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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 22, 2004)
Kerby water system gets green light American Medical Response personnel took a gunshot victim from a Cave Junction home (top). Law enforce- ment (bottom) responded in force to the scene. Shooting suspect held after CJ home incident A suspect listed as an armed career criminal was arrested in connection with shooting a man in the city of Cave Junction Friday, Dec. 17, said Josephine County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO). Arrested on charges of first-degree assault and be- ing an ex-convict in posses- sion of a firearm was Everett Daniel Scott, 35, of O’Brien. He is charged with wounding Old Stage Road resident David Wayne Scott, 49, in his upper-right thigh “with a small-caliber hand- gun.” The shooting occurred at 207 W. River St., said JCSO, and was reported at approximately 3:26 p.m. The victim was taken by American Medical Re- sponse (AMR) to Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass, where he was treated and released, said the sheriff’s office. At the initial call, AMR and Illinois Valley Fire Dis- trict (IVFD) medics and other personnel stood by for a short time in the neighbor- hood until the first two deputies on-scene, including Sgt. Stephen V. Clarke and his K-9 partner, “Piko,” said it was safe to come in. Once the house was declared Code 4, medics and firefighters converged. Subsequently, besides two AMR ambulances and several IVFD units, four more deputies and an Ore- gon State Police trooper responded to the scene. The street was filled with emergency vehicles and their flashing lights, which attracted a large num- ber of bystanders. According to JCSO: “Witnesses said that an ar- gument broke out between the two Scotts, who are not related. “The argument became physical, and Everett Scott produced a small-caliber handgun and shot David Scott. “He then fled on foot. Less than an hour later, a deputy spotted him walking on Old Stage Road near Laurel Road, less than a mile from the shooting. “He was taken into cus- tody without incident and placed in county jail.” Deputy on leave after shot Administrative leave has resulted for a deputy who fired one gunshot at a man fleeing from him on foot in Cave Junc- tion. The action affecting Deputy Michael Burke, of Josephine County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), is standard procedure, said JCSO. An internal investigation is under way. Burke fired at Anthony J. Slovick on Sunday, Dec. 12 at approximately 2:41 a.m. on Daisy Hill Lane, said JCSO. The deputy was chasing him after a vehicle pursuit when Slovick stopped and turned around. Seeing a metallic object in Slovick’s hand, the deputy fired one round. It missed, and it was determined that the ob- ject was a flashlight. Slovick was jailed on charges of parole violation, eluding, reckless driving, reckless endangering, driving under the in- fluence of an intoxicant, and possession of methamphetamine. Kerby Water District (KWD) has a green light to seek a $690,000 grant that could open a door for an- other one worth $1.5 mil- lion. Following a public hearing in Grants Pass Wednesday night, Dec. 15, Josephine County commis- sioners approved an appli- cation for KWD to seek a 2004 Community Develop- ment Block Grant for $690,000 from the Oregon Economic & Community Development Dept. Its approval would clear the way for a $1.2 million grant from the USDA’s Ru- ral Utilities Program, said John Plute, KWD president. It’s hoped, he said, that a water system for the Kerby community could be in operation by sometime during 2005. The commu- nity has had water problems for years because of wells going dry during summer months, and there have been sanitation problems. KWD has contracted with the city of Cave Junc- tion to supply water and read meters once the system is installed. Children’s letters to Santa are in the second section of this issue. * * * The “Illinois Valley News” office will close at noon Friday, Dec. 24. * * * A number of valley businesses will close early Dec. 24, and nearly everything will be closed Christmas Day. Cave Junction Wednesday, Dec. 22 Mostly sunny, Evening clearing High--45, Low--24. Thursday, Dec. 23 Mostly sunny, Chilly & clear evening High--49, Low--24. Friday, Dec. 24 Variable clouds, Cool evening High--50, Low--25. Saturday, Dec. 25 Variable clouds, Evening clearing High--50, Low--28. Sunday, Dec. 26 Afternoon showers, Clearing late High--53, Low--32. Monday, Dec. 27 Variable sunshine, Cold night High--39, Low--18. Tuesday, Dec. 28 Clear & sunny, Very cold evening High--37, Low--18. MAJOR STRUCTURE FIRE - Illinois Valley Fire District (IVFD) firefighters responded to assist Rural/Metro Fire Dept. and Rogue River Fire Dept. Monday, Dec. 20 in fight- ing a 6:30 a.m. blaze involving a two-story home with approximately 4,500 square feet of space on Round Prairie Road near Wilderville. The home owners, Monte and Audrey Southwick, arrived from an out-of-town trip shortly afterward. A light bulb on wet carpet in a car is suspected as the cause of the fire. A damage estimate was un- available. (Photo by Dale & Elaine Sandberg/IVFD photographers) Illinois River improvements slated USFS says $1.6 million project will bolster recreational opportunities A two-year, $1.6 mil- lion recreation improvement project including features along Eight Dollar and Illi- nois River roads, as well as the roadways themselves, will begin next summer. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced Wednes- day, Dec. 15 that it is mov- ing forward on the Illinois River Recreation Develop- ment Project. Plans include constructing, reconstructing, removing and replacing fa- cilities and roads at various locations in the scenic sec- tion of the Wild and Scenic Illinois River. “We are going to de- velop or designate 58 camp- sites, 21 day-use sites, 230 parking spaces and 13 toilets to increase the public oppor- tunity to enjoy their national forest,” said Pam Bode, ranger for the Galice and Illinois Valley districts. “This investment,” said Bode, “will provide suitable recreation facilities for the public while protecting the ‘Outstandingly Remarkable Values’ in the Wild and Scenic Illinois River. “My decision also in- cludes development and enforcement of user regula- tions in this corridor that will improve safety and re- duce resource damage. “Restrictions will in- clude parking in undesig- More enforcement of rules to protect visi- tors and the environ- ment, based on past incidents, is planned nated areas, off-road vehicle use, speed limits and camp- fires,” said Bode. “In certain areas,” she added, “ campfires will be l i m i t e d t o a ge n c y- constructed fire rings.” The project area extends along Illinois River from the Rogue River-Siskiyou Na- tional Forest boundary near Kerby, to the confluence of Briggs Creek near the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Be- sides Eight Dollar and Illi- nois River roads, it includes other less-traveled forest roads. Among areas affected by the project will be the section of Illinois River Road from Six-Mile Creek to a point near McCaleb Ranch. Because of heavy visitations during the past several summers, there have been problems with traffic, underage drinking, public intoxication, reckless endan- germent and other such situations. “Current conditions like those are unacceptable,” said Michael Keown, envi- ronmental coordinator in Bode’s office. Parking areas on both sides of Illinois River, across from McCaleb Ranch at the swinging bridge, are planned. Private contractors likely will be engaged for some of the project work, said Keown. The planned project “was three years in the mak- ing from conception to analysis to decision.” A 45-day appeal period will end Jan. 31, 2005. The legal notice describing the appeal process was pub- lished in a Grants Pass newspaper. Change tears of fear to holiday cheer By CHRISTINA HILL Correspondent Whether frantically shopping for Christmas gifts or baking goodies, chances are that you’re one of the millions of Americans stressed and overwhelmed this holiday season. But help is available. Using simple tips from Dorothea Hover-Kramer of Behavioral Health Consult- ants in Cave Junction, will help replace tears of fear with holiday cheer. Hover-Kramer spoke at the Illinois Valley Family Resource Center in Cave Junction to a group of hope- fuls wanting to learn about beating holiday stress. Her simple techniques, she promised, will help any- one feel better. “There are cultural myths that we have about the holidays,” she said. “A lot of this stuff is what the (advertisers) feed us, like, you have to buy this to be happy; and the only problem with that is that it doesn’t happen that way,” said Hover-Kramer. “It works against us,” she said. “We set high ex- pectations to make every- body happy, but it’s not pos- sible. Each person must find inner happiness within, be- cause it doesn’t come from material things.” From trying to make the perfect holiday meal to buy- ing the perfect present, peo- ple easily lose sight of the real meaning of what Christ- mas is all about, she noted. According to Hover- Kramer, more people are depressed after the holidays than before, because the high expectations they set for themselves weren’t met. (Continued on page 11)