Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 2021)
Page A-2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 Her life in the Valley of Riches by Laura Mancuso, editor So far 2021 has been a very interesting year and I hope all of you are being safe in these turbulent times. I just wanted to pass on some information that I learned from an Illinois Valley News subscriber. If you are ex- pecting a check from the U.S. Department of the Treasury due to the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020, don’t be surprised if it comes as a credit card that you need to activate. I’ve heard this has been confusing for some, and thought I should warn you so that you do not chop it up, like so many do with potential scams or credit card solicitations. The letter may be addressed from the “Economic Impact Payment Card (EPIC), PO Box 247022, Omaha, NE 68124-7022.” The di- rections on the letter tell you to read a “Summa- ry of Terms and Fees printed on the back, your full Cardholder Agreement and Fee Schedule at EIPCard.com.” It also gives a number to call to activate your card and tells you that you need to set up a 4-digit PIN, sign the back of your card and keep it in a safe place. The ways you can access your money in- clude: 1) Transfer to a personal bank account; 2) cash withdrawal at a bank branch; 3) make a purchase in a store, online or by phone and; 4) get cash at a surcharge-free ATM. The phone number listed for activation is 1-800-240-8100 and for hearing impaired it is 1-800-241-9100. For information you can visit EPICard.com. I am hoping the New Year brings us good news soon. Thank you for picking up this week’s paper. us, not us beating it. Every two weeks the data is evaluated to determine the category for Jose- phine County. Vaccinations are happening, just maybe not as quickly as we hoped. As of Jan. 8, Josephine County vaccinated 744 people. City Hall is still closed to the public. Water and sewer bills need to be mailed or put in the drop box. Call for an appointment if you need to see someone in person. Jan. 7 two new councilors, Tina Casey- Jones and Jesse Dugas were sworn in and I was sworn in for a second term as mayor. Also, Jan. 7, the Parks and Recreation Commission held a workshop to update their bylaws. Their next regular meeting will be Jan. 20 to review and approve the by-laws. The commission is look- ing for at least two new members and possibly a high school student. The city expended all the state COVID money allotted to it by the Dec. 31 deadline. We were excited to help the new Food Pantry set up and get running at the Seventh-day Adventist Church and assist our local radio station, KXCJ 105.7 FM, with installation of an emergency generator. Be on the lookout for the announcement of the Downtown Lighting Project, to increase lighting for pedestrian safety and security of downtown businesses. The IVCanDO will be managing the project and facilitating the plan- ning process that will be reviewed and approved by the city council and county commissioners prior to implementation. Completion is estimat- ed by the end of April 2021. The city council will hold a Zoom work- shop Monday, Jan. 25 to discuss what projects we want to take on and see implemented in 2021. From the mayor’s desk: by Meadow Martell Welcome to the New Year, 2021. I hope ev- eryone had a safe and enjoyable holiday. At this point, 2021 does not look a whole lot different than 2020. I learned two things in 2020 that I hope will help carry me through 2021- the first is how to Zoom and the second is how to cherish small, intimate gatherings. Based on data from Dec. 20, 2020 to Jan. 2, 2021, Josephine County is still in the “Extreme Risk” category. During that two-week period, we had 330 confirmed cases. That is equivalent to over 380 positives per 100,000. If we drop that number down to 200 per 100,000 we would be in the “High” category. That would mean limited indoor dining and limited opening of indoor rec- reation and fitness establishments. I, for one, am really missing occasional indoor dining! If we all work together, it is a possibility. Five other coun- ties have done it. Right now, this virus is beating Wayne’s World: 2020 was a year of stress on an all new level and trying to cope has led to some extreme examples of confrontation. Being forced to curtail personal interaction over the holidays, with all interactions relegated to vir- tual experiences, we were SO looking forward to this new year. However, turning a page on the calendar didn’t suddenly erase all our difficulties or make any of our lives easier. But there is a surefire way to deal with a stress- ful situation. My sweetheart gifted me a Grateful Dead Spring Tour ‘77 shirt for Christmas. I told her I actually was at those shows because when I lived in Sacramento, the Dead always played three shows, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at the State Fairgrounds Poor ole 2020: Poor ole 2020 - as you tick away, soon to become history, I feel a need to stick up for you. Everybody’s go- ing on like you came upon the world determined to mess us all up: “2020 is a dumpster fire!” “2020’s the worst year ever!” “Can’t wait till 2020 is over!!” “2020 sucks!” Like 2020 is something that happened TO us. Covid, wildfires, hurricanes, racial strife and riots, eco- nomic chaos ... Huh. Is it just me, or does anybody else discern the common denomina- tor? 2020 wasn’t bad luck. It was by Wayne Lee in mid-June and I was at every one because over three nights they never played the same song twice. Spending three to four hours just dancing my butt off each night left me the most stress free individual you would ever hope to meet. World about to end? Hey, no problem. That’s when it dawned on me. My most stress free days I’ve ever experienced were from dancing to the Grateful Dead. I went to YouTube and searched for Grateful Dead concerts and they were plentiful. So spare me the in-home exercise mirrors, station- ary bikes, devices and other assorted fitness products. If I can’t sleep, I’ll find a Dead show and dance until I drift off to a happy place of rest and relaxation. And no, mind altering sub- stances were not involved. And it doesn’t need to be a Dead song. Listen to whatever music moti- vates you to get up and move. Shake that booty until the the memories cause smiles to return and you realize you’ve got the energy to face another day because it will eventually get bet- ter. Repeat as necessary. Doctor’s or- ders. You’re welcome. how quickly conversation turns away from root causes like factory farms, wet markets and global deforestation. Nobody wants to spend much time lurking about the barnyard of human- ity’s chronic mistreatment of both do- mestic and wild animals. Still, these creatures’ silent screams have come audible as Covid-19 rings the bell. Let 2020 be remembered as an awakening - the fateful days that fi- nally forced us to make crucial choic- es - big and small - that can save at least some of this precious biosphere from humanity’s folly! Let 2021 mark the moment when critical numbers of us - from blue-collar workers to presidents - started taking meaningful respon- sibility, promoting bio-regionalism, renewable energy, green technology, humane food sources, local gardens, and heavens be, more planet-wide birth-control! Mother Earth & Father Time are giving us this slim chance to hang onto our beautiful beautiful world. Our Only Earth. by Annette McGree Rasch simply a reaping of what humanity’s sown. Until we take collective and cooperative responsibility for our treatment of each other, our fellow creatures, and critically, our actions upon environment and climate, well, these wildfires, hurricanes, riots and Covid-19 are just the foreshadow. We’ve been barely teased by the truth. Imagine a pandemic with the contagiousness of Covid-19 and the deadliness of Ebola. Imagine super- storm cycles that never really stop, regularly producing F-5 tornadoes and giant floods. Or how about hur- ricanes taking out the entire eastern seaboard? And out west? Inescapable wildfires! Countless meteorologists say warming oceans fueled by climate change are driving the big storms; they also say new flood terminology is needed - as ‘100-year’ events have become too commonplace. And the wildfires? Ask anybody who lives in the western USA, Brazil, or Australia how horrifying that growing threat is. Earth is talking to us. Dishing out some hard love. But is everybody listening yet? How soon millions forgot about the Bird Flu epidemics of 1997, 2005, and the H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic of 2009 - all of which were noth- ing if not shots across the bow. Note ~~~~~ Annette McGee Rasch is a free- lance writer living in Southern Or- egon. She’s also a canine behaviorist, animal advocate, science nerd, avid gardener, hiker and over-all nature lover. Save the date Jan. 20 Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2021 *Cris Mat- thew’s would like to invite anyone interested in toasting President Biden’s victory and inau- guration to meet at Forks Park at 9 a.m. Masks and social distancing suggested. Bring your own Champagne or beverage. Let’s celebrate! **Register for SUN School Winter and Spring sessions! Grades 1-8. Online. Free. Winter sessions are the four Fridays of February (Winter theme: Constellations!). Spring sessions are four Fridays in April (Spring theme: A Trip Around Our Natural Neighborhood). Visit our Facebook page for the registration links: facebook. com/SunSchoolinIV or contact the SUN School Coordinator, Kaci Elder: SUNSchoolAtRusk@ gmail.com, 541-363-8806. This is the sixth year Illinois Valley News Published weekly by I.V. News LLC Daniel J. and Laura M. Mancuso, co-publishers of SUN School, a program of Rusk Ranch Nature Center in Cave Junction. Donations are always (greatly) appreciated. Tuesdays Food Pantry New Hours: Tuesdays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Cave Junction Seventh Day Adventist Church Reopens its Dorcas/Community Services Center, 265 South Old Stage Road in Assistance to everyone, with no church attendance required. Due to COVID-19 precautions, all food will be pre-boxed. After this crisis, the food pantry staff hopes to return to a “shopping model,” where cli- ents may select the foods they prefer. In the future the CJSDA Community Services Center will also offer clothing, houseware and hygiene items. Peo- ple wishing to make contributions to this effort, as volunteers or in donations to feed local people, are encouraged to contact Patti Delk at patti47delk@ POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR 97523 Illinois Valley News is published weekly except the first week of January at 219 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 gmail.com or to send a check to the Cave Junction Seventh Day Adventist Church marked “food pan- try” to PO Box 330, Cave Junction, OR, 97523. Wedensdays Community Grieving Circles will be a week- ly recurring gathering, every Wednesday starting at 4p.m. we hold space for eachother; to speak our grief and sorrows. We come together, via Zoom, innon-judgment and respect as we uniquely and authentically honor loss in itsmany shapes and forms. By gathering in community, we can make space for ourselves and each other to process and transform our individual grief, together. This will be co-lead by Angela and Michael Franklin, of Cross- roads Community DeathCare. We will be utilizing various exercises incorporating meditation, story and ritual. If you would like to participate or have questions please email:crossroadsdeathcare@ gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web. zoom.us/j/81729740383?pwd=blhUSGV6SnhlQ WpLZ1JzVFJVaWpJUT09Meeting ID: 817 2974 0383, Passcode:508391. Donations welcome, but not required.Paypal email: crossroadsdeathcare@ gmail.com. Ongoing ** The Illinois Valley Safe House Alliance after-hours Crisis Line can be reached at 541-415- 9367. The new local crisis line will be answered any hours the Safe House is closed. The line will be answered by an advocate who will be able to respond locally, also recognizing the barriers that may come up due to our rural location. For more information contact the Illinois Valley Safe House Alliance 541-592-2515. editor -Laura Mancuso 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. laura@illinois-valley-news.com copy editor - C.J. Schatza 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 - Kimberly Potter 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.
