Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, May 10, 2017
VOTE ...
Continued from A-2
We won’t solve the ills of
our community by throwing
money at it - much of which is
embedded in the “green rush,”
similar to the old gold-rush days
when communities were at the
mercy of thugs who could only
be reined in by the gun-toting
sheriffs, who had little use for
public relations or political
correctness. What happened
to all the permit-fee money
from the thousands of cannabis
operations that have proliferated
in our county? Shouldn’t some
of that money go back into the
community that has allowed
them to grow their cash crops?
Hasn’t the cannabis industry
overtaken the timber industry
in our area? So many complain
about the loss of funds from
the timber industry that used to
pay for policing, fire stations,
and libraries, so shouldn’t the
cannabis industry fill in that
gap? But I’m getting beyond
my point: please vote no on
all new tax measures. I am an
active neighborhood watch/patrol
person and there is no crime
in my neighborhood. And if
there were, then the promise
of more policing by these new
levies would not change such
situations as when an abducted
individual, bruised, cold and
restrained in layers of duct-tape,
comes knocking on our door (the
first house he came upon after
escaping from his captors up
the mountain) and asks for our
teenage daughter to borrow the
phone to call 911. What was the
response - oh, call us tomorrow
(probably logged - BAR
[“beyond available resources”]).
They did ask my daughter if she
was alone with this terrified and
irate, duck-taped stranger, but
never had the thought to call
back and check on her wellbeing
(what do you expect her to say
with him standing right next to
her - uh, that she’s scared?).
How would the extra
funding help that situation
when I saw two Josephine
County sheriff vehicles parked
at Siskiyou Market chatting
to the owner of a van when I
was driving home from IVHS
Track Practice at about exactly
the same the abductee was
dialing 911, with my daughter
alone in the house with him?
They were just down the road
and couldn’t go check on my
daughter to see if she was all
right? If the law enforcement in
our area is greatly incompetent
at keeping our community
safe and free of riffraff with
the funds they are receiving
now, then what guarantee is
there that they would improve
with more funding? If a child
who squanders the few dollars
you can spare for her college
education, do you say “job
well done” and find a way of
rewarding her with extra, hard
earned money? Or do you save
those extra funds for a child who
did the best she could with a
mere pittance.
Ray Brown
Cave Junction
Dear Editor
The fact that a small group
of local dysfunctional teenage
boys are vandalizing Cave
Junction is a symptom of a much
larger problem - a dysfunctional
local, state and federal
government expensive mandates
and despotic regulations. It’s not
a lack of funding; it’s a failure
of good leadership and despotic
bureaucracies. It’s happening in
large cities too. With well funded
law enforcement and strict laws.
Also out of control murder rates
and organized crime.
We no longer live in a proud
free constitutional democratic
republic. We live in a highly
regulated bureaucratic corporate
socialist republic. With a justice
and law system that benefits
lawyers and bureaucrats. With
the largest prison population in
the world that benefits the prison
guard union and its membership.
The only reason the
government can function is
because of a $20 trillion dollar
debt. Can a government so
bankrupt claim any legitimacy?
We the people are in a state
of intergenerational servitude.
Also we the people are not
allowed to vote on this debt.
Another word for that is a state
of tyranny. It’s true -freedom is
not free anymore.
If these young vandals are
not stopped they will move on
to robbery, assault and murder.
Sooner or later they themselves
will be murdered or imprisoned.
This could be stopped
locally by empowering the local
neighborhood watch. Pay them
each at least $1,000 a month.
That’s not much but they are
doing it for free now. Give them
proper authority and a badge.
A couple of guard dogs for foot
and bike patrols. Catch these
dysfunctional teenage boys in the
act.
Put signs around their necks.
Make them do public community
service and work off the damage
and mischief they have done.
More expensive does not
mean better. Just say no more
taxes. Even if this tax levy does
pass there will always be new
dysfunctional teenage boys. The
vandalism will go on and on and
on. The question is what kind of
men will they grow up to be?
Page A-3
Mark Wichers
Cave Junction
(Editor’s note: In the second
to last sentence of Mark Wichers’
May 3 letter to the editor, it
should have read: An expensive
highly regulated corporate police
system is not freedom. We regret
the error.)
Yes on 17-81
Freedom isn’t free, nor is
police and firemen. So, who
doesn’t want the jail levy to
pass? Mark Seligman, Bill
Hunker, a few others who have
high jacked the Republican party
and the criminals. What is the
safety of your loved ones worth?
What are your possessions
and family heirlooms worth? If
the jail and I.V.F.D. fail, your
insurance rates will increase
more than your property tax.
Who should you call if the
levy fails and you are robbed,
burglarized or otherwise
victimized? Mark and friends?
Good luck!
Please vote yes on the
jail, fire and animal shelter
and please always vote no on
Mark, perennial commissioner
candidate with no viable
solutions.
I know a guy who was a
cop for 25 years and his favorite
statement was, “The only
deterrent to crime is swift and
just punishment,” and we have
neither.
Steve Lyons
Cave Junction
Vote yes on levy 17-80
REWIND TO: April 9,
2017. OSP troopers assigned to
the Grants Pass Patrol Worksite,
responded to a reported shooting
occurring in front of well-
known bar in Cave Junction.
Upon arrival, one male was
observedlaying in on the street
with a gunshot wound to the
chest.
Fact: Shortly after 2 a.m.,
the call for assistance was
processed through dispatch in
Central Point.
Fact: Because a crime
was committed, EMT/first
responders (who were on the
scene with IVRFPD shortly
after the shooting) had to wait
a safe distance from the scene
for law enforcement from out of
area to arrive before they could
begin life-saving measures on
the victim. Total wait was 22
minutes.
Fact: The City of Cave
Junction does not have a police
force.
Fact: The City of Cave
Junction opted to rely on the
county of Josephine to provide
services of the Josephine County
Sheriff.
Fact: The City Council
of Cave Junction voted
unanimously to support jail
levy, Measure 17-80, by way
of Resolution No. 815 which
they passed on April 10. Local
neighborhood watch and patrol
programs need the support and
backing of the Josephine County
Sheriff. If this levy does not
pass, Cave Junction will lose
their contract deputy after July
1. OSP stated that they will no
longer provide backup to rural
Josephine County after July 1.
Since 2012, voters opted
for “No New Taxes” in spite
of dire predictions by budget
experts. Predictions that are now
reality. On the May 16 special
election ballot, it’s time to do
the right thing and “JUST SAY
YES” on measure 17-80 and 17-
78. Because saying No hasn’t
worked.
Tim Campbell
Cave Junction
The Archive Zone Blotter Edition: by Hillary Mohr from the Illinois Valley News archives
You have the right to remain silent!
Everything you read will remind you that you
live in one of the wildest and unique valleys
in the nation. You have the right to enjoy the
following Police Blotter Archive Zone. Date:
June 3, 1992. Location: Cave Junction and the
Illinois Valley.
Tuesday, May 26
*At the request of OSP a vehicle driving
from Selma to Cave Junction was stopped, as
a motorist reported the driver might be drunk.
It turned out that a small dog in the car caused
the driver to swerve a couple of times.
*Four loose donkeys near Kerbyville
Ghost Town were reported.
*In the 200 block of Lakeshore Drive at
11:39 p.m. two men had a disturbance. One
brought out a sword. The other was arrested
on charges of driving under the influence of
intoxicants and reckless driving.
Wednesday, May 27
*Although a woman believed she had
locked a burglary suspect inside a storage area,
the report was unfounded.
Thursday, May 28
*Marijuana plants were seized at a
location in the Siskiyou National Forest.
Friday, May 29
Art’s Red
Garter M i c h a e l
Homestyle
DINNER
SPECIALS
Mon - Sat 5-9 PM
in Lounge
KARAOKE
Wednesdays
@ 9 p.m.
cruz
F r i d a y, M a y 1 2
@ 5:30
from
Taylor’s
Country Store
*Josephine Interagency Narcotics Team
officers arrested three people on Murphy Creek
Road on drug charges. Two were charged in
connection with methamphetamines; the other
involved marijuana.
*Theft of prom pictures from East River
Street was resolved when they were returned.
*Two gunshots and a woman’s scream
were reported on June Drive. It turned out to
involve a man who had an altercation with
his brother; then went outside and fired the
weapon.
Saturday, May 30
*When a man arrived home at 1:45 a.m.
KARAOKE
w/ Steve - OH
dale hopper
Friday, May 12 @ 9 p.m
Saturday the 13th @ 6 p.m.
Saturday Pool Tourney @ 7
Every Wednesday
Open MIC Night
6 - 8 p.m.
J Barley
Fridays @ 6 p.m.
Free pool on Sundays
Sportsman
Tavern
in the 27000 block of Redwood Highway he
found that his front door was broken and a man
was sleeping in his bed. The man was warned
about trespassing.
*After staying at a ranch in Selma for
nine days, a man refused to pay for his room
and board and left.
*In the 6000 block of Takilma Road a
deputy found a weapon.
The
G SPOT
Hump day Karoke w/
Jammer Dave
8 - midnight
Open Mic w/ B
Eric Leadbetter of Jive
Coulis
Thursday, May 11 8 PM, free
The Spence Brothers
Blues Band
Friday, May 12, 7 p.m.
Thurdsays @ 7
I.V. STRING BAND
SAT, MAY 13
8-11 p.m. $5 cover
@
McGrew’s!