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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2016)
Page A-2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, November 23, 2016 Life in the Valley of Riches By DAN MANCUSO, Publisher Lately, a topic of conversation has been, “Why don’t business owners get a voice in city politics?” because most business owners live outside of the city, while maintaining a business in the city. One solution was to put a chamber of commerce member on the city council in a nonvoting position. While it’s a fine idea, it really does not mean much because they won’t get to vote. Currently the chamber has a person assigned to be the liaison. When I was involved it was called the Government Affairs Committee also known as GAC. The GAC could speak at meetings when it comes time for comments from citizens. GAC also would report back to the chamber about what was going on. Many may disagree with me but by definition a chamber of commerce is a political action committee. A chamber is supposed to lobby the government for policies that have a positive impact on the local business community. Yes, the tourism role is important, but unless you take care of your members by encouraging good policy on the local, county and state level, you won’t have any tourists to garner. Harping on the crime levels and lack of law enforcement will change nothing. My suggestion would be for the chamber to lobby the city to enforce the current ordinances in place that would clean up “Main Street,” and attract more locals to spend time downtown, therefore causing tourists to stop. Activity is the easiest way to decrease crime. The city could hire a code enforcement officer who in turn would pay for themselves through fines. For example, there are plenty of abandoned homes in the city that could be taken from the owners and sold to pay for the officer. Also, parking tickets and other misc. violations could bring in revenue. As a result, they could get the vagrants to move along and police the park. And, cars left where they do not belong could be impounded and sold, if the fines are not paid. You see, the revenue sources are endless. It’s a pretty simple solution. The problem in government is they tend to make things far more complicated than they need to be. I don’t subscribe to the doom and gloom future frame of mind. The Valley is a collection of great minds and certainly, we can come up with a solution. Paralysis by analysis is a common problem; the chamber already has the pieces in place, let’s not complicate the issue. Solutions are not always pretty, but the results can be glorious. Thank you for picking up this week’s paper, enjoy! ~ Daniel J. Mancuso, Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce past president 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’ encourages 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 commen- tary, including statements made as fact are strictly those of the letter writers.) What’s the hurry? On Wednesday, 11/16/2016, Commissioners Cherryl Walker and Keith Heck hurriedly passed a Resolution to implement a process to expand the authority of a Hearings Officer. These two Commissioners, Walker and Heck, put this before us as a “Junk Ordinance” on Nov. 5, 2013, and it was resoundingly defeated by over 80 percent of the electorate! The overwhelming defeat was because a Hearings Officer is appointed, rather than elected by the people. If such a person made bad decisions, we’d have no recourse to directly remove him, or her, from office. But Walker and Heck once again disregarded the will of the people they supposedly represent. They justified such betrayal by saying the public will have three opportunities to weigh in on the issue, once during a Rural Planning Commission meeting and twice before the Commissioners during noticed Public Hearings. What they neglected to include in the whole process was allowing the people to vote on this issue at an election. Instead of a referendum, they want Commissioners to simply listen to the public during a couple of meetings as they yawn, doodle and look at the ceiling, and then implement it by a stroke of the pen. At Wednesday’s meeting, Walker and Heck disregarded our objections, railroaded it through the Weekly Business Session and imposed their will on a future Board. Ghee, I wonder why? With Walkers’ background, could it be that they wanted to create a job that Cherryl might fill after her term as Commissioner is up? Sandi Cassanelli Merlin, Oregon Obituaries Don J. Penasso , 63, of Grants Pass, died Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending at Illinois Valley Funeral Directors. Celentha “Cindy” Jones , 82, of Grants Pass, died Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016 at Kinsington at Redwood Park. Cindy was born May 1, 1934 in Fairmont, West Virginia to William and Anna Wilfong. She married Denzil Alkire and they had three children, Nancy, Delinda and William. They later divorced. She then married Floyd Samuel Jones. Cindy attended cosmetology school and worked as a nail technician. Cindy and Floyd served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Houston, Texas. In 2005 she moved from Cave Junction to Grants Pass. Cindy was a breast cancer survivor. She loved to do volunteer work. Her passion was working with children helping them learn to read. She played the piano for the Western Star and for her church. She knitted many stocking hats for Josephine County foster children and purple baby hats for Providence Birth Center. Cindy was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Western Star of Cave Junction. She was a volunteer grandparent at Lincoln Elementary; made 150 hats stocking hats for foster children and 160 baby hats. She also enjoyed playing piano, knitting and crocheting. Survivors include her children, Nancy Ann Barger and William Boyd Alkire; 11 grandchildren and 15 great- grandchildren. Preceding her in death was her husband, Floyd Samuel Jones; daughter, Delinda Harrison; sister, Metha J.; and two brothers, Richard Guy and William. No services are planned. Illinois Valley Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements. Private interment will be at Laurel Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to any breast cancer charity. Please visit Cindy’s tribute wall and sign the guest book at www.since1928hull. com. Max (Rahier) Carter May 9, 1925 to Nov. 14, 2016 Max was born in Sultan, Wash., to George and Marguerite Rahier along with his brother Dale. After George died Marguerite remarried and Max took the last name Carter and lived in Bremerton, Wash. At the age of 18 Max enlisted in the U.S. Navy assigned to the Seabees and became a signalman. Max served in the European theater during WWII mostly in Africa, Italy and France. Max also performed signal duty during the D-Day invasion. After an honorable discharge in July 1945, Max returned to Bremerton where he married Betty Herrick in 1946. The Carters had two children, Ronald and Candace. The family moved to Missoula, Mont. where Max attended Montana University and then transferred back to Wash. to attend University of Washington (UW), majoring in journalism. During Max’s time at UW he interned at the Seattle Times as a copy boy. Max and his family moved to Southern California in 1956 and worked for the U.S. Postal Service. After that he sold industrial medical insurance which led him to open his own medical insurance billing company. In 1985 Max retired and moved to Kerby. He lived in the Cave Junction area for 30 years where he had many friends. Max enjoyed gold mining and horse racing/ handicapping. As a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Max served two terms as post commander in Cave Junction Max was killed Nov. 14, by a hit-and-run driver while walking near his apartment. He is survived by his son, Ronald; granddaughter, Samantha; and great- grandson, Sage. Max Carter and his great-grandson, Sage I llINoIs V alley F uNeral D Irectors www.since1928Hull.com 541-592-4110 Save the date Thanksgiving, Nov. 24 Free Thanksgiving dinner in Cave Junc- tion will be at Jubilee Park from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. sponsored by the Doug Hoskins Resource Center the Cultural and Ecological Education Network. Volunteers can call 541-291-8860. I.V. Grange will also provide a free Thanksgiving dinner from 1 - 4 p.m. The Grange is located at 3763 Holland Loop Road. Bridgeview Church will be providing free rides to the Grange. Please call 541-295- 7579 to make a reservation. Dec. 5 Neighborhood Watch Leadership Meet- ing, Monday – Dec. 5, 6 p.m. at Wild Rivers Pizza. I am reaching out to all the leadership in the Illinois Valley neighborhood watch groups, and to those that wish to help form their Watch. Illinois Valley News Published weekly by W.H. Alltheway, LLC Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher We need to have a means to share infor- mation and resources between all groups. I am hosting a communications meeting to address our concerns, organize ourselves, our infor- mation, and to get it to the appropriate au- thorities. Can you please help us by spreading the word of this meeting. Contact me, Dennis Hoke, at 541-287-0021 Dec. 10 The Dell’Arte Company’s annual holi- day show tour returns for its 36th year with an adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, re-imag- ined for the unique struggles of growing up in Northern California. A nimble new piece from the Dell’Arte Company featuring origi- nal music and athletic acting, this isn’t your everyday Alice! Lorna Byrne Middle School Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR 97523 Illinois Valley News is published at 221 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523 Telephone (541) 592-2541 Since 1937 periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523 P.O. Box 1370 USPS 258-820 SUBSCRIPTION RATES One year in Josephine County - $35 One year in Jackson and Douglas counties - $36 One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state - $43.00 Illinois Valley News does not refund subscriptions. Remainder of subscription will be donated to the charity of your choice. Continuing *The I.V. Senior Thrift Store is under NEW MANAGEMENT and is looking for new volunteers. Join the crew and make new friends. You don’t need to be a senior citizen to join the store. Call us at 541-592-6630. Open Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. *The C.J. Substation hours are changed. We are now open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays (closed Wednesdays) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The phone number at the Sub is 541-592-5151. We are looking for more volunteers to expand the hours; applica- tions to become a volunteer can be picked up at the Substation. *Cave Junction Patrol, LLC is looking for volunteers. CJ Patrol is a private citizen volunteer ornaization dedicated to effectively News - Dan Mancuso dan@illinois-valley-news.com Editor -Laura Mancuso laura@illinois-valley-news.com Classified Ads -Laura Mancuso laura@illinois-valley-news.com Circulation - Kimberly Potter office@illinois-valley-news.com Advertising / Composition - Dan Mancuso dan@illinois-valley-news.com Mailroom - Millie Watkins addressing heretofore-unchecked property crime in our city and neighborhoods. The pri- mary mission of CJ Patrol is to prevent, in- terrupt, report and decrease property crime in the city of Cave Junction. Call 541-592- 9665, cjpatrol.org. Monthly meetings are first Thursday at 6 p.m. at Wild River Pizza, 249 Redwood Hwy. *The Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program will be offering free assistance with Medicare Open Enroll- ment at the Illinois Valley Family Coalition every Monday from Nov. 7 to Dec. 5. You can add, drop or change how you receive your Medicare benefits. Call 541-956-4472. Be sure to specify that you are calling for an ap- pointment in Cave Junction. DEADLINES: News, Classified and Display Ads, Announcement and Letters 4 P.M. FRIDAYS POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ encour- ages letters to the editor pro- vided they are legible and not libelous or scurrilous. All let- ters 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 discre- tion of the publisher.
