be re- submitted each week if the item is to run for more than one week. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One year in Josephine County - $20.80 One year in Jackson and Douglas Counties - $24.40 One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state - $28 POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR. 97523 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16 School Board Meeting at District Office - 7 p.m. Senior Nutrition Menu Sponsored by Taylor’s - Bologna or Salami $2.50 lb. Hoffman’s - Smoked cheddar or cheddar Swiss $4.89 lb. Wild River - Bohemian pilsner (541) 592-2126, 474-5440 Meals are served in the CJ County Bldg. FRIDAY, JUNE 11 *Shaved ham sandwich on whole wheat bread, pasta salad, citrus salad, chocolate chip bar MONDAY, JUNE 14 *Western breaded beef steak, green peas, creamy coleslaw, dinner roll, molasses cookie WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16 *Spaghetti with meat sauce, Italian blend vegetables, garden vegetable salad, garlic roll, birthday cake FREE CONCERT! ‘Route 66,’ an Illinois Valley country music band, will play on Thursday, June 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Jubilee Park for the opener of the I.V. Chamber of Commerce annual Concerts in the Park series. Be there! $7.50 pitcher EVENTS: *Thursday, June 10: with host Fred Epping UBA Dinner Special: Honey apple-glazed pork chops - $8.95 *Friday, June 11: 2nd Friday Art Walk ‘2-Foot Daddy’ with Wally Aiken playing sax, JD Smith - keyboard, Tony Askins - Fiddle and Sunny Sundstrom on guitar Dinner Special: Chicken picatta with rice - $9.95 *Saturday, June 12: Jen Ambrose - with ‘non-con-’ fusion (Fusion/jazz) Dinner Special: Grilled shrimp skewers - $10.95 *Sunday, June 13: Bluegrass Jam - 2 to 5 p.m. Dinner Special: ‘Finnys’ Lasagna - $7.95