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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2011)
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, June 15, 2011 Page A-7 City discusses underage drinking IVHS Grads Continued from A-1 City councilor Margaret Miller asked if King would consider choosing a different date for playing music, saying she had no problem issuing a permit but was concerned the music conflicted with the Concert in the Park series, also planned for Thursday evenings. The council agreed to table King’s permit request for the next city council meeting June 27. “We’re trying to have the community be more cohesive, not so spread out,” Miller said. “I have no problem with the [amplification] request.” In the first of four resolutions, city councilors approved Resolution 751, a special city allotment allowing for the appropriation of money from state highway funds, a total of $1 million, to improve Watkins Ave. between South Kerby Ave. and South Caves Ave. The second, Resolution 752, authorized $6,719.30 to be transferred from the reserve Vehicle/Equipment Replacement Fund to buy new playground equipment for Jubilee Park. City councilors enthusiastically approved the new park equipment, agreeing it improved the quality of the park and Cave Junction itself, and would encourage parents to interact with their children in the park. The Ford Family Foundation and many Illinois Valley residents have also been working for several months to upgrade play equipment and improve the grounds at Jubilee Park. Resolution 753, extending Cave Junction worker’s compensation to city volunteers from the council and those on the budget committee for policy year 2011-2012, was also approved June 13. The fourth item, Resolution 754, authorizes the mayor to recommend denial for liquor license renewal upon receiving unfavorable comments from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office about an applicant, or if an applicant has not paid the required processing fees. After the resolution, three points from city councilors included a request from Tarry Frank for reimbursement in the cost of a retention pond installed on his property, a submission for the “If I were Mayor” contest and the opening for an Illinois Valley resident on the Josephine County Housing and Community Development board. Nolan said that according to city attorney Kelly, the city could not reimburse Frank for the cost and liability. Frank said in public comment that his family has had to pay almost $800 per year to ODOT and that he was hoping for some relief in his efforts. “I’m very disappointed to hear about the [lack of] reimbursement,” Frank said. “It feels to me that the city has turned its back.” In the sheriff’s office update, deputy George Gasperson said law enforcement tested a “shoulder tap” program in the Illinois Valley on June 3, providing a decoy under age 21 to ask adults to buy him alcohol. Similar “shoulder tap” programs have been used for a variety of reasons, often to check how much adults were buying alcohol for minors and to educate the public about the consequences of furnishing alcohol to minors. According to Gasperson, the decoy was used in two locations in the Valley, resulting in four citations, one of which lead to a Failure to Appear (FTA) warrant. “This is a serious situation that seems to come to a head in the summer months,” Gasperson said of the frequency of underage drinking. “We need to work with parents … and we also need to give [youth] an activity for something to do.” Former city council member Rita Dyer also asked during public comment why councilors had not allowed more public input on the resolutions before they were passed. She suggested they considered hearing more public opinion, even if it might not make a difference in final decisions. The next city council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, June 27, at Cave Junction City Hall on 222 W. Lister St. Signal, median project still raises worry By Darcy Wallace IVN Staff Writer In an effort to relieve some concerns about the concrete median planned for installation on Hwy. 199 at River Street, Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT) officials Dick Leever and Gary Leaming met at River Valley Restaurant with owner Beverly Thomas and others on Friday, June 10. Thomas invited other business owners to attend to help gain a better understanding from ODOT officials why a median might be needed. For many years in the making, the city of Cave Junction has worked to get a traffic signal installed at River Street to alleviate safety concerns. Recently, ODOT approved a signal along with restructuring Hwy. 199 through downtown from four lanes to two between Palmer and W. Lister Street. However, ODOT also requires installing a five-inch concrete rounded median, something several business owners oppose. Many have agreed the traffic signal is a much-needed safety improvement to River Street. However, some Cave Junction business owners have said they were not sufficiently informed about the median and feel it will severely hinder business access. “It’s a public forum, and what’s going to happen [here] is going to happen to everybody in the area, not just me,” Thomas said. “I thought I might as well share the whole experience, talking about [the project] and learning about it too.” Construction was originally scheduled to begin in early June, but has been pushed back to start in early July, according to ODOT officials. According to Thomas, ODOT converted Hwy. 199 in Cave Junction from two lanes to four lanes ten years ago due to rising tourism. But now, concerns about speeding have prompted the move back down to two lanes, plus a third turn lane. “I don’t get ODOT’s logic,” Thomas said. “Ten years ago they swore up and down this was the wave of the future. And now we’re stepping back to two lanes? To me, ODOT is spending state money that could be spent somewhere else.” Thomas said she donated part of her property for the signal project, something she said she would not have done if she had known about the median. “I believe with three schools you need a stoplight,” Thomas said. “But I don’t think we need all the other stuff. Take [the funding] where it’s really needed.” Shearing course set in CJ Continued from A-1 Physical education teacher and coach Matt Knight also spoke to the class, as Knight arrived at Illinois Valley when the Class of 2011 started out as freshman. Knight recalled his four years of teaching the graduating class, from his first year of P.E. dealing with students eating chips in the corner, to watching students gain success in sports and as people. Valedictorians Audrey Mechling, Kieran Rose and Marissa Litak, each with a 4.19 GPA, took turns speaking to their class, emotionally thanking their families, teachers and the “table friends” they’ve grown up with. Mechling plans to attend Willamette University in Salem and has been president of the IVHS student body and National Honors Society. Rose was varsity soccer co- captain and has participated in Mathletes, Cougar Pals and International Club with Mechling and Litak, and has a nearly full ride scholarship to Yale University next year. Litak won first place in Academic Masters in the social studies category and tutored Spanish to students. She plans to attend University of Puget Sound and pursue a career in editing or publishing. A highlight of the night included recognition of three longstanding IVHS staff, Janie Pope, Jay Grosenbach and Steve Morgan. Together, Bethany said they have more than 60 total years of experience at the school. Pope and Morgan both announced Suri Futures, an alpaca farm in Cave Junction, plan to offer an alpaca shearing course with expert Steve Murray from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 29 and Thursday, June 30. According to Christine Gardiner, the course will be held at Suri Futures on 400 Daisy Hill Rd. off of River St. in Cave Junction. Gardiner said Murray is one of the most respected professional alpaca shearers in the field. More information about Murray and his business, Lassen their retirement this year and said goodbye along with graduating seniors. “I am proud to say that I, too, am part of the Class of 2011,” Morgan, a longtime social studies teacher, said. In Morgan’s speech to the class, he described how the 2011 class changed his views of underclassmen as he saw many of them thrive in an advanced composition class when they were only sophomores. Morgan has taught for 34 years total, seven at Lorna Byrne Middle School and 27 at Illinois Valley. When asked how many audience members were taught or knew a relative taught by Morgan, at least one- third of the crowd stood up. Salutatorian Sabrina Van Tassel also spoke to her class, encouraging them to seek happiness in their lives. Quoting John Lennon, she said: “When I was five years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down happy. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.’ ” After Van Tassel sang the class song, “Time of Your Life” by Green Day, graduates walked single-file onstage to receive their diplomas. Finally, the Class of 2011 got to turn their tassels, throw up their graduation caps and depart the IVHS stadium as graduates for one last hurrah: the All Night Safe and Sober Grad Party organized by the IVHS Grad Committee. View Alpacas, can be found on his website, lvalpacas.com. Those interested can find more information and sign up for the course by calling Gardiner at (541) 415-2614.
