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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (May 10, 2017)
Page A-2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, May 10, 2017 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 The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify authenticity.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 com- mentary, including statements made as fact are strictly those of the letter writers.) Dear Editor: Although I live outside the library district boundaries proposed in Measure 17- 79, I still plan to get my library card. The day that the district is formed, I’ll submit paperwork to have my property added to the district. Once approved, I’ll be eligible for my library card. If I prefer, I could also get my library card by paying an annual fee or volunteering at the library. These are reasonable and fair solutions for paying for a library district that will not only ensure stable funding now and into the future, but will also finally allow the libraries to open for more hours and to buy more and better books for lending. When my three children were young, our weekly visits to the Grants Pass library had us bringing home bagfuls of books that they all consumed with enthusiasm. I believe their love of books, reading, and learning have contributed to the success they’re experiencing as they navigate their lives as young adults. I’m a realtor, and my buyers are always interested in the health and future of our community. Libraries are a major part of that equation. If you live inside the library district boundaries, vote Yes on Measure 17-79. If you live outside the boundaries, please support the measure however you can. And if it passes, join me in either opting in to the district, buying a library card, or volunteering in exchange for a library card. Our residents need their libraries. Lori Patch Grants Pass Vote No on Measure 17.81 On the upcoming county ballot, Measure 17.81 asks voters about banning all OLCC cannabis farms from all sizes of Rural Residential lands. The economic development brought on by the cannabis industry in our region will be gutted if Measure 17.81 passes because the commissioners anticipate SB 1057 will pass in Salem that could bring the 2,862 Josephine County OMMP gardens under the OLCC tent. Many cannabis farms are located on Rural Residential lands, and if they all get banned once they become regulated by the OLCC, our local economy will collapse. Let me restate: the county officials are trying to get a mandate from the voters to write an ordinance banning the OLCC rec farms from RR lands and preempt the OMMP farms from being land-use compatible should SB 1057 pass. This is a strategy the commissioners have deliberately sought to omit from the Explanatory Statement on Measure 17.81 and hide it from the voters. But it gets worse. The commissioners say in the ballot Explanatory Statement that “Land use systems seek to minimize conflicts between neighbors,” but there are no such conflicts between the OLCC farms they ask the voters to consider banning. The 327 so-called “marijuana-related complaints” the Community Development Director’s office received since August 3, 2016 are solely the result of OMMP regarding Measure 17.81? It is because of their arbitrary prejudice against cannabis, a bias that is renowned and documented. For one example, they won’t even permit organizations to rent county buildings for anything that appears to be related to cannabis, including farmers forums on best practices. Why don’t they respect the huge precedent the State of Oregon set? The sheer number of facilities and resources the state has dedicated to the cannabis industry is extraordinary. The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is purposefully misrepresenting the facts about the nature of the complaints and where many code violations occur to steer the voters’ answer to the Measure 17.81 ballot question to fit the county officials’ bias and prejudice against cannabis, actions that are grossly negligent and breach the putative trust voters have in their elected county officials. Perhaps this subterfuge just wouldn’t matter if the future economic development of our region were not at stake. and illegal farms. Not one has been filed against an OLLC rec farm, yet measure 17.81 asks to ban only OLCC farms from rural residential because that’s all the commissioners can legally get away with at this time. Furthermore, the most and worst code violations occur on tracts that are zoned Forest Commercial, Wood Resource, EFU, etc. and not on Rural Residential lands because scofflaws seek far-flung locations to avoid complaints from neighbors. The cannabis farmers on Rural Residential lands know they are being watched and generally seek to be good neighbors. Complaints against OMMP farms in RR lands are about fences and light/ noise pollution, whereas in other zones, the code violations are tremendous and cause extreme negative environmental impacts. Which is worse? What do we think the commissioners should be prioritizing, legally mandated fences or illegal water appropriation? So why would the commissioners be willing to risk the most significant economic development lifeline our region has had since logging? It seems so irrational. Why would they intentionally misrepresent the facts and their motives Chris Hall dancefarm Vote No Here we go again with the scare tactics to try to justify a total of 135 percent property tax increase that does not financially burden anyone but property owners. As proposed, these measures would increase our family’s annual property tax on our home and two rental properties by $1,550 per year for a total of $7,000 per year. We would be forced to raise rent on the properties that provide a nice, rural home consisting of a house and acreage for two young families that is affordable. What we charge for rent on the two properties barely covers the mortgage on one of them, so we are not the rich landlords who are just rolling in pizza money. The only other choice to raising the rent would be to sell out to the marijuana market that has helped to eliminate affordable housing for the working family and increased property evaluation, thus increasing our property taxes already. Where do those extra funds go? A sales tax seems so much fairer as it would share the burden among everyone. SEE VOTE ON A-3 Obituaries Celebration of Life for Robert John Muswieck Come join us in celebrating the wonderful life of Robert John Muswieck (1925 – 2017) at the Fountain of Life Assembly of God, 451 S. Junction Ave., CJ Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 2 p.m. Kathleen Victoria White-Blood was born in Sonora, Calif. on February 9, 1951. She was welcomed home by her Lord Jesus on April 28, 2017 in Hughson, Calif. She was preceded in death Her loving husband Walter “Danny” Blood on March 7, 2011. Danny’s son Richard Blood and grandson “CJ” Blood, whom she cared for like her own, will miss Kathy dearly. Her parents Victor Allen White and Hazel Navone White along with her half sister Charlotte White predeceased Kathy She is survived by her sister Jean Marie Grimbleby and her husband Clive of Modesto, California and her half sister Susan Dennis and her husband John of Twin Falls, Idaho. Kathy had many wonderful and caring friends at Bridgeview Community Church in Cave Junction. She appreciated the regular calls and all the special help fromher dear friends Patti and Hootie and Jackie and Bob. Thank you Howard for being there. Kathy spent most of her working life as a contract specialist with the federal government at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. It was in Sacramento that she met her husband Danny. They spent their time together caring for Richard and CJ, attending car shows and generally looking for opportunities to travel. Whether it was a car show, a cruise or just time with friends they were always open for adventure. There will be a grave side service for Kathy at their home on Friday May 12, 2017, 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution to The Bridgeview Community Church. Kathleen White-Blood and Walter “Danny” Blood I llINoIs V alley F uNeral D Irectors www.since1928Hull.com 541-592-4110 Save the date May 12 May 13 Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13 at 10 a.m. to there will be a group of people meeting at Laurel Cemetery for the purpose of clean- ing the trash and pea vines off of the headstones in preparation for Memorial Day, May 29. On Satur- day, May 27 the American Legion Post 70 Cave Junction will be put- ting American Flags on all veteran’s graves. So we would like as many people that can come out an assist the cleanup as possible. Thank you ahead of time for your help. Bring gloves, rakes and shovels. The city has offered to have a dump truck for available to load up and dump on the cities burn pile. Flags will be put up Saturday, May 27. IVHS girls’ varsity softball at Rogue River High School at noon & 2 p.m. IVHS boys’ varsity baseball at Rogue River High School at noon & 2 p.m. IVHS varsity track district re- gionals at Lakeview High School 9:30 a.m. May 12 IVHS varsity track district re- gionals at Lakeview High School 2:30 p.m. May 12 IVHS Safe and Sober Gradua- tion Party Fundraising event: Friday, May 12, 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. “Show your Spirit; paint the night Red and White” Dinner and Silent and Live Auction at the Selma Center. May 13 Mother’s Day Spa, a benefit for the Spiral Living Center, Saturday, May 13, 1-4 p.m. $20-35 sliding scale. Give a relaxing and rejuve- nating gift to your mother, sweetie, sister, friend, boss, co-worker, vol- unteer, etc. Soak in the healing en- ergy of the straw bale octagon while you relax with friends! Choose three 15 minute treatments, (mas- sage, foot soak, herbal facial, tarot reading, and more). Tea and treats will be self-serve, and you may win a door prize! For more info. or to RSVP contact spiral@spiralliving. org, 541-592-3386 or pre-pay via Paypal://www.spiralliving.org. Pre- registration is recommended. May 15 I.V. Community Watch and Neighborhood Support Meeting Illinois Valley News Published weekly by W.H. Alltheway, LLC Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher 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 will be held: Monday, May 15, 5 – 6 p.m. at Wild Rivers Pizza, 249 Redwood Hwy., in Cave Junction. This meeting is part of a Support Campaign effort with all Neighbor- hood Watch Groups, their leader- ship, and for anyone that wishes to get help with their Neighborhood. We also have a 2-way radio and in- formation briefing from 4:20 - 4:50 p.m. - just before the meeting. Meet- ings are weekly, Mondays at 5 p.m., Contact Guenter - 541-415-1929 / ivwatch541@gmail.com. May 20 Happy Birthday Gabrielle Vincenza Mancuso May 20 IVHS Golf Tournament spon- sored by I.V. High School golf team, A scramble format, registration be- gins at 7:45 a.m., Shotgun start at 9 a.m. Team string (30 ft.) $20, Mul- ligans $5 each, tournament entry fee is $60 per person/ $220 for a full team (4 players) include 18 holes of play, golf cart, tee prizes, cash prize for hole-in-one, each member of the team must have 2 drives. Tourna- ment is open to the public, player’s fee proceeds go to the IVHS golf team. For more details go to the Club House or call 541-592-3151 or 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. contact Athletic Director Bruce Re- ece at 541-592-2116. May 21 IVHS Safe and Sober Gradua- tion Party Fundraising event: Sun- day, May 21 at 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Cave Junction Car wash. May 27 Saturday, May 27, - Public lands clean up at Waldo-Takilma, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Join KS Wild as a public lands steward on some of the most beautiful and also threatened places in the Klamath-Siskiyou. Stronger together: We will work together with the BLM, Illinois Valley resi- dents, the Illinois Valley Soil and Water Conservation District to clean this place up - just in time for the fi- nalizing of its designation as an offi- cial “Area of Critical Environmental Concern.” RSVP for carpool infor- mation and other details: call 541- 488-578, or e-mail jeanine@kswild. org. Continuing *The I.V. Senior Thrift Store: Join the crew and make new friends. You don’t need to be a senior citizen to volunteer at the store. Call us at 541-592-6630. Open Monday – Sat- urday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 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 - Laura Mancuso laura@illinois-valley-news.com Advertising / Composition - Dan Mancuso dan@illinois-valley-news.com Mailroom - Millie Watkins *The C.J. Substation hours are changed. Open hours are now Mon- day and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The phone number for the substa- tion is 541-592-5151. Volunteers are needed to ex- pand support service hours to the public. Applications are avail- able at the substation or on-line at http://www.co.josephine.or.us/ Files/Volunteer%20Application. Mar%202014.pdf.” *Cave Junction Patrol, LLC is looking for volunteers. CJ Patrol is a private citizen volunteer orgnaniza- tion dedicated to effectively address- ing heretofore-unchecked property crime in our city and neighborhoods. The primary mission of CJ Patrol is to prevent, interrupt, report and de- crease 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 Riv- er Pizza, 249 Redwood Hwy. *Committee Meeting STATE OF JEFFERSON Josephine Coun- ty 1st Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Black Forest Restaurant, Grants Pass and 3rd Thursday of each month at 6 p.m., Wild River Pizza 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.
