Illinois Valley News

Illinois Valley News welcomes Letters to the Editor. Please e-mail them to dan@illinois-valley-news.com.

POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ encourages letters to the editor provided they are legible and not libelous or scurrilous. All letters 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 The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify authenticity.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 discretion of the publisher.

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

A thank you to family and friends
Kathy Young
Cave Junction, OR

I would like to extend a big thank you to all those who befriended Chuck, assisted with his care, and assisted me when I needed help thank you to all the members of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with special note to Cindy and Allen Crocker.  You took time out of your busy lives to always be there.

To my sorority sisters in Beta Sigma Phi, words can’t express enough my gratitude for the love, support, and the food.  I am blessed to be part of such a wonderful group of women.

To my employer, Siskiyou Community Health Center and my co-workers, thank you for the love and support you have all shown me.

To my dad, Ray Buckley, and my special friend, Cathy Pollen; you two have been my rock, my anchor. 

To all of Chuck’s family and many friends who were there to assist not only Chuck, but me also. Thank you to Lovejoy Hospice, you may have been just “doing your job’ but nobody would have known that by the special care you took with both of us.

To Hull and Hull, thank you so much for the professionalism and concern.  You made a difficult time a little bit easier. And to the staff of Illinois Valley News, thank you for the obituary, which surpassed any expectations I might have had. If I have forgotten anyone, my apologies.  Every one of you means so much to me.  I hold you in my heart.

Thank you for “Seussical the Musical”
Sue Fiske
Cave Junction, OR 97523

I would like to express my appreciation to the students at Lorna Byrne & Evergreen for their incredible performances in “Seussical The Musical”.  It was such an enjoyable show - they did an exceptional job!  Thank you to Mr. Cloyd, the director, for the great job he did in coaching our kids.  Thank you to all the volunteers who worked together to help bring this great event to us.  I appreciate the students who made the sacrifices necessary to attend every practice and learn all their songs & lines.

The Lorna Byrne Middle School Band and Choir has the opportunity to attend and perform at the Heritage Festival in Southern California in April 2011.  For many, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  I hope that every member of our valley takes this opportunity to support them by participating in the fundraising efforts or by making a donation to LBMS Music Department/Heritage Festival to help our kids reach their goal!  Please join me in supporting and recognizing the great efforts of our kids!

Thank you again to everyone who makes this Valley such a great place to live!!

What is wrong with the Illinois Valley News and how to fix this problem “ as I see it.
Dennis Strayer
Community Volunteer with three local non-profit organizations in the Illinois Valley
Cave Junction, OR 97523

Recently I had a very negative experience with a member of the Illinois Valley News Staff.

I had written up two news releases and delivered them to the IV News office, in plenty of time to be put into the newspaper, and explained that one news release needed to be put into the “Here, There & Everywhere” column. The next week, I was very disappointed when both articles were “buried” in the newspaper.

I went back to the office and explained to the new reporter that they did not do what I had asked and of coarse we lost one of the three weekend days for this event.

As the head of a local non-profit, each year for the past five years our organization has held an annual community event that helps collect canned food for another community group. Last year we collected about 50-75 pounds which helped a number of local families in need.

My professional background was as both a National Forest and Park Ranger and also a Public Information Officer for a local Federal Land Resource agency which involved working with the news (TV and Radio) and print media (newspapers), writing news releases and taking news reporters on tours so they could see first hand specific natural resource programs and projects in action.

The news media is a valuable community resource to help get information to community members and I have always supported them in any way I could.

However, when something goes wrong, I feel I need to offer my knowledge of our great community to there new people who are trying the best they can to run our local newspaper.

Step 1: Get out and meet people in the community including all the various Non-Profits like the IV Family Coalition, IV Safe House, IV Community Development Organization, Kerbyville Museum, etc. This applies to both reporters and the Editor.

While I live in the ever evolving Electronic Age, a face-to-face meeting with those who help drive our community non-profit groups works a whole lot better than sitting behind a computer and talking on the phone.

Maybe consider doing a “Story of the Week” that highlights the person or people who serve as the main contact(s) for area non-profits. This might also help these groups gain new volunteers to help these groups to continue to provide the various community services they provide.

Step 2: Set up a “Community Calendar of Events for the Week” that lists as many community events as possible.
Most non-profits, including the ones I serve on, don’t have money or a budget to pay for advertisements. While I understand that paid advertisements help fund the operation of our weekly newspaper, by helping promote community events and non-profit fund raising events, the IV News can gain my support, and that of other non-profits. When we have some money to pay for advertisements, we go to the IV News, not the Grants Pass Daily Courier or Medford Mail Tribune.

Step 3: Rely upon Community Sources for News Information of Community Events.
The IV Business Enterprise Center at the Belt Building in Kerby maintains a computer listing of as many community events as possible as does the IV Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, the IV Chamber of Commerce also updates its “Membership List” “ Call them for a copy and go down the list and make contacts.

In conclusion, I hope that these “suggestions” will help improve the IV News and also help our community non-profits. We are a small community and we all need to work together to help each other survive.

Thank you for continuing to support your community and the IV News

A thank you from Simon Hare’s parents
Denny & Evie Hare
Cave Junction, OR 97523

We the parents of newly-elected County Commissioner Simon Hare, wish to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who were involved in his successful campaign. Simon did not win this election on his own, far from it. He couldn’t have done it without the many of you who gave so generously of yourselves during this campaign; weather it was donations or your valuable time, hard-earned money, invaluable advice and most importantly your prayers. We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts.

It would be impossible to list each and every one of you in this venue, but there are two people we would like to thank specifically; and that’s Carol Dickson, Simon’s campaign manager, and her husband Mark Carol, thank you for all your sacrifices, the generous giving of your time, your money, and your guidance. Thanks for being Simon’s second mom during this time. Mark, she couldn’t have done all that she did without your support, thank you to both of you.

We are extremely proud and pleased with our son and the type of campaign he ran. He stuck with the issues and did not engage in negative tactics or slanderous banter.

Now the hard job begins, not only for Simon, but for all of us. We ask for your support, especially your prayers. The job ahead for our son will not be an easy. For those of you who did not vote for Simon in his election, we ask for your support now. We must all work together if we are to accomplish what is best for Josephine County.

Thank you,

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