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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, September 19, 2007
TRSD preparing for enrollment decline
Superintendent says list of members for Right-Sizing Committee pending
TWO-DECADE DINNER - Pregnancy Center of
the Illinois Valley will celebrate its 20th anniversary with
a “See the Future” banquet Friday, Sept. 21 at I.V. Senior
Center. The keynote speaker, registered nurse Cindy No-
bile, will “share the miracles of prenatal development and
ultrasound technology,” said Mary Lefner, pregnancy
center executive director. Larry Nobile, of Focus On the
Family, will be master of ceremonies. Tickets are avail-
able by phoning 592-6058; and they can be obtained via
cash, check or credit card.
SIX-MILE CLEANING - Siskiyou Project is seek-
ing volunteers to help remove rubbish from around the
Wild & Scenic Illinois River near Six Mile Campground
out Illinois River Road. On Friday, Sept. 21 volunteers are
to meet at the Six Mile parking lot at noon. Serena Barry,
a graduate of I.V. High School now attending Southern
Oregon University at Ashland, is helping Siskiyou Project
and the U.S. Forest Service to accomplish the clean-up
before the winter rains wash it all downriver. Workers
will spend the afternoon gathering trash from the river
areas and dropping trash bags at a central location for pick
up by the forest service. Joel King, Wild Rivers District
ranger, has offered to cook beef and veggie-burgers for
the volunteers at the end of the afternoon. Volunteers
should come with sturdy shoes, clothes, gloves, and wa-
ter. For more info, phone Kindi Fahrnkopf at 592-4459.
GRAPES A LA SOLE - As part of a fund-raiser for
Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce, “amateur grape-
stomping” will be among the features Saturday, Sept. 22.
Bridgeview Vineyards Winery is the site for the fun event
that also will feature live music, a silent auction, and hors
d’oeuvres. See the ad on this page.
MAUER TOWN HALL - District 3 State Rep. Ron
Maurer (R-Grants Pass) will host a Town Hall Tuesday,
Sept. 25 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Redwood Elementary School
in Grants Pass. He will focus on K-12 education and
funding issues from the 2007 legislative session. He also
will make a special presentation to the Williamson Family
for passage of HB-3113 dealing with investigations of
child abuse at child-care facilities.
PLINKIN’ PLEA - A few good string players are
needed for the Rogue Community College Orchestra this
school year. “We’re looking for violin, viola, cello, and
bass violin players,” said T. Lund, orchestra director, who
is retired music teacher from I.V. High School and Lorna
Byrne Middle School. Rehearsals will be held Wednes-
days from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. at the RCC Redwood Cam-
pus Rogue Bldg. beginning Sept. 26. For more informa-
tion contact Lund at 592-6451.
GP BUSINESS BOOST - The ninth annual Grants
Pass/Josephine County Business Retention & Expansion
Awards Dinner, sponsored by Grants Pass Chamber of
Commerce, will be held Thursday, Sept. 27 from 5 to 8
p.m. at The Riverside Lodge. Successful businesses will
be honored with awards, and the keynote speaker will be
Carmen Voilleque, a consultant from Extreme Arts &
Sciences. For more information, phone 476-7717.
TO THE BAT CAVE! - Oregon Caves National
Monument On Saturday, Sept. 29, will celebrate the 14th
annual National Public Lands Day with a volunteer clean-
up project. The National Park Service said that volunteers
can join park staff with clean-up and restoration including
lint removal, litter pickup and algae control at the site, 20
miles east of Cave Junction. Participants must sign up in
advance. To sign up phone Elizabeth Hale at 592-2100,
Ext. 254; or by using Elizabeth_Hale@nps.gov. Volun-
teers will receive a pass good for free entry any day dur-
ing the next 12 months at public land sites managed by
many public agencies.
BARTER FAIRE AFFAIR - Friday through Sun-
day, Oct. 5 through 7, are set for the fifth annual Hope
Mountain Barter Faire. Sponsored by Dome School as a
fund-raiser, it will be held on Page Creek Road, approxi-
mately 10 miles from Cave Junction. Features will in-
clude a family camp, bartering and trading, plus music,
dance, workshops and a Kids Village. Watch for details.
NOTEPAD - Taylor Rose & Family will present a free
program of musical entertainment at Horizon Village Ac-
tive Retirement Community near RCC in Grants Pass on
Friday, Sept. 21 beginning at 4 p.m. There also will be a
barbecue. Phone 955-0777 for more information ... A golf
tournament to benefit the I.V. Chamber is set in Cave
Junction for Saturday, Sept. 29. See the ad elsewhere in
this issue … Southern Oregon Antiques & Collectible
Club will hold its 25th anniversary Fall Show the week-
end of Sept. 29 and 30 at the Medford National Guard
Armory. Hours will be 10 to 8 and 10 to 4 respectively …
Actual headlines: *Specialist: Electric chair can be
“extremely painful.” * Smokers productive, but death cuts
efficiency. *Judge to rule on nude beach. *Old school pil-
lars replaced by alumni.
LAST WORDS - I like to believe that people in the
long run are going to do more to promote peace than our
governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so
much that one of these days governments had better get
out of the way and let them have it. (President Eisen-
hower/WWII U.S. Allied Supreme Commander)
The truth, indeed, is something that mankind,
for some mysterious reason, instinctively dislikes.
Every man who tries to tell it is unpopular, and
even when, by the sheer strength of his case,
he prevails, he is put down as a scoundrel.
- H.L. Mencken -
By WALLY AIKEN
For IVN
Superintendent Jerry
Fritts reported that names are
being considered for a Right-
Sizing Committee to oversee
the allocation of resources to
Three Rivers School District
(TRSD) sites.
Fritts addressed the
TRSD Board of Directors
during its meeting Monday
night, Sept. 17 at Illinois
Valley High School.
The chief executive
stated that TRSD schools
are facing substantial de-
clines in enrollment and a
corresponding decline in
resources. The committee
will explore methods and
actions that may be neces-
sary to deal with the subse-
quent decline in revenues.
Fritts also indicated that
a list of names for the com-
mittee should be ready for
the board’s approval during
the next scheduled meeting.
It is set for Oct. 15 at Fruit-
dale Elementary School.
Board member Robert
Litak, of Cave Junction,
emphasized the need to look
at creative alternatives to
ensure that the level of edu-
cation does not suffer. He
also expressed concerns
about the time table for the
committee so that any com-
munities involved will have
appropriate time to deal with
any changes that may occur
in school curriculums.
Fritts and TRSD Direc-
tor Leslie Meier, of Grants
Pass, said that they had met
with Dr. Dick Withicum, a
specialist in right-sizing and
had been assured that the
district was on schedule.
They also stated that Withi-
cum will work with the
committee to help with any
problems that might de-
velop.
The meeting at IVHS
opened with a video presen-
tation, “Where Excellence Is
Standard.” The video was
produced and funded by
Bryan Hawkins, whose chil-
dren are scheduled for
graduation in 2021. School
programs throughout the
district are highlighted in the
video, as well as the dis-
trict’s commitment to qual-
ity education. Hawkins pro-
duced the video to be used
as a TRSD promotional
tool.
The board also ratified
three-year contracts for
teachers and administrators.
However, the contract for
another group of employees
was tabled.
The contract for confi-
dential employees, who are
the administrative assistants
for senior staff members,
was mistakenly approved
but not ratified during the
July meeting. When the
contract was presented to
the confidential employees
they chose not to ratify it.
At issue are the levels
for raises during the year.
Human Resources Director
Debbie Breckner said that
ODOT passing lane meet topic
A public meeting for
persons who live along
Hwy. 199 from Elliot Creek
Road to a point on the south
side of Round Prairie Road
will be held by ODOT on
Tuesday, Sept. 25.
The meeting will be
held from 5 to 7 p.m. at
United Methodist Church of
Wilderville at 7970 Red-
wood Hwy. (199).
ODOT is planning a
passing lane for northbound
traffic. “Driveways may be
consolidated to help with
safety in this corridor,” the
agency said.
Plans will be presented
at 6 p.m. “or drop by any-
time between 5 and 7 to see
what is planned,” said Pro-
ject Leader Jayne Randle-
man. She can be contacted at
774-6394; or contact Gary
Leaming at 774-6388.
(Continued from page 2)
ing machine.
These profiteers now
threaten Oregon with a scam
called the Western Oregon
Plan Revision (WOPR). It
commits Oregon’s public
forest lands to the exclusive
purpose of transferring the
state’s wealth to corporate
timber profiteers while leav-
ing our Oregon communi-
ties with a lower quality of
life, less opportunity for
local businesses, and a fu-
ture of tax burdens to make
it all work.
Timber is Oregon’s sky-
scraper. Our forests are es-
sential to our business future
and the quality of life that
we need to bring the laugh-
ter of children to our state’s
communities.
Oregon’s identity is
embodied in our forests. We
will not forget who we are.
Up yours, Bush.
‘D.C. profiteers trying to
whop Oregon,’ he feels
From Roger Brandt
Cave Junction
The intent of terrorism
is to intimidate us into for-
getting our national identity
and, as William Falk sug-
gested in a recent edition of
The Week, the best way to
fight terrorism is with laugh-
ing children and new sky-
scrapers that send a message
saying, “We will not be in-
timidated. Up yours,
Osama.”
However, Osama is not
the biggest threat to the na-
tion. No act of terrorism will
ever damage America as
much as has been inflicted
by profiteers who have infil-
trated our political structure
and turned the nation into
their personal money mak-
pay for administrative assis-
tants is usually a percentage
of the administrator’s pay,
and that the contract as ap-
proved did not reflect this
industry norm.
The counter-offer by the
confidential employees was
tabled to allow TRSD direc-
tors to study the differences
between the approved con-
tract and the proposal from
the confidential employees.
Breckner did say that the
proposed contract has an
initial 2 ½ percent pay in-
crease as opposed to the 3
percent rise proposed by the
board, but that subsequent
pay increases would result
in an increased cost to the
district of $15,000.
The pact would be only
for one year as opposed to
the three contracts ratified for
teachers and administrators.
Business Manager
David Marshall requested a
transfer of contingency
funds for maintenance pro-
jects. The money would
cover expenses related to
vandalism and security is-
sues. It also would help in
the maintenance of kitchen
facilities. This measure was
approved unanimously.
S ELMA
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FOR VENDOR INFOR-
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597-2522
5th Annual
Illinois Valley
Chamber of Commerce
Golf Tourney
4-p erson Sc ra mb le - Op en to the Publi c
Saturday, September 29
Laurel Pine s Golf Course, Cave Junction
Check-in 8 a.m., Start 9 a.m.
L unch p rov ide d b y
Taylor’s Sausage
Beer prov ided by
Wild River Brewing & Pizza Co.
$50 fee includes: 18 holes of golf, green fees,
driving range, lunch, & on-course refreshments
To Register Call: Chamber office at 592- 3326
or Laurel Pines at 592-3151
Deadline: September, 22
Low Student/Teacher Ratio
Individualized Academic Program
Hands-on Science & Nature
Music Program
Parent Participation
Openings available in:
Toddlers
Preschool
Kindergarten
Elementary
Call 592-3911
Space is limited
‘Parent Cooperative Alternative Education’
Grape-Stomping Contest
Bridgeview Vineyards Winery
Saturday, Sept. 22, 4-8 p.m.
Hors d’oeuvres
Live music by ‘Jefferson’
Silent Auction
Beer & Wine and ‘Bridgeview Barge’ Rides available
Tickets available at chamber office in I.V. Visitor Center
or at the winery ($25 per person, advance purchase
recommended).
Co-sponsored by Bridgeview Vineyards Winery &
Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce.