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need not be published, but will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.