Established
in 1937
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Letters to the Editor
(Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.)
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Typed, double-spaced letters written solely to this newspaper and/or Website are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered.
Cards of thanks are not accepted as letters.
* * *Earth Day volunteers, supporters appreciated
From Kindi Fahrnkopf
Cave JunctionI appreciate the volunteers who helped with the
Earth Day Clean-up at the Rough and Ready Botanical
Wayside, sponsored by Siskiyou Project.I especially appreciate those who did double duty and made the difference; Jim and Susie Wood (their back-loader was a big help), and Stan and Patty Dalegowski, and Bridge and David Baker.
The rest of the volunteers worked so hard too; Romain and Christie, and George and Kelpie, Rich, Jan, Roger, Cathy and Wyldwood. They were such a great team that we made short work of it and removed approximately 10 truckloads of old appliances, mattresses, tires, glass, and a variety of junk.
Now I hope that people will respect that area, and learn to reduce, reuse, recycle and leave no trace as they enjoy the recreation opportunities we are blessed to have. Rough and Ready Creek has some of the clearest, cleanest water because it comes from the heart of the South Kalmiopsis Roadless Area.
I’m grateful to the U.S. Forest Service for making this project easy for us, especially Rochelle and Mel for helping me recon the piles and map the area, and to Pam Bode for supporting the plan. And last, but not least, to the late Larry Cosby for helping me get the approval and for being so kind and generous with his advice and support.
Due to his dying so unexpectedly on April 17, I didn’t get a chance to thank him in person. But I definitely felt a glow after we finished; and I said a prayer for Larry, and knew he would have been happy with the results.
He was such a great man who worked to enhance many of the recreation trails and areas we enjoy in Josephine County. He will be greatly missed.
And lastly, the folks at Southern Oregon Sanitation and the Kerby Transfer Station gave us free dump passes. I appreciate them for being so generous in service to Illinois Valley.
The Earth Day events were a big success, and seeing the first of the beautiful, endemic wildflowers starting to bloom was a big thank you from Mother Earth.
Those who steal truth undermining Sabbath
From John Bazen
Cave JunctionTruth, a very hard thing to find, and uncommon commodity, since the dawn of history of man.
I fully agree with our friends, whose sign on Caves Hwy. told this some weeks ago to all who care to read:
“The greatest thief is the one who robs us of truth!” Sadly, it appears that truth, as with beauty, is in the eye of the beholders.
As the nation’s religious communities, get ready for the “Ten Commandments” celebration May 5, 6, and 7, from Washington, D.C. drawing the world’s attention to God’s unchanging laws, we find that man’s “Traditions” have in fact, changed them.
Robbers of truth?
Please, show this dummy where in God’s World, the Sabbath, the Day of Worship, has been changed from sundown Friday, the sixth day, to sundown Saturday, the first day?
This was first laid down in 331 A.D. by the Roman Emperor Constantine as, “Let all shops in towns, close for rest, on the ‘Venerable Day of the Sun’,” as this man was a “self-converted Christian,” sadly though in “name only.”
So who are the “greatest thieves of truth?”
Sadly, we are, for most do not bother to read any portion of those 66 letters God wrote to His children. For if enough of us, do in fact read, learn and know His Word, we would have insisted that all of the “Divisions” would hold to God’s Sabbath worships, instead of Satan’s-supported day of Sunday, right?
After all, what are those Ten Laws? Ideas? Suggestions? Or a buffet that allows any church of man to pick and chose which they will follow? Or if in fact they follow one or nine or all 10?
Fasching zeal good for sheriff’s office
From Harry Bradley
Cave JunctionI am a retired law enforcement officer with 32 years experience. Half my career was with the California Dept. of Justice.
My duties involved working with various agencies throughout the state, resulting in personal contact with officers from federal, state, police and sheriff’s departments. As in all organizations there are always “stand-outs,” and that was my opinion of Don Fasching.
I was mostly impressed by his enthusiasm and zeal to fix the current sheriff’s office instead of whining about not enough funding.
His experience with the San Diego Police Officers Association in the Legal Defense Committee would be an asset to help prevent some of the large payments the county has paid in civil law suits filed by its employees. That money would be better spent on fielding more deputies.
I am sure the three other candidates are upstanding citizens of our community, but at this time I have a few questions:
Is Undersheriff Brian Anderson free from pressure from the deputies’ association to make management decisions contrary to their desires? What management and budgetary experience does Deputy Kelly possess?
Gilbertson’s occupational, education and government experiences listed in the Voters Pamphlet are very impressive; however is it germane to running the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office?
Some folks take issue that Fasching is a recent arrival to our area -- in his own words, “the new kid on the block.” As a reminder, large successful corporations in this country do not limit their choice of CEOs to people living in the neighborhood.
Don Fasching is the choice of me and my wife, Lorraine, for sheriff, and we hope it is also that of others.
Toler devotes talents to benefit community
From Carolyn Fosmore
Cave JunctionDuring a public hearing before the Cave Junction City Council on April 24, Larry Osborn made negative comments about Dave Toler by stating that those opposing the proposed Primrose care facility have not contributed a dime to the city.
It’s a shame that Osborn cannot recognize people like Dave, who have lived in our community for many years and have done so much for our community.
For example, the three new fire stations in our valley, that support our volunteer firefighters toward protecting the hundreds of homes Osborn is developing, would simply not be there if Dave Toler had not volunteered hundreds of hours of his time to chair the successful bond campaign for those stations.
Then there is the beautiful Lorna Byrne Middle School that again supports the new people moving into Osborn’s homes. Under Toler’s leadership, nearly 45 percent of the Three River School District’s bond came to Illinois Valley to build the new Lorna Byrne and renovate Evergreen Elementary and Illinois Valley High schools.
Unlike anyone I have seen, Dave has fought successfully to ensure that Illinois Valley gets its share of public resources.
Or how about the I.V. Senior Center expansion project, which is moving forward thanks to many more volunteer hours that Dave has devoted to this project to ensure that this much-needed project gets the funds needed to make it happen.
I could also talk about hundreds of volunteer hours Dave put in to prevent a prison larger than the city of Cave Junction from being built just outside the city limits. I bet not too many people who have moved into this community during the last 10 years would have done so if this were a prison-dominated town.
Or how about the improvements to Dome School? Again, much of that time was volunteered by Dave to provide a fantastic kitchen, sufficient water for the children, and handicapped accessible restrooms.
Dave Toler has appealed one of Osborn’s projects because he believes that putting seniors in the middle of an industrial district is not the right thing to do.
While Dave has not made a lot of dimes for the work he has done for our community, his efforts have helped to produce the kind of community that Osborn apparently feels is worth investing in.
Brian Anderson choice for county sheriff
From Carol Dickson
Cave JunctionI have been a resident of Josephine County for 38 of my 50 years. I have worked for Josephine County and the state of Oregon and am currently retired.
With the exception of Don Fasching, I know the sheriff candidates personally. I feel there are only two candidates speaking honestly, with authority and appropriate experience, and with a realistic understanding of what can and can’t be done with and without a budget: Brian Anderson and Don Fasching.
Do not be misled by political promises that can’t be kept. No one can totally eliminate bad morale from any business. No one can eliminate the filing of lawsuits. No one can prevent the commissioners from settling frivolous lawsuits because it’s “cheaper” than fighting them.
No one can snap their fingers and bring money into Josephine County.
I will be voting for Brian Anderson for sheriff. He has formal education in finance, executive training in Oregon law enforcement; the experience of working with local Criminal Justice community; and he is honest beyond reproach. Let’s not reinvent the wheel just for the sake of reinventing the wheel. Let’s capitalize on money already well spent.
County clerk lauded for following rules
From Cheryl DeBrett
Cave JunctionI appreciate Josephine County Clerk Georgette Brown for following the rules and not allowing an extension for one of the candidates for the office of commissioner for Josephine County.
Deadlines are indeed deadlines, and there should be no exceptions.
If a person believes he or she is qualified to lead an entire county, a good pace to start would be meeting a deadline to have information included in the Voters Pamphlet.
Dave Toler missed the deadline, period.
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