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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2007)
Page 12 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, March 21, 2007 DeFazio concerned about gas prices Reintroduction of legis- lation to address “skyrocketing gas prices” was announced by Congress- man Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) “The legislation would increase fuel efficiency stan- dards as well as lower prices by cracking down on price- gouging by OPEC, impos- ing a windfall profits tax and increasing competi- tion in the oil industry,” among other measures, De- Fazio said. Gas prices in Oregon are currently the fifth high- est of any state in the coun- try. DeFazio’s legislation, the Gasoline Price Stabiliza- tion Act of 2007, is an up- dated version of legislation he originally introduced in March 2003. “We need short-term measures to protect consum- ers and businesses from skyrocketing prices at the pump, and longer-term pro- posals to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and promote alternative tech- nologies,” DeFazio said. “The House recently approved an Energy Bill that would repeal a variety of oil industry giveaways and use that money to sig- nificantly boost the federal investment in alternative and renewable fuels, energy efficiency and conservation programs,” he said. “This is a great start,” he added, “but we must do more to ensure that oil com- panies are not gouging con- sumers at the pump while waiting for these longer- term efforts to bear fruit.” The DeFazio legislation includes several short-term and long-term proposals to protect consumers and to reduce U.S. reliance on for- eign sources of oil, the con- gressman said. State burned about tobacco addiction Public and private enti- ties charged with preventing and treating addictions and mental illness are being urged by the Oregon Dept. of Human Services to help clients quit using tobacco. A letter was sent to 180 treatment providers, county administrators, prevention specialists, health plans and mental health organizations. In it, Bob Nikkel, DHS as- sistant director for addic- tions and mental health, said that tobacco cessation has not been a high enough pri- ority. “In many cases tobacco has been used as a positive reinforcement ...,” Nikkel wrote. “Some facilities re- ward good patient behavior by allowing them to use tobacco.” Nikkel said that people with addictions or mental illness are two to three times more likely to smoke than the general population. He added that a Journal of the American Medical Association article reported during 2000 that in the United States 44 percent of cigarettes are smoked by this population. “As the nation’s leading preventable cause of dis- ease, disability and death, tobacco is even more harm- ful for this population,” he said. He urged providers to help clients quit tobacco by encouraging them to use the free tobacco “quit line” -- (800) QUIT-NOW -- that is said to successfully counsel tobacco users, based on past experience. Providers are urged to work with community to- bacco coalitions and help clients engage Oregon Health Plan-financed to- bacco-cessation services. Portland liquor store sales $7.23 million Portland’s Uptown Liq- uor Store sold $7.23 million in distilled spirits during 2006, topping the state’s 241 stores in sales for the year, according to Oregon Liquor Control Commis- sion, (OLCC). Agent Russell Kelley recorded sales of $4.95 mil- lion to neighboring bars, restaurants and other dis- pensers, and $2.28 million to walk-in customers. Agent Charles Wood- ward’s Tigard liquor store was second in sales at $5.8 million -- $4.2 million to dispensers and $1.63 million to the public. The fifth- ranked store, Salem East, had three times more sales to walk-ins: $4.07 million to the public and $1.34 million to dispensers, for a $5.4 mil- lion total. The agent is Douglas Powell. These stores rounded out the top 20 in sales: Port- land 10 th Avenue, $5.64 million; Bend East, $5.64 million; Beaverton Town Square, $5.38 million; Gresham Troutdale, $5.17 million; Oregon City, $4.77 million; Portland Down- town, $4.7 million; Portland Eleventh Ave., $4.58 mil- lion; Gresham East, $4.46 million; Eugene NE, $4.37 million; Portland 205, $4.3 million; Eugene Downtown, $4.28 million; Salem South, $4.2 million. Also, Portland Haw- thorne, $4.09 million; Port- land Jantzen Beach, $4 mil- lion; Milwaukie, $3.9 mil- lion; Bend North, $3.86 mil- lion; and Medford North $3.8 million. When the Oregon Liq- uor Control Commission issued its first price list in February 1934, quarts of Canadian Club whiskey sold for $5.24. Fairgrounds ‘fairly’ close to the wire ... (Continued from page 1) with the county as the gov- erning board of all the county’s services and a pro- gram within the county that, by statute, really is answer- able to a fair board,” Hill stated. “The activities that hap- pen at the fairground are dictated by the fair board,” she said. “That puts that county service in a unique position compared to other county services.” Raffenburg said that the commissioners expect to exercise financial oversight over fair operations, with the fair board handling day-to- day matters. “Our position is very clear,” Raffenburg said. “From an administrative standpoint, the fair manager reports to the county chief operating officer. From an operational standpoint, the ‘Rainy Day’ plan OK’d Historic legislation es- tablishing a General Fund “Rainy Day” account was signed into law Friday, March 16 by Gov. Kulon- goski. Oregon was one of six states without such a fund, but with the Education Stability Fund. With the bills signed into law Friday, Oregon now will have full protection for education, human services and public safety funding during future economic downturns, ac- cording to the governor. With the bills, “We have built a roof over our heads, and when the next economic storm comes, we’ll be ready,” the gover- nor said. “We will continue to provide vital services,” he said, “and we will have ful- filled our most solemn obli- gation as elected officials to protect health, safety and future of the people of Oregon.” House Bills 2707 and 2031 will establish a reserve fund to cover future revenue shortfalls. Specifically, they are: *Retain an estimated $290.3 million of the antici- pated 2007 corporate in- come tax kicker to finance the reserve fund. *Require the ending balance of the General Fund (up to 1 percent of its appro- priations) to be placed in the fund, an estimated $138.4 million this biennium. *Provide $24.8 million in tax rebates to small busi- nesses with less than $5 mil- lion in Oregon sales. *Set strict economic criteria and require a three- fifths vote of the Legislature to access the fund. *Limit the amount that could be drawn from the account in any biennium to two thirds of its total value. *Designate that interest earned on the fund will be committed to the fund. *Cap the size of the account to 7.5 percent of the prior biennium’s General Fund revenues. fair manager reports to the fair board.” McBee said that the MOU “will probably be ready” by March 28. In terms of achieving solvency, McBee said that a series of community fund- raisers have been scheduled, including a barbecue chicken dinner, dance, grandstand show and silent auction. McBee said she is opti- mistic that these measures will be enough to raise the $93,000 that the fair still owes the county. “Between all of these, we’ll be fine,” McBee said. “We’ll make it.” Raffenburg said that the fair board needs to recog- nize the overall severity of the situation, and should act accordingly. “There is no doubt that the fair board is dealing with a crisis,” Raffenburg said. “Hopefully, they will get it resolved before the money stops.” A PICKUP TRUCK vs. bicycle accident was reported at 2:28 p.m. Saturday, March 17 at 294 Thompson Creek Road, said Josephine County Sheriff’s Office. A young girl suf- fered a foot and ankle injury, and was taken for medical care by her mother. Illinois Val- ley Fire District (IVFD) and American Medi- cal Response responded. Other informa- tion was unavailable. (Photo by Dale & Elaine Sandberg/IVFD Media Dept.) Lorna Byrne cites honor roll students Lorna Byrne Middle School has announced the Second Quarter Honor Roll for students attaining a mini- mum grade-point average of 3.0 or better, based on indi- vidual student performance in all classes. 4.0 and Above *Sixth-grade: Taleesun Baker, Anthony Trey Dil- ley, Artesia Hubbard, Ellie Jantz, Andrew Keith, Alexandria Manninen, Kia Parrish-Haim, Miranda Stiles, Catherine Vawter, Kayla Young. *Seventh-grade: Thea Barker-Cortrecht, Myana Dhenin, Anastasia Green- berg, Angelina Heath, Sierra Heikka, Zachary Kay, Xenia Velasco. *Eighth-grade: Ryan Andrews, Jeremiah Berger, Gregory Crombie-Fujita, Winona Gallegos, Marissa Litak, Audrey Mechling, Kieran Rose, Cassandra Thurman. 3.5-3.99 *Sixth-grade: Bruce Arnett, Tracy Arnold, Morgan Barnes, Clarabelle Compton, Taylor Guion, Hannah Kanig, Michael Rathburn, Jovany Sanchez, Kevin Scott, Krysten Siver, Jordan Sussman, Daniel Vega. *Seventh-grade: Tyler Bryant, Jazmyn Danko, Joshua Free, Daniel Gomez, Jullian Hanson, Christopher Heise, Fred Hults, Danielle LaVassaur, Andrew McLaughlin, Rachel Miller, Benjamin Milner, Jonathan Nichols, Travis Robbins, Mason Smith, Jamie Sowell, Levi Vasquez, Kristen Vidales, Brandi Wollerton. *Eighth-grade: Jesse Bethke, James Buck, Matthew Coultas, Tyler Delaney, Nicholas Dowd, Taylor Harris, Roger Hults, Kayla Johnson, Cynthia Moore, Brittany Mosely, Hailee Parker, Curtis Paul- son, Rhiannon Quall, Casey Robertson, Sabrina Van Tassel, Geneva Vasquez, Ashley Webb. 3.0-3.49 *Sixth-grade: Kelly Armijo, Mathew Brock, Gregorio Duarte, Montee Gallegos, Seth Hammer- smith, Taysha Hodge, Elizabeth Jenkins, Mason LaFlamme, Mariah Oneto, Brandon Parker, Ariana Ray, Keven Smith Jr., Police arrest two transients at GP site said to be drug house Grants Pass Police ar- rested two transients and have three other suspects facing possible charges in connection with a “drug house” on Portola Drive. Portola Neighborhood Watch was praised by Grants Pass Dept. of Public Safety for its role. Officers searched the house and found marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, scales and packing materi- als, and several firearms. Arrested and jailed were Jeremy Paul Pullin, and Ramona Ann Donnersbach, both 34. She was taken un- der a Jackson County war- rant charging failure to ap- pear (FTA) on a charge of possession of meth. Pullin was arrested un- der four FTA warrants; two for possession of meth, and one each for second-degree theft and driving while sus- pended. Possible drug charges have been referred to the Josephine County District Attorney’s office against Cynthia N. Vullmahn, 55; Stone Wright Baxter II, 35; and Robert C. Edwards, 50, all of 1991 Portola Drive. Natane Stewart. *Seventh-grade: Stephanie Agee, Joshua Badgett, Ashley Barto, Georgia Bricker, Myiha Giles, Briana Grabarz, Makayla Gunn, Meghan Householder, CeCe Imerti, Carly Jensen, Krista Joines, Caitlyn Jones, Robert Low- den, Amanda Mastro, Greyland Miller, Alexandria Pipkin, Felisha Ripley, Jessie Rollins, Brandi Rough, Kaitlyn Skiles, Rose Summers, Chase Weir, Destiny Yoshiwara. *Eighth-grade: Zachary Anderson, Lindsey Aria, Cody Baker, Burt Barker, Bryan Biggs, Cody Chiver- ton, Brooke Crocker, Ericka Dean, Taylor Degiulio, Karley Deters, Augustine Duarte, Aleesia Hennings, Alexander Hess, Ashley Kreiser, Bradley Loyd, Celilo Nordal, Meghan Poore, Ralph Reyna, Mason Roberts, Dylan Skidmore, Breanne Smith, Statia Sny- der, Laurissa Tausaga. Pregnant and Feeling Overwhelmed? Free, confidential help is available. Pregnancy Center 592-6058 www.pregnancycenteriv.org To the Root: High Blood Pressure? Preventing disease progression with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Elevated blood pressure can have many causes. TCM can identify the causes specific to your body and lifestyle and help your system to heal with treatment. Blood, qi, phlegm stagnation, stress and deficiency may all contribute to elevated blood pressure. Bringing down the numbers is not enough — stagnation must be removed. Chinese medication can treat blood and water or phlegm stagnation safely (without dangerous chemicals) at the root. Illinois River Acupuncture 592-5041 Mon., Wed., Fri. Jo Anne Stone, M.S., L.Ac . I OWE YOU! OU! That’s right, Uncle Sam could owe you money. If you paid federal excise tax on long-distance phone service during the last three years, you may be eligible for a telephone tax refund. The standard refund is $30 to $60 and for some people, who had large phone bills, it could be even more. Go to IRS.gov for details. Or dial 1-800-829-4477 and select recorded tax topic #611.
