Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Public boozin’ not amusin’ to CJ city councilors
This was the issue in which I was going to continue
raving about a recent trip Down South, and even include a
peachy beachy photo. But as the damp, cold weather here
is depressing me (the lowest temp while we were in San
Diego County was 72), I am taking the easy way out. The
following from the Internet was sent by daughter Vicki Kap-
lan, and good friend Virginia Gilliam. I’m taking advantage:
Dear Dogs and Cats,
The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain
your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food.
Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate
and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your plate
and food, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing.
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king-sized bed. I
am sorry about this. Do not think that I will continue sleep-
ing on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats
can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not nec-
essary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out
to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails
straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end
to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bath-
room. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to
get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow,
try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try
to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I
entered. I have been using the bathroom for years -- so
canine or feline attendance is not required.
The proper order is: kiss me, then go smell the other
dog or cat butt. I cannot stress this enough. To pacify you,
my dear pets, I have posted the following on our front door:
To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain
About Our Pets:
*They live here. You don’t.
*If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the
furniture. That’s why they call it “fur”-niture.
*I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
*To you, it’s an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted
son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and
doesn’t speak clearly.
And remember that dogs and cats are different from
kids because they:
Eat less, don’t ask for money all the time, are easier to
train, normally come when called, never ask to drive the
car, don’t hang out with drug-using friends, don’t smoke or
drink, don’t have to buy the latest fashions, don’t want to
wear your clothes, don’t need billions of dollars for college,
and -- if they get pregnant, you can sell their children!
By SCOTT JORGENSEN
IVN Staff Writer
A public hearing on an
ordinance that would prohibit
drinking alcohol on public
premises drew positive com-
ments from citizens and
words of caution from a for-
mer mayor during the Cave
Junction City Council’s Mon-
day night, Jan. 26 meeting.
The pending ordinance,
which had a first reading in
city hall, would cover parks,
city parking lots and city
buildings. Offenders would
be fined $500 if convicted.
Cave Junction resident
Ed Arthurs spoke in favor of
the proposed rule. So did real
estate agent Anita LeGaux,
who said that the presence of
intoxicated homeless people
in public has become a seri-
ous issue.
“I’m happy to see that
there’s something being done
about this,” LeGaux said.
“It’s created a poor image for
our beautiful little city here.”
Business owner Sally
Palmer asked councilors what
the city was trying to accom-
Joel Perkins
plish by passing the ordi-
nance. Mayor Don Moore
responded that it will give
Josephine County Sheriff’s
Office deputies a tool to use
when dealing with problem
drinkers. Moore said the ordi-
nance is only part of the solu-
tion, but that it is a step in the
right direction.
“It’s a start,” said Coun-
cilor Margaret Miller.
Immediate past mayor,
Tony Paulson, said that while
he agreed with the intent of
the ordinance, state law con-
siders alcoholism a disease.
Because of that, Paulson said,
the ordinance likely would be
thrown out in court if it were
met with a challenge.
Paulson produced min-
utes from previous council
meetings where similar solu-
tions were debated. He re-
quested that the ordinance be
forwarded to the municipal
court judge to determine its
constitutionality.
Russell Carpenter told
councilors that he used to
take his granddaughter to
Jubilee Park, but stopped do-
ing so because of the open
alcohol use and the behav-
ior that often accompanies
it.
“I don’t use the park
anymore, and it’s time we
take it back,” Carpenter
said.
Victor Arias agreed,
and said that he has wit-
nessed many instances of
public drug use and sales.
“Let’s move these
drunks somewhere else,”
Arias said.
A second reading of the
ordinance is scheduled for
the council’s Feb. 9 meet-
Councilor Margaret Miller, Mayor Don Moore and
City Recorder Jim Polk. (Photos by Michelle Binker, I.V. News )
ing, in city hall.
The council also held a
public hearing regarding a
development agreement for
Bellau Woods Estates.
The applicant, Grants
Pass developer Michael Mas-
ters, said the matter has been
before the council several
times. He said that Lindilu
Lane was built according to a
plan that was reviewed by an
engineer hired by the city.
However, water has collected
at the end of the street and
onto a neighboring property
owned by the Quate family.
Masters proposed two
possible solutions for the
problem. One would be to
have a stormwater retention
pond at the end of the street.
The other would involve se-
curing an easement for the
Quate family’s property to
pipe out the water. The agree-
ment covered the second sce-
nario.
“We feel that’s a good,
fair solution,” Masters said.
But Joel Perkins ques-
tioned how the project was
allowed to proceed in the first
place.
“I’m in opposition of
things being done without
proper procedure,” Perkins
said. He characterized the
proposed agreement as “a
benefit 100 percent for the
developers.
“There’s many, many,
many problems here I can’t
even begin to address,” Per-
kins said, adding that a final
plat plan should have been
approved prior to any con-
struction on the subdivision.
Moore acknowledged
that “there were some mis-
takes made,” and said that
City Attorney Pat Kelly had
asked for the matter to be
continued to the council’s
Feb. 9 meeting.
“We’ll get this ironed
out,” Moore said.
In other matters, the
council:
*Unanimously approved
park requests for Illinois Val-
ley Little League to use Jubi-
lee Park and its snack bar
from Feb. 15 through Sept. 15
and the Cave Junction Lions
Club to use amplified sound
for its June 27 car show.
*Held a public hearing
for the first reading of an or-
dinance to transfer the owner-
ship of the city’s street lights
to Pacific Power.
ized,” (Illinois Valley News,
Jan. 21): Don’t be fooled by
Forestry Action Committee’s
(FAC) Director/Board Presi-
dent Susan Chapp.
In an Oct. 31, 2008 Ore-
gon Bureau of Labor and
Industries (BOLI) final order,
the commissioner, Brad Ava-
kian, found that:
*Chapp’s unsubstanti-
ated assertions are decidedly
disingenuous;
*Chapp’s credibility was
further undermined by her
admission that she asked
Robin Wilson to create a false
record;
*Chapp’s testimony con-
flicted with prior statements
she made to the (IRS) during
the wage investigations, con-
tradicted other credible testi-
mony, and was internally
inconsistent;
*“Respondent’s (Chapp)
apparent mismanagement of
grant funds is not a valid de-
fense;”
*“Respondent’s igno-
rance of the law does not ex-
empt it.”
Present board members
who are manipulated by
Chapp need to know that they
are financially responsible for
what she does. Former board
members and employees who
were fooled by Chapp might
want to contact Elizabeth
Grant at Oregon Dept. of Jus-
tice, (971) 673-1880 or email
charitable.activities@doj.
state.or.us to let her know
what they know about illegal
or unethical behavior at FAC.
Brought to you by the folks at
IVHS Activities Calendar
The Valley’s Tax Experts
Has Joined Forces With...
The Nation’s Tax Experts
Same Great Preparers & Same Great Service!
204 W. Lister St.
Cave Junction, OR
541-592-3667
Concrete
Remodel
New Construction
592-6609
CCB 174891
Illinois Valley News
www.illinois-valley-news.com
An Independent Weekly Newspaper
Co-publishers: Bob & Jan Rodriguez
Editor-in-Chief: Michelle Binker
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
P.O. Box 1370 USPS 258-820
Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net or newsdesk@illinois-valley-news.com
Volume 71, No. 46
Staff: Zina Booth, Brenda Encinas, Scott Jorgensen and Millie Watkins
Website design and maintenance by Ashgrove Visual Arts
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES:
News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters
5 P.M. THURSDAYS
(Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be
accepted until noon Fridays with an additional charge.)
POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ welcomes letters to the editor provided they
are of general interest, in good taste, legible and not libelous. All letters must be signed, using
complete name, and contain the writer’s address and telephone number. The latter need not be
published, but will be used to verify authenticity. The ‘News’ reserves the right to edit letters. Gener-
ally, one letter per person per month at publisher’s discretion. Letters are used at the discretion of the
publisher. Unpublished letters are neither acknowledged nor returned. A prepaid charge may be
levied if a letter is inordinately long in the publisher’s opinion.
POLICY ON “HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE,” DISPLAY & CLASSIFIED ADS &
NOTICES: All submissions must be hand-delivered, faxed or e-mailed to us for publication.
Submissions must be resubmitted weekly if the item is to run more than one week.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One year in Josephine County - $22.80
One year in Jackson and Douglas counties - $26.40
One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state - $36
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to
P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction OR 97523
(Editor’s Note: Views
and commentary, including
statements made as fact, are
strictly those of the letter-
writers.)
* * *
Typed, double-spaced
letters are considered for
publication. Hand-written
letters that are double-
spaced and legible also can
be considered. “Thank you”
submissions are not ac-
cepted as letters.
Meddlesome hobbyist
From Christopher Smith
Cave Junction
Kudos to Scott Jorgensen
for a great article on Holger
Sommer (Illinois Valley
News, Jan. 21). The article
seemed fair and unbiased.
I got a chuckle about
how Sommer refers to his
meddling in other people’s
affairs as a “hobby.” This is
some hobby. It seems that his
“hobby” has cost some resi-
dents of Josephine County
their jobs and others their
dream homes.
And all for what gain? If
it is true that people lost their
jobs due to Sommer’s med-
dling, he ought to support
those folks and their families
until new jobs can be found. I
also understand that Sommer
has a nice large house in Mer-
lin. Does he have enough
room for those who can’t
build their new homes thanks
to his meddling to move in
with him?
It seems that Sommer is
an intelligent fellow who
likes to share this intelligence
with others whether they
asked for it or not. He should
stick to those who actually
invite his intelligence such as
Joel Perkins. While I may or
may not agree with Perkins’
issue with Barlow Sand &
Gravel, it is my understand-
ing that he sought the advice
and “expertise” of Sommer.
It seems that all the rest
that I hear about Sommer is
him poking his nose where it
is not asked. I still don’t see
where a Merlin resident has
any business dictating what
goes on in the city of Cave
Junction or this end of Jose-
phine County.
Perhaps to solve all of
this Sommer ought to come
up with a new hobby to de-
vote all his free time to. There
is always coin collecting,
tying flies, painting, knitting,
sewing, bird watching, kite
flying, and so on. The list of
possible hobbies that do not
interfere in other people’s
affairs is endless.
The numbers are grim
From Carol Dickson
Cave Junction
Every time I turn on the
news or open a newspaper, I
am saddened and sickened to
see the greed and dishonesty
at the highest levels of our
way of life: the businesses
failing, the businesses laying
off employees, and huge cor-
porations asking for bail-outs.
This is not someone
else’s problem in some other
place. These are our friends
and families losing businesses
and jobs. In researching on
the Internet, I found the fol-
lowing statistics for Josephine
County: unemployment rate -
10.9 percent (11/08), average
family annual income
$31,229, per capita income
$17,234 (11/08), 11.30 per-
cent of families and 15 per-
cent of the population below
the poverty line, 1,408 fore-
closures (foreclosures.com).
Admittedly, the research
is crude and in all likelihood
the numbers are more grim.
In addition, those with invest-
ments who tried to insure
their retirements have lost in
excess of 30 percent value.
In the face of this situa-
tion, we have government at
all levels asking for more
money from its citizenry. I
fear that in the not too distant
future the only thing left will
be the government and Wal-
Mart. Who is going to bail us
out and how do we stop the
runaway train? Sounds a bit
like socialism to me.
FAC findings of fact
From Hazel Reagan
O’Brien
In response to the front
page article, “Fraud charged;
FAC possibly victim-
592-3556
Cave Jct.
469-7545
Brookings
471-7487
Grants Pass
773-7487
Medford
THURSDAY, JAN. 29
* 21st Century 3:30 p.m.:
scrapbooking, drumming,
cooking, scholarship essay
writing
* Wrestling at Hidden Valley
@ 5:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, JAN. 30
* Basketball vs. Henley
JV boys @ 5:30 p.m.
Varsity boys @ 7 p.m.
* Basketball at Henley
JV girls @ 5:30 p.m.
Varsity girls @ 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, JAN. 31
* Wrestling at Cottage Grove
@ TBA
MONDAY, FEB. 2
* 21st Century 3:30 p.m.: yoga,
running/walking, welding,
drama club, homework help
TUESDAY, FEB. 3
* 21st Century 3:30 p.m.: brain
bowl, theater/improv, sewing,
guitar lessons, scholarship
essay writing
* Basketball at Hidden Valley
JV boys @ 5:30 p.m.
Varsity boys @ 7 p.m.
* Basketball vs. Hidden Valley
JV girls @ 5:30 p.m.
Varsity girls @ 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4
* 21st Century 3:30 p.m.: yoga,
running/walking, cooking,
drama club, researching your
family history
(All 21st Century events are open to
parents of students at any I.V. school.
Also open to homeschoolers.)
Illinois Valley Computer Service
“Service at your door”
Microsoft Certified Professional
116 N. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction
www.ivcsonline.net
Zane Blankenship
541-761-4351
Tony Mistretta
541-761-4321
zane@ivcsonline.net
tony@ivcsonline.net