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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 2008)
JoCo gets oily facts on biofuel Inside: Letters to Santa Children's wishes, business greetings Pages 2-4 Cougar events Students in spotlight Page 5 New trail Equestrians, hikers excited Page 8 Grad night benefit Rock Band fund- raiser at IVHS Page 9 Talent displayed Final 2008 Art Walk held Page 16 Several crashes occurred in Illinois Valley during the past several days. They included a rollover on Hwy. 199 at Ghost Town (above). A story about the incidents is on page 15. (Photos by Illinois Valley Fire District Media Dept and IVN ) Toler has budgetary fix-it plan By SCOTT JORGENSEN For IVN When the Oregon Legis- lature convenes in January, it will face an estimated $1.2 billion budget shortfall for the coming 2009-11 biennium. But Dave Toler, chair- man of the Josephine County Board of Commissioners, said that he might have an answer to help overcome the deficit. In 2005, when Toler was a member of the Three Rivers School District Board of Edu- cation, he tried to lobby legis- lators to eliminate some of the state’s many tax expendi- tures. Toler said that he was inspired to examine the issue after the Legislature’s 2003 session. That was the longest in the state’s history, largely because of partisan bickering over budgetary issues. The Budget Accountabil- ity Act of 1995 requires the (Continued on page 5) Happy Camp men lose pot An Oregon State Police traffic stop in the Grants Pass area led to the arrest of three California men following the discovery of approximately 10 pounds of marijuana. Because of a traffic vio- lation on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at around 11:35 a.m. an OSP senior trooper stopped a northbound Dodge pickup truck displaying California license plates on Hwy. 199 near milepost 2. The vehicle contained three men and was traveling toward Interstate 5, said OSP. Investigation after the stop led to the discovery of 10 pounds of marijuana con- cealed in the vehicle, said OSP. The seized marijuana has an estimated value of approximately $30,000. The three men, all from Happy Camp, were arrested on drug-related charges. They are identified as the driver, Brian A. Crocker, 27; and passengers, Aaron T. Hockada, 42; and Wayne A. Blake, 33. They were lodged in Josephine County Jail in Grants Pass on charges of unlawful manufacture, pos- session, and distribution of a controlled substance/ marijuana. (Clockwise from left) Mishaps on Redwood Hwy. also oc- curred on Hayes Hill; in the 19000 block in Selma; at mile- post 41; and at milepost 40. Community garden sprouting at Safe House site By LINDA COREY-WOODWARD For IVN Progress on the Commu- nity Garden Project at the Illinois Valley Safe House Alliance (IVSHA) site in Cave Junction is reported by Iris Chinook, IVSHA devel- opment coordinator. She noted that the land was surveyed and tilled, and that a cover crop of crimson clover was planted this fall to prepare for future planting. The clover is sprouting, due to recent rain. The winter cover crop will add nitrogen to the soil to help start the spring cultivation. Chinook said that those who contributed funds to prepare the soil and plant the cover crop are appreciated. Organic fertilizer was do- nated by Good Earth Organ- ics, and Suri Futures offered to donate alpaca manure. Both are Cave Junction busi- nesses. Another Cave Junc- tion company, Clouser Drill- ing, generously has offered to donate drilling a well. Clouser is known for its com- munity giving. IVSHA staff also ex- pressed appreciation to Rod- gers Tractor Service for dis- counted site preparation, and Paul Chernay for his advice. Funds will still need to be raised for a pump and pump house. IVSHA sent a request for donated seeds to Territo- rial Seed Co. Said Chinook, “We will be looking at green energy grants for solar power for the pump and other garden elec- trical needs.” She completed the pro- ject description to be used for applying for various grants and is in the process of identi- fying potential grantors. IVSHA is starting to promote the community garden through announcements at area service club meetings, newsletter articles, Website posting and email. “We have several offers of potential free tractor work for spring soil prep,” said Chinook. She added that more volunteer opportunities are ahead: Clearing rocks from the garden right before soil prep next spring; soliciting dona- tions of tools and other items on the wish list; and donating time, talent, and money as the project moves forward. To participate, phone 592-4147. Children’s Opening Day at GP Library Saturday Josephine Community Libraries Inc. (JCLI) volun- teers are preparing to open the Children’s Room at the main branch of the library at 200 N.W. “C” St in Grants Pass on Saturday, Dec. 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We’ve been vacuuming, sweeping, and cleaning 18 months worth of dust,” said a weary Barbara Ketley, a JCLI volunteer and Grants Pass Friends of the Library president. The reason for all the activity is the Children’s Opening Day, where youths will be treated to a special ride on JCLI’s version of the train in The Polar Express, complete with hot chocolate and a reading of the book. Circulation also will be avail- able in the Children’s Room only, so kids can check out books during the holidays. Adults will get a chance to preview the rest of the li- brary, meet staff, talk to vol- unteers, and join JCLI. Volunteers are buoyed by the news that the Jose- phine County Board of Com- missioners approved a three- year lease and a grant agree- ment for a matching-fund grant of $300,000. Doug Walker, president of the JCLI Board of Directors, pointed out that it’s not too late to join the group. “In fact,” explained Walker, “if people join before Dec. 31, they can still be Founding Members, which brings special recognition and, more importantly, the pride of knowing you helped support community libraries.” The libraries in Josephine County closed on May 17, 2007. In September ‘07, com- mitted community members formed JCLI, a nongovern- mental, nonprofit organiza- tion dedicated to reopening and operating the libraries in Josephine County. People interested in get- ting involved with the effort can e-mail info@josephine library.org. Those interested in be- coming members can send their check or money order payable to “Josephine Com- munity Libraries” to P.O. Box 1684, Grants Pass OR 97528 or make a secure dona- tion on the Website, www.josephinelibrary.org. By SCOTT JORGENSEN For IVN A presentation and grant request from the Eugene- based company N.W. Seed Crushers Inc. was received during a Friday, Dec. 12 ad- ministrative meeting at the courthouse in Grants Pass by the Josephine County Board of Commissioners. Company owner Chuck Bergfeld and co-founder Tim Parker’s focus was on the production of biofuel through growing and processing ca- nola, a crop which also can be used as seed meal source. Bergfeld told the board that a moratorium is in place against canola growing in Willamette Valley, due to fear of it cross-pollinating with grass seed and other crops. That moratorium does not apply south of Lane County, Bergfeld said. Other advantages, Bergfeld said, are that Jose- phine County production of the crop could bolster the agricultural industry, increase the value of farmland, and aid in the battle against noxious weeds. It also would help improve county diversity from a timber-dependent economy, he said. Parker said that by grow- ing canola, farmers can take advantage of tax credits and renewable energy mandates in order to guarantee a market share. The canola crop has been successfully grown in a variety of areas and climates, Bergfeld and Parker said. Water canola has a high yield, even on marginal, non- irrigated soil. N.W. Seed Crushers sup- plies equipment to growers, along with personnel, to plant, harvest and transport the seed to market. It also would process the seeds. But to bring these oppor- tunities to Josephine County, Parker and Bergfeld re- quested an $85,000 economic development grant from the board. They said that doing so would create local jobs almost immediately. The board will consider the grant request in January. Finance class at RCC/Kerby A three-part Fundamen- tals of Finance series course, consisting of Bookkeeping Basics, Financial Statements, and Payroll Basics is offered in Illinois Valley from 6 to 9 p.m. beginning in January. Classes, all with Cynde Canepa as instructor, will be held in the new I.V. Business Entrepreneurial Center in Kerby, a project of the Rogue Community College Small Business Development Cen- ter program. Bookkeeping Basics (nine-hour course) will be held Tuesdays and Thurs- days, Jan. 29 through Feb. 5. Financial Statements (six- hour course) will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 10 through 12. Payroll Basics (six-hour course) will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 17 through 19. Participants can save on tuition by enrolling in the entire series. Registration is requested by noon two work- ing days before the start of the class(es). For information phone 956-7494 or visit roguecc.edu/sbdc.
