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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2009)
Page 8 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, April 1, 2009 10,000-acre public stewardship project ... (Continued from page 1) resiliency; reducing the risk of fire and increasing fire resiliency; community in- volvement and collaboration; and enterprise creation. To these ends the projects will utilize workforce training to ensure that a local workforce exists that can implement the local restoration work con- tracts and contractor certifica- tion to enhance local contract- ing businesses. Guidelines for the MSA direct districts to collaborate with the community. Jimer- field stated that information- sharing opportunities will be conducted. There likely will be a community meeting in late April to discuss ideas for implementing project goals. “What we are trying to create here is a model not only to restore the forest, but to restore the community,” Jimerfield said. “Siskiyou Project hopes that we can extend a hand across the aisle to those with whom we have not seen eye-to-eye and find some common ground. The reality is that we all live here, and we all care deeply about this place.” Said Rogue River- Siskiyou National Forest Su- pervisor Scott Conroy, “These economic stimulus funds are an important invest- ment in our communities and forest; the dollars will create jobs that help reduce fire haz- ards such as overcrowded trees and brush, improve wildlife habitat in late- successional forest reserve areas and restore forest health. “It comes at an important time for our community to provide meaningful produc- tive employment while pro- tecting our communities from the threat of wildfires,” Con- roy said. Most of the woody mat- ter to be created through the work is small-diameter. While Jimerfield notes that although the market is lim- ited, it could be used for fur- niture, firewood or even in the biomass cogeneration plant at Rough & Ready Lumber Co., of Cave Junc- tion. “The opportunity is pretty big, it’s only limited by our own vision,” he said. “We certainly are open to conver- sations about it; the material will be available to whoever wants to buy it. The Hope Mountain Stewardship Project is one of four AARA-funded project areas in the Rogue River- Siskiyou National Forest in areas of high fire danger. These projects are designed to reduce overcrowded trees and brush and to protect com- munities from wildfires. They are funded for a total of $2 million of projects in Jose- phine County, including the $1.4 million work in Illinois Valley; plus $1 million of projects within Curry County. Weed in the workplace bill debated ... (Continued from page 1) marijuana users were handed this gift, they’re trying to de- fend a system now that em- ployers have to accommodate medical marijuana, regardless of where the use occurs.” John Sajo, executive director of Voter Power, medical marijuana advocacy group, said that he completely disagrees with Hanna and Wilson on this issue. Sajo, among those who testified against HB 3052, said the bill is “not about safety, it’s about discrimination.” “There is no significant problem with medical mari- juana in the workplace,” Sajo said. “The proponents of this bill to fire patients still can’t name a single accident or significant problem in any workplace in Oregon caused by a medical marijuana pa- tient. It’s a solution looking for a problem.” Sajo said that the true mo- tivation behind HB 3052 is to allow employers to fire medi- cal marijuana patients who fail a drug test. Impairment on the job is covered under the state’s medical marijuana law, he said, and employers already can fire anyone who shows up to work under the influence of the drug. “If someone is not fit to work,” said Sajo, “they don’t need a new law to send that person home for the day or fire them completely. The current law totally allows it. “This has nothing to do with impairment or safety whatsoever. They want to be able to discriminate against medical marijuana patients.” Wilson said that HB 3052 is one of only three bills AOI is asking legislators to pass this session, and ac- knowledges that its passage is far from certain. “From our point of view, it should not be a huge stretch for the Legislature to be clear that employers can ensure that employees follow federal law,” he said. “It should not be that big of a deal, but it’s turning out to be one.” There are enough votes in the House and Senate to pass HB 3052, Wilson said, but opponents include Senate President Peter Courtney (D- Salem). “He has not been help- ful,” Wilson said. “That could prove problematic.” At this point, HB 3052 is still in the House Business & Labor Committee. Sajo said he’s pretty confident that even if it gets past the committee, it will not be signed into law. “It looks to us like a witch hunt for marijuana and patients that have to use mari- juana,” he said. “I hope that bill will fail, and I predict it will.” Illinois Valley Fire District (IVFD) responded Saturday, March 28 to a reported structure fire in the 1300 block of Deer Creek Road. The fire, which damaged the second story of this barn, resulted in no injuries. (Photo by Dale & Elaine Sandberg, IVFD Media Dept.) TRY ACUPUNCTURE FOR: Fibromyalgia • Arthritis • Bronchitis Stroke Rehab • Hepatitis • Irritable Bowel Urinary (UTI, UI) FREE phone consultation Mon., Wed., & Fri. Insurance reimbursement Illinois River Acupuncture Clinic 541-592-5041 JoAnne Stone, MS, LAc 139 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction Water Wells Pump Sales Installation Service Public safety council eyes budget woes (Continued from page 1) tor Kirk Brust, who was fill- ing in for Judge Lindi Baker, said that the Oregon Dept. of Justice is being adversely affected by the state’s budget woes. State courts were slated to go to four-day weeks, Brust said, but the Legislature stepped in and stopped those cuts. “Clearly, a four-day work week is something the Legislature is not very keen on,” he said. Despite that, Brust said, “We’re not out of the woods yet.” “The future is very un- clear at this point,” he contin- ued, adding that state agen- cies are planning budget cuts between 20 and 30 percent for the 2009-11 biennium. Wilson said that the Ju- venile Justice Dept. is imple- menting a 20 percent reduc- tion in the budget it’s in the process of preparing. Berlant said that his agency is “stable until July” with its funding, but that he is unsure how state budget cuts will affect the state’s defense programs for indigent persons. In contrast, Campbell said that the D.A.’s office doesn’t receive much in the way of state funds. He added that he does not anticipate losing any staff members if fewer state dollars are sent to his department. The sheriff said that due to a staffing plan approved by county commissioners after an infusion of federal dollars, the sheriff’s office is in the process of hiring 16 deputies. Once those positions are filled, Gilbertson said, the jail will be able to house 140 county inmates. After its initial recruit- ment drive, the sheriff’s of- fice was able to find approxi- mately 50 qualified appli- cants, Gilbertson said. Back- ground checks are currently being conducted, he said, and the new deputies should be on duty in late summer “at the earliest.” Huntley stated that his department receives a check from the state every three months. The most recent one included a 25 percent cut of around $180,000, he said, but the agency had enough money in savings to cover the difference. Community Corrections will try to maintain the status quo in the budget that will be submitted to the county board of commissioners, Huntley said, adding that he hopes to avoid any further cuts. “At this point, it’s busi- ness as usual,” he said. 592-6777 1470 Caves Highway Licensed • Bonded • Insured Locally owned and operated in the valley for over 25 years. 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Kulongoski to help re- mind people that although the weather can turn warm and sunny, the ocean is still in a winter mode. “The combination of powerful seas and eager visi- tors has historically added up to more rescues and deaths (in March) than in any other month,” Smith noted. “People need to realize that the ocean is still affected by winter storms this time of year.” The danger of rolling logs was once the target of the beach safety awareness campaigns. Now, said Smith, the focus in on rip currents, and he emphasized: “The number of incidents caused by logs is dropping, but the number of people needing to be rescued from rip currents is on the rise. Big waves are still out there in the spring. Big waves lead to strong rip cur- rents that can sweep you off your feet and out to sea.” Reports of rescues and deaths caused by rip currents are up nationwide, says Smith. “Statistics from the U.S. Lifesaving Association show that rip currents are the cause of more than 80 percent of rescues nationwide.” Rip currents may exist in waters that appear dark and discolored compared to the rest of the sea, according to Smith. “If you see debris and foam floating out to sea,” he said, “you may be witnessing the results of a nearby rip current. Also, if you see a break in the wave pattern that looks calmer along the shore, that could be a place to avoid.” Rip currents, he adds, are frequently seen near head- lands and jetties. Smith says that many hazardous situations can be avoided by simply “observing your surroundings, and al- ways keeping an eye on the ocean.” He added, “Anyone who is responsible for the safety of children also should watch them at all times.” Tips on identifying rip currents, and on what to do if trapped in one, are found on OPRD’s Oregon Beach Safety site oregon.gov/OPRD/ Concrete Remodel New Construction CCB 174891 592-6609 PARKS/beach_safety.shtml. The site continues to promote awareness of other dangers, such as floating logs, sneaker waves and the tides. “Whether you’re playing or helping clean up the beach, you still need to be wary of waves carrying logs, and to stay off those already depos- ited along the shoreline by winter storms,” said Smith. 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