May 20 deadline
for primary vote
Inside:
Getting green
I.V. Golf Course
has ‘Dollar Days’
Page 5
Several elective offices,
including two seats on the
Josephine County Board of
Commissioners, are included
in the Voters’ Pamphlet for
the Tuesday, May 20 vote-
by-mail primary election.
The ballot also includes a
proposal (Measure 17.20) by
Illinois Valley Fire Protection
District for a levy that would
provide paid staff on a 24/7
basis at two primary stations.
Detailed information on
most candidates and the bal-
lot measures is provided in
the pamphlet, copies of which
were mailed to registered
voters. Ballots must either be
physically in the office of the
county clerk, or deposited in
the box at Cave Junction City
Hall by 8 p.m. on May 20.
Getting Jazzed
LBMS visited
by musicians
Page 8
Good for Moms
Special offerings
Page 9
Coming clean
Flying Carpet &
Upholstery ready
Page 10
Mass Media
Art Walk set in CJ
Friday, May 9
Page 11
Fed dollars
for JoCo aim
of Walden
Look at Business
Merchant outlines
Page 15
Toler’s ire
Lawmen called
to meeting
Page 20
Reprieve for
valley’s unit
of B&G Club
By LINDA
COREY-WOODWARD
For IVN
Although it seemed that
closure was imminent for the
Illinois Valley Unit of Rogue
Valley Boys & Girls Club,
the doors will remain open.
During a hosted dinner
and presentation at Taylor’s
Country Store in Cave Junc-
tion to spotlight funding goals
and plans Tuesday evening,
April 29, unit Director Scott
Thornhill announced that the
local club will not close, as
previously announced.
The earlier decision to
end the I.V. program was
based on lack of local sup-
port. During the previous
three years, $10,000 a year
was raised through a mere 53
donors.
A new fund-raising effort
has been launched to increase
awareness of the Boys &
Girls Club. It is reaching out
to more donors to reach an
annual goal of $55,000; with.
$35,000 already pledged dur-
ing the next three years.
Thornhill is confident
that residents and businesses
will support the club to main-
tain the important programs
relied on by the community.
He said that he already is rais-
ing awareness of the Boys &
Girls Club and the good it
does for Illinois Valley.
He painted a bright fu-
ture for the I.V. program
based at Evergreen Elemen-
tary School. The club pro-
vides valley students with
supervised activities, life
skills and leadership training,
education and fitness pro-
grams. Outstanding students
are recognized for their
achievements.
Many students overcome
daunting obstacles to excel in
KRISTY LEE COOK, a native
of Illinois Valley’s Selma
community, and among the
top seven winners from the
most-recent American Idol ,
was the special guest at
Ray’s Food Place in Selma
on Saturday, May 3. Ray’s
hosted the event, which
included a barbecue and
music, and drew a huge
crowd. Cook said that she
signed some 1,200 auto-
graphs. Those attending
commented on her gra-
ciousness. Next up, she’ll
go on a national tour for
American Idol. (Photos by
Ali Madjdi for IVN )
An extension of county
payments to cover the next
four years is strongly pushed
by Second District Congress-
man Greg Walden (R-Ore.)
At his request, U.S.
House of Representatives Re-
publican Whip Roy Blunt (R-
Mo.) asked Democratic Ma-
jority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-
Md.) directly on the House
floor last week about the pros-
pects for a vote on county
payments in the House.
He also encouraged the
Democratic leadership to
schedule a vote. Hoyer is
responsible for setting the
agenda for voting on bills.
During the past two
weeks, Walden has been on
the House floor delivering
speeches to once again bring
attention to the effect of the
lapse of the program on coun-
ties in the Second District. He
delivered a similar series of
speeches during January and
February 2007.
During the most recent
speeches, the latest which
was last week and focused
on the effects to Josephine
County, he has repeatedly
called on the Democratic
leadership to schedule a vote
on H.R. 3058. It provides
for a fully offset four-year
extension of the program, or
to include county payments in
a vehicle already moving,
such as the Farm Bill or the
emergency supplemental.
H.R. 3058, a bipartisan bill.
The latter is sponsored
by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-
Ore.) and co-sponsored by
Walden, and has been eligible
for a vote on the House floor
since Jan. 15, 2008.
On Jan. 18, DeFazio and
Walden wrote Hoyer urging a
prompt vote on H.R. 3058.
Yet no vote has been set.
“It’s been 44 legislative
days and over three months
since a strongly bipartisan bill
to extend county payments
has been ready for a vote on
the House floor,” said Wal-
den. “With many vital public
services already coming to a
halt due to significant layoffs
of county employees in our
forested counties, and the
siren call blaring for months, I
(Continued on page 6)
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