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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Life in the
Valley
of Riches
By DAN MANCUSO,
Publisher
Most week’s that I write a column, it’s usually about
something that is not a pleasant topic - bums, politicians or the
sort. But there are the occasions that I like to show my pride in
our community and this upcoming weekend is one of them.
As always, the I.V. Lions Labor Day Festival makes me
all nostalgic. I rolled into town seven years ago during the week
of the event, and it was my first time meeting many of you. I
always have fun and look forward to it. I hope many of you will
get out and enjoy the fruit of the the Lions Club labor.
The Tuff Trucks is always a highlight for me, that and
the beer garden! Then the weekend ends for me with the anti-
climatic Harley raffle that I never win, but I don’t mind. If you
have not purchased yours yet you better get on it, there are only
400 tickets sold.
Letters to the editor
This is a question our
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not be published, but will be used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
commentary, including statements
made as fact are strictly those of
the letter writers.)
EPA, whats in a name?
Should the EPA become the
Environmental Pollution Agency
or remain the Environmental
Protection Agency? Do we
really care about human and
environmental health, or not?
federal representatives face.
The Trump Administration and
Republicans in DC are promoting
the pro-Pollution alternative.
Trumps’ 2018 budget
proposes cutting EPA funding
by 30% and staff by 20%. It also
proposes compromising the air
we breathe and the water we
drink by cutting 50 programs that
protect these essential resources.
Meanwhile, the GOP-
controlled Congress plans to
adjust EPA policy such that
regulations become the cheapest
for corporations rather than the
best for protecting public and
environmental health. They
also plan to instruct agencies to
prioritize the interests of industry
(meaning profits and greed) over
protection of consumers and
workers.
Amazingly, even now
Trump and the Congressional
cabal of integrity-challenged
and self-esteem lacking
representatives are dedicated to
the destruction of human and
Obituaries
Richard “Dick” Armstead, 82,
Dick died Aug. 19,2017 at home. Dick was
born May 26, 1935 in Bellingham, Wash. He is
survived by his wife, Joyce of 59 years; daughter,
Kathy (Brian) Ewing; sons, Ken (Sherri) and Keith
Armstead; three grandsons; three granddaughters;
two great-grandsons; and one great-granddaughter.
A sister, Barbara Neher and brothers, Mike, Bruce
and Pat Armstead, and Les, who preceded him in
death. He was a log scaler when first moving to
the area in 1967, scaling logs all around the area
for the next 10 years, later driving logging trucks
among other things. He was a former member of the
local Lions Club, and helped to start the first Labor
Day Festival. After retiring from long haul trucking
in 1996, they enjoyed traveling across country on
their motorcycle. A Memorial Service will be held
Sept. 16 at 2 p.m., at the Assembly of God Church
in Cave Junction
environmental health and the
promotion of short-term profits
and greed.
It’s not clear what
Trump and Congressional
representatives think they and
their families will breath or drink
in the future. Paradoxically, or
is that merely ‘insanely,’ they
seem intent on poisoning their
own families - all for short-term
profits.
Trisha Vigil
Medford
Public Safety
I would like to express
some topics of concern in recent
articles of the Illinois Valley
News.
In regards to Public Safety
I would like to announce and
invite all parties interested to
attend the I.V. Community Watch
Service Group (IVCW) Elections
Meeting hosted on Aug. 31,
Thursday, at 6 p.m., Wild River
Pizza in CJ. We are formalizing
our team effort and outreach
program to network “rally” our
I.V. Community around Public
Safety.
This dovetails me into a few
issues. First of importance is to
announce the implementation
of the Immediate Alert
Notification System for smart
phones. We (IVCW) are using
the www.GroupMe.com app
and Facebook Messenger to
text important details including
photos and video, in real time,
on fires, large emergencies
and crime incidences. The
I.V. Fire Department has used
this public media system for
over 2 years now, and with
its CERT members, to help
enhance communication in
directing resources to emergency
incidences. We are looking for
lead people in neighborhoods to
subscribe.
Item two on my list is the
CJ Council’s two Workshops
for the contract on the sheriff
This year we have a local jam band called Takilma
playing Sunday night and we also will have a chance to see a
local favorite, Dawna Crocker sing. And on a somewhat sad
note, it will be the last time for a while we will get to see Rosie
Wittman aka Silas Wolf perform before she moves to Seattle.
Monday morning the parade is a must, the library usually
has a pretty good float, so I am curious to see what they do this
year.
So, unless you are going to be fighting fires this weekend,
I hope you make some time to come out and enjoy the fine
folks that make up this amazing community. Thank you for
picking up this week’s paper, enjoy! djm
deputy patrol. The two forums
included about 37 Cave Junction
members in all, is my count.
The workshops created a good
bit of dialog with an interactive
survey posted on priorities. As
with previous years there was
only a public comment period,
during the council meeting, for
live citizen input. I commend
the council for engaging the
process, a step up from previous
years. The top priority is the
crime at night, targeting the
drug houses, and nightly sting
operations or saturation patrols.
Although better, the City Council
is still at a distance from being a
representative government where
substantial matters are voted on
by city residents. This includes
the contract’s language, itself,
which, at this point leads to
protect “indemnify” the county
and the sheriff’s office on failure
of performance.
In addition, in the contract,
the city council can only make
non-binding requests on service
specific matters, like sting
operations. Also the contract
is co-partnered with the JoCo
Commissioners, the Sheriff’s
Department (the Sheriff), and
the Oregon Sheriff’s Association
(a nongovernmental, private
body). There is also the Academy
in Salem, OPOA - Oregon
Police Officers Association,
and the influence of PERS - not
stated in the contract. These,
unfortunately, all work to
disassociate citizen involvement,
like neighborhood watch, and
other integrated public safety
solution in favor of excessive
professionalism, high cost, and
the “Corporatization” (Goggle
the word) of our public services.
These issues were addressed
“too late” with our previous
Sheriff “Gilbertson” in 2013-
14, who was educating himself
and steering away from the
aforementioned overbearing
influences to return to a more
constitutionally center common
law (simplified) administration
of the sheriff’s department
- and in line with his oath of
office. Gilbertson’s efforts here
significantly contributed to his
popularity in the Illinois Valley
during the 2014 election where
he received a majority. I don’t
fault the current sheriff Dave
Daniel as his orientation is far
outside of the law studies of his
predecessor and the tradition
role of the sheriff and his
powers, which is summoned
and conveyed to him by the
constituency - the People of
the County. If anyone would
like to take me to task on this,
they can visit me, and our law
study group. We welcome any
sheriff, attorney, or Oregon
BAR associate, which is a
private club by the way. So in
my view, until these matters are
squarely researched, and address
in public, we can only expect
non-committal compromises
and varying performance, unless
we can come up with about 20
million annually.
The other issue, now that
I don’t have room for, is our
economy and the green rush - the
RR5 commercial growing of
cannabis, and the profiteering.
What is the expense of doing
business in our community?
What are the impacts to the
environment, our diverse social
structure, and how that ties in
with crime, and public safety?
Where do people secure the
right to impact the long-range
health of a local economy? Are
we again at another cycle of
“Boom and Bust”?
How can we create
a constructive fact based
conversation with all parties
present? This is where I want to
go for my next shot at an article.
You’re welcome to contact
me,
Guenter Ambron,
Cave Junction,
541-415-1929 or
ivwatch541@gmail.com
I llINoIs V alley F uNeral D Irectors
www.since1928Hull.com
541-592-4110
Save the date
Aug. 31
On Thursday, at 6 p.m., Aug.
31, Community Watch Elections at
Wild River Pizza, in CJ, The I.V.
Community Watch Service Group
will host an elections meeting.
With free pizza and Root Beer.
Includes a raffle for 2-way radios
and other items. The Immediate
Alert Notification System cur-
rently has 40 members, with its
branch out communities of: Hol-
land Loop/Dick George, Takilma,
O’Brien, Ken Rose/West Side, and
Cave Junction. We are formalizing
our effort to Network Neighbor-
hoods, Watch Groups, and com-
munities to address crime, fire
preparedness, and public safety.
Contact - Guenter 541-415-1929
Sept. 1
Selma Center Drive – In
Movies Friday, Sept. 1, “Lord
of the Rings: Fellowship” rated
Illinois
Valley
News
Published weekly by
W.H. Alltheway, LLC
Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher
PG-13, $5 per person/$20 per car-
Gates Open @ 8:30pm - Movie
Starts @ 9:30pm, reasonable $
concessions 18255 Redwood
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Sept. 13
AWANA starts Sept. 13 for
children PK – Sixth grade at
Community Bible Church, 113
S. Caves Ave. CJ, Wednesdays at
6:15 – 8 p.m. Registration will
be the 13th so come a little bit
early! Children must be regis-
tered by their parents or legal
guardians. There will be stories,
music, games and often light
snacks. AWANA will meet every
Wednesday night unless there is
no school. This is a church spon-
sored program regardless of their
religious affiliation. At the same
time there will be a free parenting
class for all parents, grandparents
& guardians.
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
Continuing
*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,
including businesses and churches,
and support for anyone wishing
to start a neighborhood watch. In-
cludes a 2-way hand held radio pro-
gram briefing from 4:20 - 4:50 p.m.
Contact Guenter - 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.
*Volunteers are needed in the
Cave Junction Substation to provide
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.
support service hours to the public.
Applications are available at the
Merlin Substation, 100 Acorn Street,
Merlin, 541-474-5135, and 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
or visit cjpatrol.org.
*Committee Meeting STATE
OF JEFFERSON Josephine Coun-
ty 1st Thursday of each month at
5:30 p.m. Black Forest Restaurant,
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
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
Thursday of each month. We are a
co-ed club and are always looking
for community minded people that
are dedicated, hard working, wheth-
er 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
early November. So if you like to
have fun and like to help make great
things happen, to provide glasses,
hearing aids, scholarships and sup-
port for our community and so much
more.
Come by and see what we do
or give us a call, 541-592-9243 Nina
Horsley, president.
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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.