Illinois Valley News

(Editor“s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.)

Typed, double-spaced letters are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered. “Thank you“ submissions are not accepted as letters.

Angel Amber Alert
From Linda Butler
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Cave Junction

An angel is missing.

She last was seen standing peacefully in the Memorial Garden at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

She stands approximately 2 feet tall. She was abducted from the garden sometime during the past week.

It is heartbreaking to think that someone would not only steal from a church, but take something that means so much. She was placed in the garden in memory of loved ones who have gone before us to meet our Lord — and we miss her.

If anyone knows of her whereabouts, please have the decency to return her to the church so that she can again take her place in the garden.

Can“t change leopard spots
From Paul Simon
Cave Junction

The reason Josephine County is out of money is that it no longer receives O&C funds, lost when the environmentalists were successful in shutting down the timber industry.

This effort was assisted by the Siskiyou Project, which Dave Toler was affiliated with. Prior to wanting to be our county commissioner, Toler was a counter-culture hippie from Cave Junction.

Now that he has bathed, cut his long hair and put on a tie does not make him a representative of our communities“ needs and desires. He is part of the problem, but he would like you to think he is part of the solution.

His solution is to raise our taxes and make us pay for the $14 million O&C loss. The federal government owns 60 percent of Josephine County, and the O&C agreement was to share logging proceeds with the county. The Federal government has reneged and now the county no longer receives this income.

Because of Dave“s roots he has no desire to try and work with the BLM to create a healthy forest and/or sustainable timber harvest.

I am going to vote for Simon Hare, whom I have known since he was a boy. He was born in Josephine County and grew up on his family“s farm. After graduating from Oregon State University he went to work in Sen. Gordon Smith“s office in Washington, D.C. He then worked for the Rural Electric Co-op in Washington for six years, where he gained experience working with rural communities and small towns to meet their needs.

He has the expertise to help generate jobs and income from co-generation facilities and tying them into the electrical grid. He also is not opposed to developing reasonable timber harvests, and his Washington experience would help in this area. He also has more political experience than Toler“s three-year total.

The other option is Toler“s “Toll.“

Aeromodeling adventures
From Laureano Mier
The Rogue Valley Flyers

We tremendously enjoyed our visit with Evergreen Elementary School in Cave Junction, and bringing the wonderful world of aeromodeling and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) to life with the glider building sessions.

As former director of education at the Evergreen Aviation Museum and the Captain Michael King Smith Educational Institute, I can attest to the many skill sets that aeromodeling brings to students. Astronaut Neil Armstrong; and Burt Rutan, aeronautical engineer extraordinaire and Ansari prize winner, started their distinguished careers as aeromodelers and AMA members.

The Rogue Valley Flyers are designating Sunday, May 16 from 9 a.m. until to noon (weather permitting) for Evergreen Elementary students to participate in radio control flight instruction at our Josephine County Skypark on Kerby Mainline. All students and their parents are encouraged to come try their hand at this wonderful sport.

All those students who saw 10-year-old, Tyler Johnson, a Rogue Valley Flyer, perform his barrel rolls and loops at Evergreen need to know that Tyler began his aeromodeling career at Josephine County Skypark as well. Hats off to this young aviator, and his dynamic parents and grandparents who have played a key role in fostering his passion for flight.

We look forward to seeing our future aviators on May 16.

Speaking of weak cases
From Ron Ruby
Grants Pass

In a recent letter to the editor an author mocked those who disagree with Dave Toler as “right wing wackos.“

His supporters seem to think that Toler“s Canola business is the real answer. Was it these same “wackos“ who banned Canola in other counties in the Willamette Valley because Canola is an invasive weed not worth the risk“

This environmentalist mocked loggers and wants property owners to pay more. These are probably the ones who live in secluded areas that allow them to grow non-taxed lucrative side crops not quite legal and pass it off as medical treatment. They don“t care about the security for the county; less law enforcement the better for them. These concerned citizens found any means to stifle Oregon counties from using natural renewable resources with lawsuits claiming endangered Spotted Owl.

Now they are looking for a new “endangered“ birdie because the other was a lie.

Not convinced about friends of Toler“ Consider the Biscuit Fire and how they prevented 500,000 burned acres from being harvested, and left taxable income for the county to rot. These radical friends of the environment were so generous to the county, they agreed to a 5 percent harvest after a five-year court battle.

The “radical environmentalist“ caused the logging companies to pay even a higher price due to vandalism and protests.

So vote for the East Coast-educated environmentalist Dave Toler or vote for someone who wants to use our natural resources wisely, Simon Hare.

Obama “ear candy“
From Gregory Anderson
Cave Junction

Barack Obama has proven himself to be the David Copperfield of politics. His sleight of hand (and mouth) makes him a master illusionist.

Example 1. He announced his decision to open areas off the East Coast for oil and gas exploration to create jobs and ease our countries reliance on foreign oil. If in fact jobs and domestic oil production are really his goal, why did he cancel the oil leases already signed and ready to drill when he came into office“ Jobs“ Oil“

Of course not. That is merely “ear candy“ for the masses. His promise is to make liberals feel better about themselves. To the libs, “feeling“ is much preferable to “doing.“

Example 2. He is pushing for a high-speed train scheme. Few jobs would be created because the companies that build these are in Europe and Asia. They can“t truly be high speed like Japan“s Bullet trains, as U.S. roadbeds can“t handle such speeds safely.

Obama says that we need $8 billion and that it is cost efficient. Not! It will cost closer to a trillion dollars when operational, maintenance, and subsidy costs are factored in. There is only one high-speed train in the world that might be slightly profitable.

Auto and bus travel are much cheaper and convenient; air travel is faster.

Example 3. Obama says that he never wants “too big to fail“ to happen again. At the same time he is OK growing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, even though these behemoths played a key part in the collapse of the real estate market. (Sen. Chris Dodd and former Sen. Barack Obama, recipients of huge campaign contributions from these giants, stopped the investigation suggested by Bush. Remember that liar“)

Instead of letting other financial companies like AIG, or manufacturers like GM and Chrysler go through orderly bankruptcies, as King he changed the rules to suit himself. (Is that the change we were looking for“) He ended up seizing the companies and screwing investors while handing ownership to his union masters.

Thereby he prevented the “creative destruction“ that has brought such exceptionalism for America“s capitalistic system. His method is called “crony capitalism“ where big business and a corrupt leader of a country join together to hoodwink the people.

Tricky Dicky couldn“t hold a candle to this Grand Illusionist.

Maybe this is what we get from a guy with less business experience than a kid with a lemonade stand, and less management experience than a Girl Scout leader.

Simon Hare solution
From Ernie Brodie
Cave Junction

I am so tired of the in-fighting among our county commissioners. We need mature, intelligent, and respectful commissioners who will honestly look for solutions to our county“s financial problems.

We need to fight for our O&C money. We need to make our county more business friendly, and we need to quit holding our citizenry hostage to passing levies.

Simon Hare knows what this county needs, and I know that we need Simon.

All about Dave
From Cilicia Philemon
Cave Junction

The job of our county commissioners is not a political position. It does not matter if the commissioner is a Republican or a Democrat; a liberal or a conservative.

The county commissioners job is to manage the county and its budget of more than one million.

When deciding who to vote for, we need to look at their experience and expertise for this very important job. It is vital that this position is filled by a capable person.

Dave was elected to the Three Rivers School District Board in 1997. He served three terms and has served the district for 10 years. He has also served on several other boards, including Women“s Crisis Support Team and Illinois Valley Community Response Team. Dave has the experience needed.

Among Dave“s many accomplishments since being elected include job creation, among which are the Call Center and a helicopter fire suppression manufacturer. He also was instrumental in getting our libraries open again by obtaining a grant for $300,000.

Dave has increased law enforcement, bringing it back up to where it was nearly 10 years again.

Dave is working for parks improvement. He is turning around the declining state of repair they were all in, and is working to make them something to be proud of again.

Dave has consistently displayed sound financial knowledge and judgment. We are all benefiting from having a stable county government again. All these are vital for a viable and stable community. We have much to thank Dave for.

I voted for Dave in the first election. Dave has more than fulfilled my expectations of him. Dave has worked hard and done an outstanding job. He has brought some much needed stability back to Josephine County.

I have full confidence in Dave Toler. I“m voting for him again, and I urge everyone to do the same.

Make crosswalk safer
From Lloyd Franklin
Cave Junction

I have written two or three times before, but I just want to keep on emphasizing about the crosswalk (in front of Taylor“s Country Store), as we all need it.

We can see a good result beginning. Cars are stopping 5- to 10-feet away from the crosswalk. Goodie. But that is just the beginning.

In front of Taylor“s there is a yellow line, but people park on it, making it difficult to see the traffic when crossing. I think we need a sign there reading, “No Parking.“ I think we need a light and a drainage system in front of the I.V. Senior Center Thrift Shop, as we know the crosswalk is a busy place now. Do we want to see someone fatally injured, banged up or paralyzed and bedridden“

I don“t want to be the only one emphasizing this. We need to tell one another about it to do something and not just sit and talk about it.

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