50¢
JoCo job rate
looking good
I.V. deputy staffing doubtful
Total payroll employ-
ment rose by nearly 400
jobs during May, dropping
the Josephine County unem-
ployment rate to 6.8 percent.
It was 7.4 percent in
April; 7.5 percent in May
2004, said Oregon Employ-
ment Dept. (OED).
During May 32,401
persons were employed in
payroll jobs, said OED.
During the past 12 months,
payroll employment in the
county has increased by 550
jobs, a gain of 2.3 percent.
By CHRISTINA HILL
Correspondent
When Josephine
County Sheriff’s Office Lt.
Lee Harmon retires June 30,
it’s unlikely that his position
at the Illinois Valley Substa-
tion in Cave Junction will be
replaced.
According to Sheriff
Dave Daniel, the substation
will remain open because
it’s staffed primarily with
volunteers. However, a paid,
on-duty officer will not nec-
essarily on-site. Emergency
calls will be answered by
deputies from Grants Pass,
30 miles away.
This does not include
the 40-hour per week con-
tract officer paid for by the
city of Cave Junction.
“I want the people of
Map indicates
highway work
The Oregon Dept. of
Transportation is distribut-
ing the Summer 2005 Road
Projects map so that motor-
ists can plan ahead and be
prepared.
With 110 projects listed
on the map, this is one of the
busiest construction seasons
in recent history. The in-
crease is fueled in part by
the Oregon Transportation
Investment Act (OTIA).
The Oregon Legislature
passed a series of funding
packages that raise $2.96
billion for highway and
bridge construction work
during the next several
years. OTIA funding is con-
tributing to 23 projects
scheduled for this construc-
tion season.
More road projects also
means drivers are more
likely to encounter a work
zone. When driving through
one, remember to slow
down.
The construction map is
a helpful guide for general
information about construc-
tion. For current road condi-
tions, including construction
activity, motorists can log
on to TripCheck.com or
phone 511.
The Summer 2005
Road Projects map is avail-
able at locations around the
state, including DMV of-
fices, truck stops, welcome
centers and ODOT offices.
Following are the high-
and-low temperatures, and
rainfall, recorded in O’Brien
by Cheryl & Harry Johnson.
*Mon., June 13: 86-52
*Tues., June 14: 76-54
*Wed., June 15: 82-43
*Th., June 16: 59-48, .24
*Fri., June 17: 58-47, .51
*Sat., June 18: 61-48, .20
*Sun., June 19: 70-51, .08
Cave Junction
Wednesday, June 22
Mostly Sunny
Clouds at times
High--82, Low--48
Thursday, June 23
Mostly Sunny
High--83, Low--49
Friday, June 24
Sunny and warm
High--84, Low--50
Saturday, June 25
Sunny & Windy
High--86, Low50
Sunday, June 26
Sunny and cloudy
High--76 Low--47
Monday, June 27
Sunny & cooler
High--73 Low--42
Tuesday, June 28
Partly sunny
High-78 Low-45
Sheriff feels commission reducing officers with budget
HISTORY RECALLED - Sharon Clouser (above) placed
an emblem designating an historic building at Illinois
Valley Airport, the old Siskiyou Smokejumper base.
Among former smokejumpers who attended a tour Sat-
urday, June 18, were (below, front from left) Wes
Brown and Gary Buck; (rear from left) Bob Nolan and
Phil Clarke. The tour, which included what is believed
to be the oldest remaining parachute loft in the West-
ern United States, was led by Roger Brandt. He and
members of the I.V. Airport Advisory Board are work-
ing to preserve the historical value of the site. (Photos
by Dale & Elaine Sandberg)
the Illinois Valley to know
we’re still going to strive to
provide the best service we
can,” said Daniel. He added:
“I’ll try and get one of
the regular officers out there
some more, but that’s hard
to do since I have less offi-
cers than I had before. I’ll
do my best, but I can’t say
whether that officer will be
full time or not. I almost can
guarantee someone out there
hopefully part time, maybe
20 hours a week.”
Besides being unable to
replace Harmon, Daniel has
to let go two jail positions,
reducing the jail capacity
from 140 inmates to 135.
Daniel blames these
problems on the Josephine
County commissioners.
During a board meeting
Wednesday night, June 15
at the Anne G. Basker Audi-
torium in Grants Pass,
Daniel spoke against them.
Daniel said, “My big-
gest disappointment in that
order (from the commis-
sioners) is I have two lieu-
tenants. One, Lt. Lee
Harmon, works in the val-
ley, and having Lee out
there really helps, but he’s
retiring at the end of the
month and that’s going to
leave a big hole in the pro-
tection out there.”
The board has pointed
out that Daniel has the same
amount of money as last
fiscal year, using it as he
wishes.
Commissioners have
their own side to the story.
(Continued on page 12)
Free swim, car show Saturday
A grand reopening of
the Cave Junction Swim-
ming Pool -- with free ad-
mission -- and the Cave
Junction Lions Club annual
Antique & Classic Car
Show in Jubilee Park will be
held Saturday, June 25.
Besides the free car
show Saturday with break-
fast and lunch available, the
sponsoring Cave Junction
Lions Club also will have on
Friday, June 24 a poker run,
dinner and dance.
Additionally, the club
will have in Jubilee Park
Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4
p.m. the Oregon Lions Sight
& Hearing Foundation mo-
bile health screening unit
with free services.
Check the ad on page 3.
The pool event, with
free swimming, hot dogs
and soft drinks, will be held
from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Season passes will be sold at
a 10 percent discount during
the grand reopening.
After Saturday, the pool
will be open Mondays
through Fridays from 1 to 5
p.m. for open swimming.
For more information phone
592-3990.
Free Cave tours scheduled June 25
Public Land Corps plan
stems from Rep. Walden
The Public Land Corps,
a program in which young
adults could gain experience
in forestland management
while helping to implement-
fuels-reduction components
of the Healthy Forests Res-
toration Act (HFRA), has
been introduced.
U.S. Congressman Greg
Walden (R-Ore.), chairman
of the House Subcommittee
of Forests and Forest
Health, introduced the bipar-
tisan Public Lands Corps
Healthy Forests Restoration
Act of 2005, to establish the
program.
Walden co-authored
HFRA and it became law in
2003. Similar legislation
introduced by Walden was
passed by the House of Rep-
resentatives last session, but
the Senate did not take ac-
tion prior to Congress’ ad-
journment. The bill is co-
sponsored by Congressman
Tom Udall (D-N.M.).
“Through the Public
Lands Corps, our young
people, especially those dis-
advantaged, would be able
to gain valuable education
about and a sense of owner-
ship in our public lands,”
said Walden. “They would
receive hands-on training
that can better position them
for future careers in forest
management while taking
proactive measures to pre-
vent catastrophic wildfire.
“Most importantly, we
would be teaching future
generations about the impor-
tance of responsible stew-
ardship of our forests.”
Walden introduced the
act to give young adults 16
to 25 the opportunity to ob-
tain skills and valuable edu-
cation in forestland manage-
ment while conducting work
in fuels reduction projects
on federal forestlands.
Projects would be di-
rected at efforts to prevent
catastrophic fire and reha-
bilitate public land affected
by fires.
Most notable, he said,
work would be performed in
accordance with HFRA plans
to reduce hazardous fuels.
Participants in the
Corps would be managed by
the agency in charge of the
given public land under the
jurisdiction of either the
Dept. of the Interior or the
Dept. of Agriculture.
The managing agency
could contract directly with
youth, or they could enter
into contracts with state-
level departments of natural
resources, agriculture or
forestry.
In February, Walden
received the “Congressional
Champion” award from the
National Association of Ser-
vice and Conservation Corps
for his work on this issue
Walden represents the
2nd Congressional District
of Oregon, comprised of 20
counties in southern, central
and eastern Oregon. He is a
deputy whip in the House
leadership structure and a
member of the House Com-
mittee on Energy and Com-
merce as well as the Com-
mittee on Resources..
On Saturday, June 25,
Oregon Caves National
Monument will host its an-
nual Community Day with
free admission for the gen-
eral cave tour, and an oppor-
tunity for visitors to partake
of many other offerings.
Visitors can enjoy
Ranger programs, tours of
the historic chateau, Nature
walks and other activities
scheduled through the day.
Tours begin at 9 a.m. with
the last leaving at 5 p.m.
Oregon Caves is located
approximately 20 miles
from Cave Junction at an
elevation of 4,000 feet. A
leisurely drive will get visi-
tors to the monument in ap-
proximately 40 minutes.
Temperatures outside
the cave can be warm, but a
light jacket or sweater
should be carried for the 90-
minute tour of the cave. The
temperature in it is always
42 degrees.
It’s OK to take cameras
into the cave. Visitors in
wheelchairs can access only
the first room. Children un-
der 42 inches cannot go on
the general tour of the cave,
but staff will take families
with small children into the
first room.
A large visitation is an-
ticipated for Oregon Caves
Community Day so the first
thing people will want to do
is sign up for a cave tour at
the on-site visitor center.
“The visitor center is in the
building you will see in
front of you and above the
road as you walk into the
historic district from the
main parking lot,” said the
National Park Service.
After signing up for a
tour, visitors can enjoy
scheduled Ranger programs
and Nature walks as well as
tours of the Oregon Caves
chateau, a National Historic
Landmark.
Youngsters who want to
earn a Junior Ranger badge
can pick up an activity book
and pencil. Once activities
are completed, the book can
be handed in for a badge.
For those who would
like a hike in the woods,
there are three short loop
trails that depart from the
historic district. Kids who
want to earn trail buttons
can pick up activity sheets.
Lunch and dinner are
available at the chateau din-
ing hall and coffee shop. Ice
cream, coffee and snacks
can also be purchased at the
gift store.
There have been many
changes at the Oregon
Caves during the past 10
years. Staff and volunteers
recently completed the larg-
est cave restoration project
of any U.S. cave.
More than 1,300 tons of
rubble were removed; the
trail route reconstructed, and
new lighting installed.
Five years ago, fossils
were discovered in the cave,
and since that time the cave
is recognized to have the
most complete jaguar fossil
in the United States, the old-
est grizzly bear fossil in
North America, and the
largest collection of sala-
mander fossils in the nation.
A display of fossil
bones is located next to the
tour route.
Other research has re-
cently confirmed the cave to
contain a large community
of cave-adapted life, all of
which are endemic only to
this cave. The tour will in-
clude these stories.
KERBY TRUCK WRECK - A southbound semitruck and trailer driven by Ronald W.
Morgan, 50, jack-knifed and hit a tree on Hwy. 199 close to Waldamar Road Thurs-
day, June 16 near 2 p.m. Morgan declined medical aid. Unofficial reports indicated
that he lost control on a curve and jack-knifed when a car in front of the chip truck
slowed to turn into a driveway. Approximately 25 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from a
ruptured tank toward a nearby residence. I.V. Fire District and Oregon Department of
Transportation worked on the spill. Traffic was disrupted for about two hours.