The Valley’s #1 News Source Since 1937
This edition is for Katherine Roncalio
Illinois Valley News
Wednesday, May 25, 2016, 1 Section, Volume 79 No. 10
75c
Published Weekly Cave Junction, Oregon 97523
City council in a Dome School set to expand
taxing situation
Caroline Griffith
IVN Contributing Writer
May 23, at its second meeting of the month, the
Cave Junction City Council debated a handful of proposed
ordinances, including possible fuel and cannabis taxes and
whether or not to allow a new telecommunications company to
operate within the city.
In an attempt to raise revenue for the city, the council
has come up with two tax proposals which they may refer
to the voters of Cave Junction this November. The proposed
fuel tax is based on similar taxes that are levied by many
Oregon cities and any money raised through this tax would
go toward maintenance of city streets. Many of the streets in
Cave Junction were built in the 1960s and ‘70s and are nearing
a point where serious maintenance is needed. The council
discussed possible rates, with 1 to 3 cents per gallon being the
average. The council decided to reach out to local gas station
owners and get their input before going forward.
The other tax proposal which could be referred
to voters is a tax on cannabis sales within Cave Junction.
Currently, there is a moratorium on recreational cannabis sales
in city limits pending a judgment on a lawsuit brought on
behalf of the city. The lawsuit seeks clarification on whether or
not the city will lose vital federal grants if they break federal
law by issuing business licenses to marijuana vendors. If the
judgment gives them the green-light to license marijuana
businesses, the city wants to be ready to tax the sales. Councilor
John Gardiner commented, “I congratulate the city on taking
this initiative. It’s the first positive step we have taken in terms
of cannabis.”
The next step forward for the council, if they approve
these proposals, is to refer them to the voters of Cave Junction,
who will then vote whether or not to implement either of these
plans.
Also on the docket was the discussion of a lease
agreement and an ordinance for a utility franchise for a
broadband internet provider. Lightspeed Networks, Inc. (LSN),
a fiber optics company owned by a consortium of utility
cooperatives and the Coquille Tribe, specializes in providing
telecommunications services to rural communities. Phase one
of their proposal to operate would involve providing broadband
services to Frontier Communications, the main internet service
provider in the Illinois Valley. According to Bryan Adams,
director of sales and marketing for LSN, larger bandwidth to
existing internet service providers would result in better service
to individual customers. Phase two of their plan involves
improving wireless internet services. The council approved
their request for a utility franchise, but the details of the lease
are still being hashed out.
The council also discussed two proposed ordinances
to amend the city code, one of which would allow for the
construction and occupation of accessory dwelling units, or
mother-in-law units, on properties within city limits. The
ordinance language specifies size limits for the units, and all
accessory dwellings would need to be approved by the city and
the county before building began. The other ordinance would
allow for the temporary use of a travel trailer as a security
measure during the construction of a home or business. Both
ordinances were in their first reading, meaning that they will be
read again and come to a vote at the next council meeting.
The Cave Junction City Council meets the second
Monday of the month at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to the public
and are held at City Hall, 222 Lister Street. Audio recordings
of meetings are available on the city’s website, www.
cavejunctionoregon.us.
Speed and alcohol are
factors in deadly crash
According to a press
release from Oregon State
Police (OSP) May 20, at about
7:30 p.m., a head-on crash
occurred on O’Brien Road in
Josephine County.
Preliminary information
revealed a 1997 Subaru
Legacy was eastbound on
O’Brien Road from Highway
199 lost control on a corner
and crossed the centerline
(near Waldo Road). The
Subaru struck an eastbound
Mazda Protégée head-on.
The driver of the
Subaru, Tommy E Dodson,
69, of Cave Junction was
pronounced deceased at
the scene. The driver of the
Mazda, Michael T Kennedy,
62, and his passenger Tammy
L Blind, 51, (both of O’Brien)
also were pronounced
deceased on scene. A dog in
the Mazda was also killed.
Speed and alcohol
consumption are being
considered contributing
factors in the crash.
Additionally it was discovered
that Dodson had a suspended
Oregon driver’s license. The
roadway was closed for about
three hours as OSP Troopers
from the Grants Pass Office
conducted their investigation.
OSP was assisted by Illinois
Valley Fire District. No
further information was
available at press time.
(Courtesy photo for The Illinois Valley News)
Two cars rest off 199 near O’Brien after colliding
Friday, May 20. All passengers died on the scene.
(Courtesy photo for The Illinois Valley News)
Students, teachers and supporters celebrate the ground breaking of the Dome School expansion
Wednesday, May 18. See full story on Page 3 in this week’s special edition with the Dome School Times.
Feds look to clean
up swimming holes
Caroline Griffith
IVN Contributing Writer
A summertime visit to the Illinois
River can be described in many ways,
two of which, unfortunately, are
“lawless” and “littered with trash.”
In an effort to change this and foster
a more family-friendly atmosphere,
the National Forest Service (NFS) is
proposing to ban alcohol consumption
on parts of the river from Memorial
Day until Labor Day.
Matt Paciorek, district ranger
of the NFS Wild Rivers District, said
that the proposal was brought about
by continued alcohol-related issues
along popular parts of the river, as
well as continued problems with
trash. Paciorek stated that in his time
as district ranger he has received
citizen complaints about the state of
this section of the river, known as
the Illinois River Corridor. Many of
these complaints have been variations
of, “There’s no way I’d ever take my
family down there in the summertime.”
A ban on alcohol consumption, said
Paciorek, is one tool to improve the
situation. The proposal is to enforce the
ban from Memorial Day to Labor Day
and, “see how it goes.”
NFS law enforcement officers
will be patrolling the areas affected
by the ban, which include Store
Gulch, Sixmile and McCaleb Ranch.
According to Paciorek, enforcement
of the rule would depend on the
situation, with fines for offenders being
one possibility. The NFS will also be
contracting with the Josephine County
Sheriff’s Department for additional
patrols of the area during the high
season.
According to Sheriff Dave
Daniel, the patrol deputy, who will be
contracted to the NFS for six months,
will be enforcing state and local laws,
not federal law. The NFS, which is a
federal agency, administers the Illinois
River Corridor; therefore any rules
affecting this area are federal. Though
not there to specifically enforce this
ban, the contract deputy will be an
extra law enforcement presence in
the area and has been instructed by
the sheriff to make sure that this
stretch of the river is a family friendly
environment.
SEE RIVER ON A-11
A tale of 2 races for
county commissioner
Annette McGee Rasch
IVN Senior
Contributing Writer
Lily Morgan topped
the field of 17 county
commissioner candidates
running for two seats on the
board by a wide margin,
earning 45.50 percent of
the vote in her race. Had
she received 50 percent, the
race for Position 3 would be
over - but as it stands, there
will be a runoff between the
top two vote-getters in the
November general election.
“It’s absolutely
incredible. I am truly
grateful for the support,”
Morgan said. “I’ve met
so many new people and
am so impressed by how
much they care about the
community. They care about
public safety and they care
about the future - they want
jobs and hope for the kids.”
In a field of eight
candidates, Morgan’s
closest competition came
from Bill Hunker, with
15.43 percent of the vote;
and Cave Junction native
Ronald Smith, who received
15.32 percent. Just 28
votes separate those two
candidates.
“There’s the possibility
for a recount in the race
between Ronald Smith and
Bill Hunker because it’s
so close,” said Josephine
County Clerk Trisha
Myers. “If we determine
that there’s one-fifth of 1
percent difference between
the two candidates, then
an automatic recount is
triggered.” Updated results
(after her office deals with
unsigned or illegible ballot
signatures) will be posted on
the county’s website June 1;
and official certified results
come out June 6.
“I believe I would
have received enough votes
to make it into the general
election, but I think some
name confusion took place,”
Smith said, referring to
candidate Ray Smith, who
ran in the same race. “Ray
is a nice guy, I have no
problem with him at all. I
just wish the ballots had
been set up differently.”
Smith added, “I believe
I am the candidate that can
beat Lily Morgan. I’ll be a
true county commissioner,
I know the issues and
challenges in the county,
and I am the forestry expert.
Lily Morgan will focus
on the city of Grants Pass,
because that’s all she knows.
If Morgan and DeYoung
win both positions, they’ll
focus on the city, and places
like Cave Junction and Wolf
Creek and all the outlying
rural county areas will be
left out.”
For his part, Hunker
said, “I am not discouraged
in any way. The results are
not what we’d like, but it is
what it is. I’m feeling pretty
comfortable about it. It ends
up with the people - when
they speak we have to
listen.” Hunker added, “The
thing I keep looking at is
that we need some business
eyes on the board, to help
with business transactions,
including the budgets. All
of us have to live within our
means and that’s what needs
to happen at the county level
as well.”
Twice elected to the
Grants Pass City Council,
Morgan currently works
as a parole and probation
program supervisor at JoCo
Community Corrections,
and, while serving on
the sheriff’s reserve, she
patrolled the Illinois Valley
at night.
SEE RACE ON A-11