Dec. 28 and Jan. 4 will be co-published issues.
Illinois Valley News
Wednesday, December 21, 2022, 1 Section, Volume LXXXV No. 50
$1.00
Published Weekly for the residents of the Illinois Valley
I.V. Fire’s Community Connect program discussed at city
Gwen Barringer
IVN contributing writer
The Cave Junction City
Council held their monthly meeting
at City Hall Dec. 12. Although
many familiar faces were missing
due to illness-related absences, the
meeting ran smoothly and was very
productive.
Mayor Martell and council
members Ethan Lane, Tina Casey
Jones and Jean Ann Miles were in
attendance, as was city recorder
Rebecca Patton, with council
member Jesse Dugas being excused
due to illness. There was no public
works update, because Public Works
Director Alex Ponder was also
out sick. The same could be said
for Teresa Stover, whose library
renovation update was missed.
Council liaison updates were
brief but informative. Ethan Lane
attended the Illinois Valley Fire
District board meeting, and in the
process learned about the new
Community Connect program, an
app designed to give first responders
pertinent information about a
residence or business before they’ve
even arrived. This information
includes but is not limited to, gate
codes, how many people are inside,
if there are any animals present, and
where entry points are located. The
IVFD is encouraging residents to
download the Community Connect
app so that they can be better served
by first responders in the event of an
emergency.
Jean Ann Miles attended
a Zoom meeting focused on the
mental and behavioral health needs
of Josephine and Jackson counties,
and once again cited a distinct need
for more ACES (Adverse Childhood
Experiences) training within the
community to increase empathy and
understanding toward residents of
the Valley who may be struggling
with their mental health.
On the public comment side
of things, Monique Allen spoke
on behalf of IV Yea! to discuss the
program’s mission to give Christmas
gifts to local youths. When the
Chamber of Commerce realized that
Oregon’s
research forest
will be North
America’s largest
proud that current and future
generations of Oregonians
Oregon Public Broadcasting will benefit from this
valuable natural resource.”
Read was joined
Oregon is on its way
by
Gov.
Kate Brown and
to creating North America’s
Secretary
of State Shemia
largest research forest,
Fagan
in
approving
the final
following this week’s
decision by top state officials plan.
The use of natural
to separate the Elliott State
resources
to pay for
Forest in southwest Oregon
education
in Oregon dates
from its obligation to fund
back
to
statehood
in 1859.
schools and designate the
Revenues
from
logging
land as a place for scientific
on certain state lands have
discovery.
historically gone to the
The State Land Board
Common School Fund.
voted unanimously to create
After the land board’s vote
the 80,000-acre Elliott State
to remove the Elliott State
Research Forest, signaling
Forest acreage, there are
an end to a years-long
about 41,500 acres of land
debate over how to manage
left in the fund. While
the forest that was failing to
state income tax and local
generate revenue for public
property tax now serve as
education.
major funding sources for
The board advanced
education, the requirement
the transition of the Elliott
to make up for the loss in
from a traditional state
revenue from timber harvest
forest to a research site by
on the Elliott is significant.
decoupling the forest from
Before the plan to turn
the Common School Fund,
the
Elliott
into a research
which relies on revenue
forest,
the
land was no
from the sale of timber on
longer
generating
enough
state forests, among other
revenue
to
cover
the
costs
resources, to help pay for
of
managing
it.
The
state
public education in Oregon.
considered selling much of
The Elliott forest will
it, but the sale never went
remain in public ownership
in collaboration with Oregon through.
The vote was enabled
State University.
by
legislative
action that
The Elliott provides
transferred
$221
million
habitat to dwindling
into
the
Common
School
wildlife populations,
Fund to replace revenue that
including salmon, the
northern spotted owl and the logging on the Elliott might
otherwise have generated.
marbled murrelet. Oregon
Bob Sallinger,
political leaders have been
conservation
director for
struggling for decades to
the
Portland
Audubon
find a way for the forest
Society, was a member
to comply with wildlife
of an advisory committee
protection requirements
that helped pave the way
while continuing to meet a
to converting the Elliott
legal obligation to generate
into a research forest. He
revenue for public schools.
is also on a new board of
State officials said
directors created by the land
the Elliott will continue to
board Tuesday to oversee
contribute to conservation,
the research forest going
recreation, education, local
forward.
economies and more as a
“From a conservation
publicly owned, working
perspective,
it’s exciting
research forest.
because
much
more of the
“The Elliott will
forest
will
be
protected
than
provide a better approach
was historically,” he told
for working forest
Oregon Public Broadcasting.
management, improve
“The Elliott State Forest was
conservation protections
used to fund schools, and it
and, significantly, keep the
was intensively logged for
forest in public hands,”
decades in violation of the
Treasurer Tobias Read said
Endangered Species Act.”
in a statement. “We can be
their toy drive Dec. 7 wouldn’t meet
the needs of the community, IV Yea!
generously donated the toys that they
had spent time collecting for their
own event. This left the organization
depleted of what had once been an
abundant supply of gifts, and now
they are working on gathering more
new and unwrapped toys for the over
130 children on their list.
Council member Jean Ann
Miles was given approval to join the
Parks and Recreation Commission,
a move made mostly because the
low attendance rate has led to the
commission being unable to hold
a proper quorum for quite a while.
The first of two readings was also
held regarding an amendment to
the commission requirements that
would, along with removing term
limits, add the city recorder as a
voting member to the commission.
The council also discussed
Resolution 964, officially declaring
539 Schumacher Street a nuisance
as the property owners have failed
to comply with city fencing codes.
Although the council clearly did
not enjoy doing this, with Jean Ann
Miles even pointing out that she
loved the look of the fence but hated
that it was against city code, the
resolution passed unanimously.
The meeting wrapped up
within the hour, and Ethan Lane’s
final comment, “Stay well, eat
soup,” seemed to resonate with all in
attendance.
Win with a pin
David Steves &
Cassandra Profita
SEE ACT ON A-9
(Photo by Lindsay Martinho for the Illinois Valley News)
Varsity wrestler Talen Schaffer pins his way to victory during the Wednesday, Dec 14. home
wrestling match. IVHS’ heartfelt tribute to long-time coach Jay Miller included a slideshow and
poem before the match.
Pawsitive K9 Solutions animal
abuse back in the courthouse
Gwen Barringer
IVN contributing writer
A hearing was held at the
Josephine County Courthouse
Dec. 14 regarding Pawsitive
K9 Solutions co-owner
Danielle R. Brown-LaRue and
her forfeiture of the abused and
neglected animals found at the
LaRue business and residence
in September. While Brown-
LaRue has not reappeared
in Josephine County and
an active warrant for her
arrest has been issued by the
authorities, her appearance
wasn’t necessary in order for
this hearing to continue.
Although it was a
simple proceeding in the
scheme of things, there was
a brief instance of confusion
surrounding the active warrant.
While an initial warrant had
been active and subsequently
rescinded in order to add more
charges to the list, the re-issued
warrant appeared nowhere
in the court’s documentation.
Judge Matthew Galli was
assured by the state that the
warrant still existed, and
he firmly chided the state,
demanding that the warrant
be documented accordingly
before the next proceeding.
Laura Jansen, a
supervisor for the Josephine
County Animal Shelter who
also handles finances, went on
record to explain to the court
that the cost of keeping the
animals in the shelter’s care
was approximately $840 a
day, $25,000 a month, and was
$72,059 in total at the time of
the proceedings.
Because probable
cause that Brown-LaRue had
committed the offenses had
been found in the indictment
via her failure to appear before
the court, the state ordered
that the bond for the animals’
release be set at $122,059.
It was also ordered that the
animals be immediately
forfeited into the care of the
state unless the defendant
posted the bond amount within
the next 72 hours.
Although Danielle
Brown-LaRue has remained
on the run from the law, her
partner Joseph LaRue, who
is also facing a laundry list
of animal abuse, neglect, and
marijuana-related charges, has
another hearing set for Jan. 5,
2023. This will not be the final
legal proceeding regarding this
case, as the case is set to go
to trial in approximately two
months.