Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Toler lists consequences without public safety levy
So there I was with
my head in the clouds,
and the rest of me fol-
lowed.
Yes, for a handful of days
last week I got to visit family in
lovely (mostly) Carlsbad on
the Pacific Coast of San
Diego County, which is my
point of origin. It’s now in-
tensely crowded; much too
congested, and it’s not the
type that a decongestant will
help.
Because of returning late
Saturday night, I am still a bit
woozy from all that flying and
hurrying to catch up with yelp-
ing … er, helping to
get this issue to the
presses. Therefore,
I am taking the easy
way out and using
some photos from
this trip.
Remember, a
photo takes the
place of a thousand
words. Wow, I just
saved 4,000 words.
Be talking to you at
more length next
issue with a variety
of observations.
Cave Junction
Wednesday, March 28
Mostly cloudy
High--50, Low--33.
Thursday, March 29
Rather overcast with
threat of showers
High--55, Low--33.
Friday, March 30
Cloudy with drizzles
High--58, Low--38.
Saturday, March 31
Gray skies with slight
chance of rain
High--55, Low--38.
Sunday, April 1
Sun and clouds
High--62, Low--32.
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in O’Brien by Cheryl
& Harry Johnson.
*Fri., March 16: 77-35
*Sat., March 17: 72-39
*Sun., March 18: 66-39
*Mon., March 19: 58-42 0.47
*Tue., March 20: 56-40 0.09
*Wed., March 21: 59-32
*Thur., March 22: 70-32
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in Cave Junction at
Mountain Wind Farm.
*Fri., March 16: 76-32
*Sat., March 17: 80-36
*Sun., March 18: 75-36
*Mon., March 19: 59-37 0.41
*Tue., March 20: 60-38 0.06
*Wed., March 21: 60-33
*Thur., March 22: 70-31
Monday, April 2
Part clouds and sun
High--63, Low--40.
Tuesday, April 3
Less clouds
High--73, Low--43
illinois-valley-news.com
Illinois Valley News
www.illinois-valley-news.com
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and published by
Robert R. (AKA Bob or El Jefe), Editor and Jan Rodriguez
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
Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net or newsdesk@illinois-valley-news.com
Volume 70, No. 2
Staff: Michelle Binker, Zina Booth, Josiah Dean, Scott Jorgensen
Millie Watkins, and Tina Grow
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P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction OR 97523
By SCOTT JORGENSEN
IVN Staff Writer
Josephine County Com-
missioner Dave Toler vis-
ited the Josephine County
Democratic Central Com-
mittee meeting Thursday
night, March 22 to seek
support for a proposed May
15 public safety levy.
Toler began by giving a
brief overview of the
county’s reliance on federal
O&C dollars, given in lieu
of declining timber receipts.
“O&C federal money
has dominated the county’s
funding forever,” Toler said
at Fruitdale Grange Hall in
Grants Pass.
He pointed out that the
county did not collect prop-
erty taxes during the 1970s,
due to an abundance of fed-
eral funds. These days, the
county collects those taxes,
but at a relatively low rate.
“Josephine County has
the lowest permanent tax
rate in the state of Oregon,”
Toler said. “Now we’re pay-
ing for it.”
If the levy passes, Toler
said, the Josephine County
Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) will
be able to provide five
around-the-clock-patrols;
the county jail will be run at
a 190-bed capacity; and the
district attorney’s office will
have 10 deputy D.A.’s.
Without federal funds
or a levy, JCSO would be
reduced to one patrol car for
20 hours out of each day,
Toler said. The jail would
operate at a 30-bed capacity
“at the most,” and the
D.A.’s office would be
down to three deputy attor-
neys from its current nine.
Toler emphasized the
need for Grants Pass city
residents to support the levy.
He said that if the levy fails,
the “loudest scream” will
come from them, as they are
used to a higher level of ser-
vice than county residents.
“If you’re in the city of
Grants Pass, in some ways,
you’ll be hit harder than
rural areas,” Toler said.
Toler applauded Ore-
gon’s federal representatives
for their continuing attempts
to secure O&C funds. How-
ever, their public proclama-
tions could have the unin-
tended consequence of com-
promising the levy passage.
“Those efforts are really
making it difficult for our
levy,” Toler said. “Voters
are saying the problem is
solved already.”
He said that user fees
could be increased at some
county agencies, and noted
that the parks department’s
$2 day-use fee is “going
very well.” Funds collected
through that fee have al-
lowed the parks department
to become self-sufficient,
Toler said.
The county Democratic
Central Committee then
voted overwhelmingly to
endorse the levy. Toler ex-
pressed much gratitude for
that decision.
Josephine County Re-
publican Central Committee
Chairman Herb Carter said
that Commissioner Dwight
Ellis is scheduled to appear
at that body’s meeting
Thursday, April 5 at 7 p.m.
at Fruitdale Grange Hall.
(Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary, including state-
ments made as fact, are strictly
those of the letter-writers.)
* * *
Typed, double-spaced let-
ters written solely to this news-
paper are considered for publi-
cation. Hand-written letters that
are double-spaced and legible
also can be considered.
‘Thank you’ submissions
are not accepted as letters.
citizens didn’t seem to care.
Despite unprecedented
growth, the village had no
professional planner. When
the village lost its only engi-
neer who oversaw develop-
ment projects, village lead-
ers said that was fine, they
didn’t need one. And the
people of the village went
along their own way.
The village sewer plant
began operating over capac-
ity. Major spills went into
local streams. Streets were
not maintained during ice
storms, and people were
injured. The cost of having
no planning began to be
impossible to ignore.
Suddenly, the people of
the village began to wake
up. They began to attend
council meetings and asked
questions. In the nick of
time, the people of this vil-
lage overcame their coma-
tose apathy and got involved
in their village.
Happily, the village was
saved from sure destruction.
Fifty-eight said “no” be-
cause an atheist could not be
trusted (or words to that ef-
fect), adding that we must
have a religious man we can
trust, a man of honor; we
need a leader with integrity,
a man that does not lie, (or
words to that effect).
At the end of each of
the 62 calls, I asked “Like
President Bush?” Fifty-nine
hung up on me without a
response, and the other three
said “Yes,” and I hung up
on them.
After serious thought I
came to the conclusion that
most of the people want to
be lied to by a man of deep
faith, with integrity, exactly
like George Bush.
So the answer seems to
be, lie like hell and pray 10
times a day on public televi-
sion, so the public can see
how honest, sincere and
trustworthy you are.
A quaint village tale
decrying citizen apathy
From Carolyn Fosmore
Cave Junction
Once upon a time, there
was a quaint little village
tucked in the Siskiyou
Mountains of Southern Ore-
gon. For many decades, the
village had suffered from
high poverty rates and a
struggling economy.
Decades of hard times
had led to a community that
seemed to care little about
its village government.
While the village strug-
gled economically, the rest
of the West Coast continued
to urbanize at a rapid pace,
thus shrinking the supply of
rural villages. This little vil-
lage, long ignored by eco-
nomic interests, now had
what many on the West
Coast wanted: a quaint, rural
setting with a beautiful cli-
mate and abundant recrea-
tional opportunities. Sud-
denly, this village was in
demand.
Developers from out-
side the area began arriving.
They were amazed at what
they found. Not only was
the village’s beauty and
friendliness just as they had
heard, but the village leaders
were totally unaware of the
value of what their village
possessed. Still believing
their village had little to of-
fer, the village leaders were
willing to help the develop-
ers in any way they could.
And the citizen apathy
was truly amazing.
Unlike nearly every
village in Oregon, because
no citizens wanted to par-
ticipate, the village had no
planning commission. With-
out one, the citizens were
out of the way.
Village leaders allowed
gravel driveways, subdivi-
sions with no curbs or side-
walks. Zoning didn’t matter.
Village leaders would stuff
whatever the developer
wanted into whatever place
they wanted it. And the village
A page 5 article in the
March 21 issue about a meet-
ing of the Illinois Valley
Chamber of Commerce
board incorrectly stated that a
proposal to trade member-
ship lists with I.V. Merchants
Association was received. In
fact, the proposal is to swap
2007 memberships.
Concealed-Carry Handgun Classes
being held right here in Cave Junction!
Phone for details!
Women only classes also available!
Seating is limited, classes are filling fast!
Phone Now! NRA instructor:
Steven Mohr (Reliance Concepts)
Home: 592-6692
Cell: 660-9824
Bush ‘lying, praying’
seemingly acceptable
From Wally Hardie
Selma
I recently saw a poll that
showed the percentage who
would not vote for candi-
dates who are Black, fe-
male, or of some specific
religion.
The very bottom of that
entire list of those who
would not be voted for was
an atheist.
Not understanding
why, I took my own poll.
Calling at random 80 peo-
ple, I asked, “Could you
vote for an atheist for presi-
dent, and if not, why not?”
Of the 80, 16 said they
could and would if the per-
son was qualified. Two
asked, “What’s an atheist?”
The Kerby
Transfer Station
is open to help you...
Hours: Mondays -
Saturdays
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information
phone (800) 922-1025