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Illinois Valley News
Wednesday, November 8, 2017, 1 Section, Volume LXXX No. 33
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Published weekly for the residents of the Illinois Valley
Panel discusses political system
RR weed ban
rolls forward
Jason McMillen
IVN Contributing Writer
Ordinance No. 2017-001, which aims to ban the
production of commercial cannabis on Rural Residential (RR)
land, went through its second first reading at the Nov. 1 Weekly
Business Session and passed 2-0. Commissioner Simon Hare
abstained his vote and announced that he’s recused himself
entirely from all further deliberations on the ordinance, citing
perceived conflicts of interest. The second reading is scheduled
for Nov. 29 at the Anne Basker Auditorium at 9 a.m. Before
being signed, the proposed rule regarding the prohibition of
work being performed at cannabis production sites on Sundays
was stricken. Lawful hours of operation outlined in 2017-001
remain from dawn to dusk.
“The distraction is the fact that my family owns EFU land,
exclusive farm use land, and by some measures people could
construe that that would make our property more valuable,”
Hare said, further acknowledging that he’s also invested in
a Southern Oregon Hemp company. He added that these
allegations have grown to be a distraction and that he doesn’t
want to perpetuate that.
SEE BAN ON A-12
(Photo by Laura Mancuso, Illinois Valley News)
Ryan Lathen (left) Mayor Daniel Dalegowski, Michelle Binker, Charlotte Hutt and Jack Dwyer
along with Patty Downing (pictured below) fielded questions during Democracy at Risk at IVHS
Sunday, Nov. 5.
“ (I.V. Indivisible) had the sense that
people in the community were concerned
about the state of government and didn’t
know where to turn.” Carol Valentine, Illinois Valley Indivisible
By Laura Mancuso
IVN Editor
Conversation and fixing problems within our
government was the focus of Democracy At Risk: a
nonpartisan panel and community dialogue Nov. 5 at the
Illinois Valley High School. Almost 70 people attended
the event presented by Illinois Valley Indivisible.
Illinois Valley Indivisible is a group of concerned
citizens that would like to make a grassroots difference in
their community and make democracy stronger.
Gary Eby, from I.V. Indivisible, an author, musician
and retired social worker was the moderator of the
event and said they would explore the question, “Is our
democracy in serious trouble?”
The evening started out with “America the
Beautiful” played on guitar and sang by Kent Fisher and
an introduction by Jack Dwyer of I.V. Indivisible, a former
Three Rivers school teacher who has lived in the I.V. for
the past 45 years.
The nonpartisan panel consisted of Patty Downing, a
nonprofit specialist who has been in the I.V. for 21 years;
Ryan Lathen, I.V. High School teacher of U.S history,
government and economics; Daniel Dalegowski, mayor
of Cave Junction; Michelle Binker,with a background
in news media and community government service;
Charlotte Hutt, retired Rogue Community College
instructor; and Dwyer.
The following is a summary of the panel discussion:
Eby asked the panel a series of questions and then
allowed the audience time to ask questions.
The first question was, “Is our election system
working?”
In response Downing, Hutt and Dwyer brought up
the problems in our country with voter suppression such
as changing polling locations and hours, stricter voter
identification and qualifications, number of polling places,
voter registration problems and changing district lines
which becomes gerrymandering.
Although Lathen pointed out that our “Electoral
College system is doing what it was meant to do”
(maintaining state power), Dalegowski was concerned that
Gary Eby
Patty Downing
the electoral vote “may not be what the founding fathers
anticipated” in regards to consolidation of power.
On a positive note, Binker relayed that in the state
of Oregon they did a fantastic job with voter registration,
recounts and the voting process due to a lot of good
people of integrity involved.
Audience member John Gardiner was concerned
about the power of money dominating the election system
with Citizens United and the panel agreed that Citizens
United was a significant problem along with excessive
lobbying from the rich.
Next, Eby asked the panel, “Are First Amendment
freedoms under attack and are we at risk?”
Downing explained that our First Amendment rights
consisted of freedom of religion, exercising our freedom
of speech, freedom of press, and freedom to address the
government with grievances…and our freedoms depended
on our advocacy and our grassroots activity in order to
make change that will protect our freedoms.
Dwyer explained that the media was under attack
and stressed the importance of the freedom of the press to
keep people accountable.
Binker pointed out that we have to use our rights so
they continue to exist and urges people to “fight back the
tendency to be lazy and complacent.”
Lathen felt that our checks and balances system are
still in place and is heartened by the fact that constitutional
rights are still being upheld using the example of burning
flags even though it is not an agreeable situation with
most Americans. Dalegowski agreed that the courts were
stepping in to protect our rights.
Eby followed that with, “Is polarization tearing
democracy a part? Why is there not more bipartisan
work?”
The panel agreed that the country has divided itself
and Lathen pointed out that it was not only a modern
situation and cited past polarization in U.S. History during
the Civil War.
Hutt recommended reading the “Big Sort” by Bill
Bishop published in 2008 and emphasized that “we can
agree to disagree…but we can’t keep going our separate
ways.”
Dalegowski pointed out that social media has created
“conversation bomb” situations and that it is important to
“critically examine what we encounter” in social media
especially with advertising.
As a solution to polarization issues, Binker reminded
the audience that polarization is not set in stone, “We can
change … listen to where others have come from and back
away from polarization that happened in 1860. Binker
also urged that “we need grace and humility in public
discourse.”
SEE PANEL ON A-10
Matsutake forecast for the upcoming season not looking good.
Read more on A-5
(Photo by Dan Mancuso, Illinois Valley News)
Lily Morgan (left) deep in thought while Julie
Schmelzer speaks and Dan DeYoung looks on during
the Weekly Business Session at the Anne Basker
Auditorium in Grants Pass Wednesday, Nov. 1.
Food & Friends
heading up River
By Laura Mancuso
IVN Editor
Food & Friends Senior
Meals Program will be
serving lunch at their new
location in Cave Junction
at the Illinois Valley Senior
Center, 520 E. River Street
starting Wednesday, Nov. 15.
“Monday the 13th is the
last day we will be serving
in the Old County Building,”
explained Kristi Welburn,
Food & Friends nutrition
supervisor. “Meals on Wheels
and the dining will stay the
same – just be at a different
place.”
Food & Friends is a
program of the Rogue Valley
Council of Governments
(RVCOG). Evelyn Kinsella,
nutrition program manager
for RVCOG, said, “Thanks to
the generosity of the Senior
Center members we have a
great new home to continue
providing a hot nutritious
lunch to Illinois Valley seniors
age 60 years and older. The
new location will also provide
a much needed base for our
Meals on Wheels service,
which delivers meals to those
folks who have difficulty
leaving their home.
“As a result, we expect
no interruption to service in
Cave Junction – just a great
new location with tons of
parking! Lunch is served on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays at 11:30 a.m. for a
suggested donation of $2.75,
for those aged 60 and older.
Please come and join us,
we’d love to meet you; while
you’re here you may see some
old friends, or perhaps make
new ones!”
Kinsella also relayed,
“We are grateful that the
wonderful folks at the Illinois
Valley Senior Center are
providing space for our meals
program. Their willingness to
share their space makes the
continuation of our program
in Cave Junction possible.”
Jean Shubert, I.V. Senior
Center president explained
that it made sense to allow
Food & Friends to use the
senior center since the County
Building is going to be
converted to the I.V. Senior
Center Thrift Store.
It also made sense to
allow Food & Friends at the
senior center due to the fact
that “one half of them we
already know because they
are senior center members,”
said Shubert.
Shubert also mentioned
that the Food & Friends
dining will be set-up by
the stage and that “Sherry
(Overstreet) will still be there
taking names and collecting
donations.”
The Food & Friends
menu is posted in the Illinois
Valley News each week inside
the “Senior Spotlight.” If you
are interested in volunteering
for the Food & Friends
Program or would like to have
meals delivered to your home
please call 541-955-8839.