Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2007)
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, January 3, 2007 Page 3 OED: County job news for past year a ‘mixed bag’ Employment numbers in Josephine County took a downturn in November, Oregon State Employment HONORING PRESIDENT FORD - Oregon Gov. Kulongoski issued the following on the Dec. 26 death of President Gerald R. Ford: “Today we have lost an out- standing American citizen and president. President Ford was a man of dignity and honor. He always did in his public life what he thought was best for America, even at tremendous cost to his personal career. Gerald Ford led this nation through a difficult period and will long be remembered for his decency and strength of character.” Kulongoski also has ordered that flags at all state buildings and facilities be flown at half-staff through Thursday, Jan. 25 to remember Ford’s contribution to the nation. Private citizens and businesses also are en- couraged to observe the 30-day period. UNCLE BILLY’S HOURS - Last week’s story about Uncle Billy’s Diner in Downtown CJ had incorrect hours due to a last-minute change. The revision made it to the ad on page 7, but we forgot to alter the story. So, here are the hours: Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wednesdays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. LITTLE LEAGUE LIST - Saturday, Jan. 6 and Sunday, Jan. 7 are set to take signups for Illinois Valley Little League in the meeting room at the Josephine County Bldg. in Cave Junction. Hours the two days will be 9 to 4 and 11 to 4 respectively. Those 5 to 16 years of age can sign up for baseball and softball. Plus, applica- tions for volunteering can be picked up. For more infor- mation phone 592-5112 or 592-4389. IMMUNIZATION ALERT - The “Exclusion Date” for students not up to date on their immunizations is Feb. 21 for the current school year. If A child is not up to date on his or her immunizations by Feb. 21, he or she will not be allowed to attend classes until they have re- ceived the necessary immunization(s). Medical offices or the school office can help parents locate and review those records. NOTEPAD - Recognition awards for outstanding citizen and business for contributions during 2006 will be given Feb. 10 during a dinner-dance at the Junction Inn. Nomination forms are available from the chamber office in the I.V. Visitor Center … Real headlines: *Man struck by lighting faces battery charge. *Farmer bill dies in House. *Teacher strikes idle kids. *Gas cloud clears out Mexican café. *After detour to California, shuttle returns to Earth. LAST WORDS - *Love is not something you feel. Love is something you do. (David Wilkerson) *The love we give away is the only love we keep. (Elbert Hubbard) County hiring freeze (Continued from page 1) greatest effects will be on the sheriff’s office “but sig- nificant reductions will be made widely across county operations.” “Presently, the board cannot tell you exactly which and how many em- ployees will be losing their jobs,” the memo read. Padgett said that the county is required to notify employees two weeks to 30 days in advance of any lay- offs. According to the memo, some layoffs may be affected by the terms and conditions of collective bar- gaining agreements between the county and the unions representing its employees. The memo also leaves open the possibility that funding issues will be re- solved, as any final deci- sions are contingent upon many factors beyond the county’s control. “Wherever possible, as funds allow, county services will be restored and employ- ees returned to work,” the memo noted. “As we move forward, please remember theses comments are quali- fied because the future is still unfolding. “The board is steadfast in the hope that more posi- tive outcomes are just over the horizon.” Library funding gap (Continued on page 3) which won’t be available next year,” Vichi said. The situation may ap- pear dire, but Vichi said there are no immediate plans to close the facilities. “We haven’t been told we weren’t going to be here, and that’s always a good sign,” Vichi said. Vichi said that the li- brary’s board of directors will meet during the next few weeks to come up with recommendations for the county commissioners. The library board will work with a consultant hired by the state library system to help counties facing financial difficulties. In the meantime, Vichi, Dwyer and the county’s other library staffers will continue to serve patrons and hope for the best. “At this point, we have not received any word as far as our budget amount for next year,” Vichi said. “But right now, our most impor- tant goal is to keep the doors open to some degree and work on every idea and pos- sibility and work on expand- ing service from there.” Make your own llama felt hat... Dept. (OED) noted late last month. Employment trends for the past year were catego- County ‘leaner, meaner’ - Commissioner Jim Riddle By SCOTT JORGENSEN IVN Staff Writer After four years of ser- vice on the Josephine County Board of Commis- sioners, Jim Riddle ended his tenure on Wednesday, Dec. 27. Riddle’s political in- volvement began with a five-year stint on the Grants Pass City Council. He said he was first inspired to run after reading about and tracking events at city hall. “I was the perfect arm- chair quarterback,” Riddle said. The decision to run was made easier after Grants Pass City Attorney Ulys Stapleton, a friend, urged Riddle to run. “It was time to either put up or shut up,” Riddle recalled. Riddle finished out his term on the council and re- verted to private life for a while. But then he saw the candidates who had filed for the county commissioner seat vacated by Frank Iver- son. Feeling that none of them had the right combina- tion of government and business experience, Riddle threw his hat in the ring. In an interview immedi- ately following his final board meeting, Riddle said that he was proud of his ac- complishments in county government. “The county is a leaner, meaner organization than it was,” Riddle said. Among his achieve- ments with the board: reduc- ing the county’s workforce and management, putting employee benefits more in line with the private sector, and privatizing mental health services. “There are now more services for less money, and it’s a better program,” Rid- dle said. “That was huge.” When Riddle first took office, the county had half a million dollars in reserves. These days, that figure is up to $6 million. Riddle and fellow com- missioners Dwight Ellis and Jim Raffenburg certainly faced their share of chal- lenges, including very pub- lic battles with outgoing Sheriff Dave Daniel. Those conflicts centered mostly on budgetary allocations, Rid- dle said. “It’s too bad,” he said. “If he had been honest to the people and his own men, he would have admitted that his budget had gone up every year,” Riddle said. The situation also got tense last year when county employees went on strike. Riddle said that the standoff “was disruptive to the future of the county” before being resolved. “That did a lot of dam- age to me politically, and it also did a lot of damage to the morale of employees,” Riddle said. “But when all was said and done, they didn’t gain any ground. We were in position where we couldn’t give any ground.” For the immediate fu- ture, Riddle said that he plans to be at his business, Builder’s Choice in Grants Pass, on a full-time basis. But long-term, Riddle said that he may be inclined to run for mayor of Grants Pass or seek a seat in the state Legislature. End draft, says Rep. DeFazio Plans to reintroduce leg- islation to abolish the Selec- tive Service System (SSS) and put it in “deep standby” status soon after the 110th Congress convenes this month were announced by U.S. Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). Deep standby would suspend draft registration, reduce a significant portion of SSS staff, and disband the SSS boards. DeFazio’s announce- ment is in the wake of recent revelations that SSS plans to conduct a “readiness exer- cise” by 2009. It would in- clude tests for randomly choosing military draftees by birth date and notifying those chosen; the network of ap- peals boards; and dealing with conscientious objectors and those seeking deferments. The test would amount to a “mock draft,” DeFazio said. He also announced his intention to offer an amend- ment during the fiscal year 2008 appropriations process to prohibit SSS from con- ducting this exercise. “Our all-volunteer mili- tary is the best in the world,” DeFazio said. “As the Penta- gon, the president and the House of Representatives have agreed, there is no mili- tary or national security im- perative to reinstate the draft. The current selective service infrastructure is obsolete and unnecessary. Taxpayers should not be forced to con- tinue funding it. “If our country truly faced a national emergency that threatened our way of life, I have no doubt that citizens would voluntarily mobilize to protect it. American citizens can be mobilized just as effectively and at less cost if we get rid of the existing selective ser- vice infrastructure,” Try on all the styles & colors at the S. Oregon Guild Gallery in the RCC Belt Building in Kerby 10 AM to 3 PM Wednesday-Saturday ...at a winter hatmaking Sign up at workshop. The SOG Gallery, Dates now Picket Fence Fabrics, being set. or call 592-6078 rized as “mixed,” and unem- ployment in Josephine County rose slightly, from 5.5 percent in October to November’s 6.1 percent rate. The November 2005 unemployment rate was 6.3 percent, OED said. OED figures show that during last November 33,791 persons were employed vs. 34,116 during October. Seasonal industries in- cluding construction, natural resources and mining; and leisure and hospitality lost jobs during November. Wood products manufactur- ing, and food and beverage stores also reported losses. One of the few sectors to post a gain in November was education, up 30 jobs. During the past year, local government shed 110 jobs. However, the private- sector job-growth rate showed a 1.2-percent in- crease, adding 260 jobs dur- ing the year. Gains were reported in construction, wholesale trade, health care and social assistance; and leisure and hospitality. Despite its strong show- ing this year, OED was cau- tious in its forecast for hous- ing and construction sector employment, noting a 29- percent decrease in county residential unit building per- mits from October 2005 to October 2006. “As the nation’s hous- ing market has slowed in recent months, this may have dampened the number of equity refugees migrating out of California to buy property and build new homes in Southern Oregon,” OED said. Slowing residential con- struction and low prices for plywood and framing lum- ber adversely affected the region’s wood products in- dustries. “More pain,” is what the employment department predicted, as the depths of the cyclical housing trend continue to be plumbed. The Jackson County rate during November was 4.9 percent compared to 4.4 during October, and 5.1 per- cent during November 2005. Hap p y Ne w Ye a r Joshua Coronado U.S. Army Pvt. Joshua R. Coronado has graduated from nine weeks of basic infantry training at Fort Benning at Columbus, Ga. He is the son of Angelo Coronado and Kim Thur- man of Holland Loop in Cave Junction. Coronado is a 2005 graduate of Illinois Valley High School. to all our customers! Thank you for 18 years in business, Siskiyou Market BULLETIN: Community Media & Education is presenting an ‘Education Series’ titled “Peak Oil & Permculture” First Program: Documentary Films - “Peak Oil: Imposed by Nature” (28 mins.) & “The End of Suburbia” (78 mins.) Tuesday, January 9, 7 p.m. at: The Community Media & Education Center 140 S. Redwood Hwy. C.J. 592-2408 - cmec@cavenet.com http://cmec.n3.net Fine Dining Steaks - Chicken - Fish - Large Hamburgers Restaurant separate from lounge Now Available Every Day! Prime Rib & Prime Rib Sandwiches Bring in this ad for a 10% discount Open 4 to 9 p.m. (winter hours) 7 days 592-2892 or 592-4222 * Biscuits & Gravy * Pancakes * Eggs * Bacon * Sausage * Coffee, Milk, Juice Adults - $5 Children 12 & under - $2.50 January: “International Creativity Month”, “Jump Out of Bed Month”, “National Be On-Purpose Month”; January 2-6 “Someday We’ll Laugh About This Week”
