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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (July 26, 2017)
Page A-2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, July 26, 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’ 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 The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify authenticity.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.) Reader responds to BLM Pickett West Forest Management Project Environmental Assessment (EA) As a PhD watershed scientist, I find that the “Finding of No Significant Impact” requires the reader to suspend rational thought. These public resources are worth VASTLY more in the standing condition. The planning area for this project represents the last of the great forests of southwestern Oregon. Since much of the Pickett- West lands are within Josephine and Jackson counties, and counties purportedly receive payments for logging from the Fed, it’s clear that BLM has a fiduciary obligation to consider the economic impacts of any BLM logging proposal on the economic status of the county in which logging is conducted. I request that BLM staff provide diligence to the public you serve, who does, after all, own this land. Please give a series of presentations to the interested public regarding the impacts of Pickett West on the public water supply. Please speak with both County Commissions, City Councils where cities receive water from BLM lands, contact all the Watershed Councils and SWCD groups, Garden Clubs and Winery Associations. Please explain in detail HOW the Pickett West sale will benefit the public water supply, the lifeblood of our regional economy. This Economic Analysis is required under NEPA, to analyze for impacts to the public water supply, in which the Federal government has invested millions of dollars. This potential for economic conflicts among federal investments was a substantial justification for Congress passing the Environmental Protection Act. I request that BLM present this analysis on hydrologic impacts to the public water supply, for clearer public scrutiny, before approving the Pickett West plan. After all, the economic infrastructure of Josephine and Jackson counties depends now on the water supply now provided by the watersheds in question. Before approving Pickett West, we, the residents of these counties, need to see and hear the detailed analysis of how this project will benefit or impact the public water supply. The BLM Pickett West EA and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact are not in compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Oregon and California Lands Act and the 1995 and 2016 BLM Resource Management Plans. The residents of the Josephine County have recently identified several County Economic Development Plans. We need to see how BLM plan affects the value of our public lands, with respect to our projected regional Tourism Economy. How will this extent of logging affect our climate? As written, Pickett West represents corporate theft of public resources. These public resources are not available for cents on the dollar, to provide short term corporate profit at the public expense. Your children and their generation will thank us for keeping these forests standing. Thank you, Christine Perala Gardiner PhD Cave Junction, Oregon Reader says Humphres is a good guy With regard to the many recent articles concerning the I.V. Fire District Board, I wish to pint out only one thing: I have known Ron Humphfres for over 25 years as a fellow firefighter, building contractor and friend. I would never doubt his fairness, good intentions, regard for others and most certainly, never his honesty. Thank you, David Mac Kechnie Cave Junction A fire safe community is on us. Many thanks, from the onset, to our I.V. News team, to Laura and Dan Mancuso with their coverage on news, event and activities, that are, in my mind, lead matters of interest and of concern to our I.V. Community. The main reason for my writing is to fix our efforts, awareness, on Public Safety, through neighborhood watch and emergency preparedness. Our Valley – comprises 12% of the County’s population, and covers a 1/3 of the land mass, about 550 sq. miles, from Hays Hill to the California border. This also comprises our (geographically large) I.V. Fire District with its 44 personnel (aprox.), a dozen CERT members, and help on wild fires by ODF. This season, so far, is advancing to be an exceptionally ‘fire prone’ one. The levy resources, voted in on May, won’t materialize until the end of this year, including Sheriff Deputies. The crime trend is not leveling off. Compounding issues with mental health and drug addiction, mix that with a large influx of cannabis migrant workers and the summer bash party activities. Well, you get the picture. Chief Dennis Hoke is on the edge of his seat, as am I in the Ken Rose area. We nearly lost many of our homes in 2015 when the Krauss Fire occurred in August. The offset to this disastrous scenario is on all of us. Until our services are better manned and equipped. The neighborhood watch network we are building is moving too slowly, and now we need to send out an alert, to all our Cave Junction and Rural neighborhoods – to join in. We need one person, a representative from every neighborhood. If it’s not you, find someone who can help, connect your neighbors and neighborhoods. We are meeting weekly for the Community Watch program to network, to share resources, and to help support your neighborhood to: form a watch, craft an emergency phone tree, support a look-out person or fire watch, establish safety zones and evacuation planning. We have a new immediate alert system, utilizing smart phones, to relay information, in real time, on fire and crime incidences. You can be a part of this system for the safety of your neighborhood. See the add in the “Save The Date” section titled ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY WATCH MEETING. Be safe, be smart, be connected. Guenter – 541-415- 1929. Guenter Ambron Cave Junction Obituaries The family of longtime Selma residents Richard and Nancy Dueker would like to invite all who knew them to a memorial service at the Cave Junction Immanuel United Methodist Church Friday, Aug. 4 at 11 a.m., followed by a potluck. Pictures and stories are welcome at the service. A private burial will take place at the National Veteran’s Cemetery in Eagle Point, Oregon. ~ Correction ~ The article about the Fire District Board has an significant error. The paragraph that states “..until funds from the levy..” This is incorrect. No levy money would be used it should have read “…until funds from the semiannual tax allotment…” The I.V. News regrets the error. I llINoIs V alley F uNeral D Irectors www.since1928Hull.com 541-592-4110 Save the date July 27 Dale and Sharon Hopper will play the Concerts in the Park. FREE ADMISSION! Sponsored by the I,V, Chamber of Commerce. 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday Evening at Jubilee Park, CJ. Community Libraries, 209 W Palmer St, C.J. Continuing Concerts in the Park - Summer 2017 FREE ADMISSION! Spon- sored by the I.V. Chamber of Com- merce 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday Evenings at Jubilee Park, CJ: Aug 3, Kelly Thibodeaux & Etouffee – rhythm and blues and Southern rock; Aug 10, Fire Your Boss – post- Apocalyptic folk core. Please bring your own seating. Nachos, Hot Dogs and more avail- able at Softball Concession Stand. Summer Reading Program sign ups are still happening at the Illinois Valley Library! Our free program runs through Saturday, Aug. 5. Join us on Saturdays from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. for crafts sponsored by Illinois River Valley Arts Council. For more infor- mation contact Roberta Lee at 541- 592-4778. I.V. Branch, Josephine *Illinois Valley Community Watch Meeting every Monday from 5 - 6 p.m. at Wild River Pizza, 249 Redwood Hwy. – Cave Junction. A Public Safety Outreach Campaign effort with all I.V. Neighborhood Watch Groups – representatives, in- cluding businesses and churches, and Aug. 3 I.V. by Candlelight Walk after Concerts in the Park , meet at the stage at 8 p.m. Bring your candles and show community support for public safety. 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 support for anyone wishing to start a neighborhood watch. Includes a 2- way hand held radio program briefing from 4:20 - 4:50 p.m. Contact Guent- er - 541-415-1929 / ivwatch541@ gmail.com. *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. *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 substation 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. 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. 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 or visit cjpatrol.org. *Committee Meeting STATE OF JEFFERSON Josephine County 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. *Come join the Cave Junction Lions Club at River Valley Restaur- rant, at 6 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th 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 Thursday of each month. We are a co-ed club and are always looking for community minded people that are dedicated, hard working, whether physically limited or not and most of all, like to have fun. We host the Classic Car Show in late June and Turkey Bingo in ear- ly November. So if you like to have fun and like to help make great things happen, to provide glasses, hearing aids, scholarships and support for our community and so much more. Come by and see what we do or give us a call, 541-592-9243 Nina Horsley, vice president or 541-295- 7579 Sherry Overstreet, president. *Second and fourth Mondays of the month, 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 222 W. Lister Street, Cave Junction, Oregon, the Common Council of the City of Cave Junction will meet in a regular ses- sion. 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.
