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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, June 15, 2011
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I started here at the paper
at the same time that the IVHS
Class of 2011 was beginning
its final year and last week’s
graduation brought back a lot of
good memories.
Unlike many of you, I
didn’t know all of the graduates
personally, but I still had a good
time. What I found as I was taking
commencement photos was that I
did feel like I have a connection
with a lot of these young adults.
Oddly enough, I felt a little sad
that so many of the graduates
would not be on the field, court
or stage next year.
Between soccer, football,
volleyball, basketball, wrestling,
softball and baseball I snapped
off thousands of photos of
your children. Not only sports
but plays, concerts and club
activities. Over the course of the
year I did find some of the kids
through the lens more often than
others. Some kids just seemed
to be doing something great
whenever I showed up with the
camera. Other favorites were the
ones who were always smiling or
showing some form of emotion.
One of the things I was most
impressed with over the past
year is how polite your children
are. This may seem contrary to
popular beliefs about teenagers,
but somehow you have done it.
I don’t speak to the kids very
much, I just try to stay out of
their way while I try to do my job.
Because I pay attention, taking
photographs of your children
gives me a good idea about who
they are and a photo doesn’t lie.
So congratulations to the
parents, families and friends of
the graduating class of 2011.
You all did a fantastic job and
this class, well, really showed
class!
Luckily for me, the next
school year starts in less than
three months. The remaining
classes will return along with
some fresh faces from Lorna
Byrne. In the 2012 school year
I will have a bit of a leg up, as I
at least know who many of them
are.
In other news, I attended
this week’s city council meeting
where one of the topics of interest
had to do with noise. Nobody
likes to listen to their neighbor’s
dog bark all night. Others don’t
like loud music when they are
trying to sleep.
Because of those things,
most areas have sound ordinances
on the books. Cave Junction has
one of those very ordinances
called “8.08.150 Unnecessary
Noise.” This little gem goes so
far as to include cats with bells
attached to their collar. Now, to
give you an idea as to how old
this ordinance is, it also refers to
steam whistles. It also gives me,
as the only newsboy in the city,
the right to sell papers by public
outcry! Yes, a paper boy can
violate the ordinance while other
people cannot.
Now, I am not picking on the
city as almost all governments
have outdated ordinances, but
this noise ordinance was brought
to light after the Dos Gringos
restaurant shut down a few
weeks back. After reading the
ordinance, it makes no mention
of a business having music to
entertain its customers.
Since things are slow
these days at city hall, it may
be a good time to sit down and
clean up some of these outdated
ordinances.
Thank you for picking up
this week’s paper, Enjoy!
— djm
Letters to the Editor
Illinois Valley News welcomes
Letters to the Editor.
Please e-mail them to
dan@illinois-valley-news.com
POLICY ON LETTERS:
‘Illinois Valley News’ encour-
ages letters to the editor provided
they are legible and not libelous
or scurrilous. All letters must be
signed, including name, 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. Letters are used at the
discretion of the publisher.
(Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary, including
statements made as fact are
strictly those of the letter
writers)
***
“Park It”
Let’s make a statement.
Let’s try to make a difference.
By God let’s stand up now!
Beginning Wednesday of next
week, park it. Bring your sign
too. Let’s stand against stupid
high gas prices. Maybe, just
maybe, folks will stand with
us. It just might catch on. At
least one day a week On your
own or with someone else. The
more the better. Whatever day
you choose. But just park it.
Just imagine if enough of us
park it, that would break the
high gas prices. Remember,
together we stand but divided
we fall. Start it now, before
you’re unable to afford to go
to work or buy food. Send the
message, we’re fed up.
Fuel effects everything
from soup to hay. We have
enough oil in the U.S.A. to do
the job without buying from
someone else. If we the people
don’t put a stop to it, we’ll be
sorry for years to come. Quit
spending and sending our tax
dollars overseas. Keep it here.
Create jobs and take care of us
first. Bring prices back down
and bring our products back
here, before it’s too late. By
the way, too late is just around
the corner. Time goes by very
fast. Remember when you
were in middle school? High
school, etc? I do. It seems like
just yesterday. Wake up before
you’re in the streets like the
street people. Wondering,
what went wrong. It was just
yesterday things were OK. But
now…
Don’t believe me? Just
look back about a few years
or so ago. See how quick this
crap came upon us? It only
gets faster and faster as we
keep our head in the sand.
Before you know it, it will
take a bucket full of worthless
money to buy a few items at
the store. And much more cost
to get to the store, that is, if
there’s anything left to buy in
the store. Scary? Yep! So, it’s
only up to us to help each other
to realize it’s only up to us and
us alone.
So pick your day, days
alone or with others, and the
more the better. Just park it.
Let folks see you in town, on
the highway, wherever. Bring
your sign and park it, park it,
park it.
This could catch on across
the country. Wouldn’t that be
something? It all started in little
ol’ Cave Junction, Oregon. We
could get lucky and the media
might spread the news. Either
way, let’s give it a try. See you
out there.
P.S. We’d better pay very,
very close attention to the next
elections, because it could
be the straw that breaks the
camel’s back.
Ken LeGaux
Selma
In All Fairness ...
I opened the June 8 th edi-
tion of the newspaper to find
the publisher, Dan Mancuso,
on page 2 accusing me as
part of the city council of be-
ing “out of touch or deceiving
the public.” I find this very
disappointing. Due to other
commitments, I was regretta-
bly unable to attend the meet-
ing he refers to. I have never
met Dan, but I know I have
never lied to him or the public.
Dan’s description of the “new”
city council is also incorrect. I
have willingly served without
pay for over 11 years. I find it
interesting Dan makes this ac-
cusation against my character
without ever having met me or
even knowing how long I have
been on the council. Addition-
ally, he later states he contacted
ODOT and was given conflict-
ing stories, so he was unable to
get any more accurate infor-
mation than we were.
Mr Mancuso, you are a
paid professional in the media
with years of experience in get-
ting facts from varying sourc-
es. By your own admission in
the article, you were unable to
obtain any better information
from ODOT than we had. The
Mayor, the other city council-
ors, and I are volunteering our
time. We are professionals in
other areas. In the area of get-
ting information, we are ama-
teurs doing the best we can.
Mr, Mancuso, I respectfully
ask, how is it that we, as ama-
teurs volunteering our time are
liars, yet when you, as a paid
professional with years of ex-
perience are unable to get any
different information than we
did, yet you are not a liar?
May I suggest that rather
than accuse hard working vol-
unteers of deception, you do
as we do. Volunteer your time
and expertise in gathering in-
formation that will help us to
make the best decisions for our
city. I for one would appreci-
ate and value that help much
more than criticism and false
accusations.
Finally, Mr. Mancuso
states he wants us to be candid,
transparent, and hardworking.
He then goes on to something
more positive, the graduating
class of IVHS. Mr. Mancuso,
I join you in congratulating
them. I see your congratula-
tions, and I raise you with not
only my word of congratula-
tions, but by putting my time,
effort, and work where my
mouth is. I volunteered the
hours between 10:00 pm and
5:00 am after a full day of work
to chaperone and ensure these
graduates had a safe place to
spend their graduation night.
Many others volunteered
much more time than I did. I
have volunteered many hours
in the schools during their ed-
ucational process. I have vol-
unteered over 11 years on the
city council. I have spent many
hours volunteering in youth
organizations, in the park, and
in all 3 of our schools. You ask
for hard work; is this the “hard
work” you are looking for?
Daniel O. Fiske D.V.M.
Cave Junction
As Concerned
Citizens
As concerned citizens, my
husband and I briefly attended
the open house session with
ODOT regarding the proposed
highway changes in Cave
Junction.
We had heard
rumors of huge barriers going
through downtown and wanted
to find out for ourselves what
was planned. As usual, the
rumors were totally blown out
of proportion.
I must say we were
embarrassed for our town.
The ranting and raving in the
parking lot before the doors
opened was an indicator of
things to come. Most of those
attending were not interested
in the facts and wouldn’t listen
when facts were explained.
There is a way to disagree
on a subject but coming in
with an agenda to be rude and
disagreeable doesn’t generally
get you anywhere. We picked
up the map and left before the
vulgar language started and
attendees had to be restrained.
I certainly hope the ODOT
employees don’t judge us all
by the behavior of a few.
Then the local newspaper
publisher who claims to want
to be part of the community
wrote a scathing editorial
full of innuendos and very
few facts just like the same
raucous group who attended
the meeting. What a slap
in the face to our volunteer
Mayors and Council members,
both past and present. Our
newly transplanted newspaper
publisher, who admits to
having been in a foul mood for
the past few months (since he
arrived?), doesn’t help when he
blasts the Council, the Mayor,
and for some reason even
the County Commissioners
for not being up-to-date on
the plan but it seems his real
agenda was to blast newly
elected Commissioner Hare
for the publisher’s perception
that Mr. Hare is ignoring the
Illinois Valley. This issue
involves a state highway in the
City of Cave Junction, thus the
responsibility of the Mayor,
the City Council and ODOT.
Some in this community
live here by choice and work
every day to try to change
outsiders’ perception of our
town, then some act like this
and put us back in the dark
ages.
Newspaper publishing 101
note to publisher – newspapers
survive on advertising and
subscriptions. I would suggest
that the publisher of this
“community” paper go back
to using his editorial section to
apologize for the errors in the
newspaper and his offending of
local folks. He could start next
week by apologizing to the
Mayor, the City Council, and
Commissioner Hare. People
who live in glass houses should
not throw stones, even if they
get them free.
Carol Dickson
Cave Junction
Publishers note:
Carol Dickson was the campaign
manager for Simon Hare in his
bid for County Commissioner
Here, There & Everywhere
Raffle Tickets for Scholarships
IVHS Alumni & Friends will soon be selling
raffle tickets to raise money for scholarships.
The tickets are $1 each, or 6 for $5, and can
be purchased at Shop Smart video counter, I.V.
Visitor’s Center, True Value Hardware, Wild
River Pizza & Brewery, McGrew’s in O’Brien,
Lake Selmac Resort in Selma, and Kerbymart
in Kerby. The grand prize, valued at nearly
$1,000, will consist of such fun items as a 6-man
boat, 6-man tent, 6-person rafting trip to Galice,
fishing poles, propane stove, etc. Second prize
will be a dinner for 2 and lodging at the Oregon
Caves Chateau and 2 tickets to the Great Cats of
the World Park. Third prize will be two night’s
stay in a teepee at Lone Mountain RV park in
O’Brien, as well as dinner at McGrews and zip
lines at Out-n-About Treesort. Watch for the
display at Sterling Savings Bank, and for more
information in next week’s “Illinois Valley
News”. The winning raffle tickets will be drawn
at the 4 th of July IVHS Alumni reunion.
Wednesdays
Jog Your Memory! Illinois Valley Senior Center
at 2:00pm. A socially interactive mental fitness
program integrates challenging puzzles and in-
teractive games with scientific information on
memory and aging. It is designed to stimulate
Illinois
Valley
News
Published weekly by
W.H. Alltheway, LLC
Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher
while also providing social support. Sponsored
by Care Source/ Mid Rogue Heath Plans Con-
tact; Libby Watts, Geriatric Wellness Instructor
at 541-660-8155 or email libby_watts@charter.
net
Days of music & Magic. Vendors & volunteers
wanted. For more info contact: Familytimera-
dio@gmail.com or lostforestrecordings@live.
com
Wednesdays
Vendors & Craft Booths wanted for C.J. Lions
Annual Show & Shine Car Show on June 25.
For car show information contact Ross at 541-
659-9251 or Linda at 541-450-2964 and for
vendor information call Cori at 541-450-2964
Wild River Pizza – Open Mic. 6-8pm Contact
Todd Kaberline or Jim Nolan 541-646-0975 or
541-660-8572
Labor Day Parade Application
This year’s Illinois Valley Lions Club Labor
Day Parade will be on Monday September 5th.
The theme for the 2011 parade will be “Illinois
Valley, See it, Hear it”. The parade will start at
10am and we are taking applications for the pa-
rade. Remember it’s free to be in the parade and
free to watch it. For applications you can call
Harry Johnson at 541-596-2104.
June 15
Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce mixer
will be held Wednesday, June 15 at Kerbyville
Museum from 5-6 p.m. All chamber members
are invited. Refreshments will be provided. Any
questions, please phone 541-592-5252.
June 17 – 18 – 19
TakilmaFM.com presents the 1 st Annual Radio-
active Music Fest. Selma Community Center. 3
POSTMASTER: Please send
address changes to P.O. Box 1370,
Cave Junction OR 97523
Illinois Valley News is published at
321 S. Redwood Hwy.,
Cave Junction, OR 97523
Telephone (541) 592-2541
FAX (541) 592-4330
Since 1937 periodicals postage
paid at Cave Junction OR 97523
P.O. Box 1370 USPS 258-820
June 18 Deadline
June 25
Grand Opening of the Rusk Ranch Nature Cen-
ter’s Butterfly Pavilion in Cave Junction, OR
from 10-5. The Butterfly Pavilion features but-
terfly species that are native to Josephine Coun-
ty including the Painted Lady, Mourning Cloak,
and Western Monarch. Visitors to the Pavilion
can walk among the butterflies inside a beauti-
ful flight house - an experience that is sure to
delight both children and adults. The Butterfly
Pavilion is open to the public from 10 am to
5 pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from
June 25 th through early October. Directions
from Cave Junction: Go 1 mile south on Hwy
199, turn right just after Philips Auto Wrecking,
(across highway from Pinewood Way), after en-
tering follow road approx 1/2 mile to parking
area.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
CONTACT US:
One year in Josephine
County - $24.50
One year in Jackson and
Douglas counties - $28.00
One year in all other Or-
egon counties and
out-of-state - $39.00
News - Darcy Wallace
darcy@illinois-valley-news.com
Illinois Valley News does not refund subscriptions.
Remainder of subscription will be donated to the
charity of your choice.
Circulation - Zina Booth
zbooth@illinois-valley-news.com
Advertising - Dan Mancuso
dan@illinois-valley-news.com
Composition - Stacy Byrne
stacy@illinois-valley-news.com
Mailroom - Millie Watkins
June 23
Weather Spotter Training Offered in Cave Junc-
tion - The National Weather Service office in
Medford is inviting weather watchers to a free
weather-spotter training program. The session
is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 23rd, at
the Illinois Valley Senior Center, 520 E. River
Street in Cave Junction. The weather service
uses reports collected from spotters across the
region to determine the severity of storms.
Ryan Sandler, from the weather service office,
will discuss the kinds of storms that occur on
the Southern Oregon coast during the summer.
He will demonstrate how to measure precipita-
tion using a rain gauge, and how and when a
weather spotter reports to the weather service.
There is no cost for this class and those attend-
ing who do not have a rain gauge will receive
one after completing the class. All members of
the general public are invited to attend and the
NWS will be recruiting new weather spotters.
For more information or questions about the
weather spotter program, contact Ryan Sandler
at 541-776-4303 #223 or e-mail ryan.sandler@
noaa.gov or Harry Johnson at 541-596-2104 or
cherhar@frontiernet.net.
DEADLINES:
News, Classified and
Display Ads, Announce-
ments and Letters
5 P.M. FRIDAYS
(Classified ads and display
ads may be accepted until
noon Mondays with an
additional charge.)
POLICY ON LETTERS:
‘Illinois Valley News’ encour-
ages letters to the editor pro-
vided they are legible and not
libelous or scurrilous. All letters
must be signed, including
name, address and telephone
number. The latter need not be
published, but will be used to
verify authenticity. The ‘News’
reserves the right to edit let-
ters. Letters are used at the
discretion of the publisher.