Illinois Valley News

01/15/2025

Thank you Meadow Martell for your service to Cave Junction. Congratulations and best of luck to Jesse Dugas our new mayor.

01/15/2025

Warm Up Your New Year by Helping Others! ❄️

The cold season is here, and a FREE Pop-Up Public Health Wednesdays are making a difference for those in need. Each week, volunteers provide essential resources, a hot meal served until it's gone or 2 p.m., and warm clothing to help keep our neighbors safe and comfortable during the chilly months. If your New Year’s resolution includes clearing out clothes or bedding you no longer use, this is the perfect opportunity to donate and make a difference!

✨ What We’re Collecting:

Hats and beanies
Scarves
Gloves and mittens
Blankets
Sleeping bags
Tarps

🌟 Weekly Highlights Include:

JoCo Public Health Nurse
Food Pantry
Lunch in the Park
HIV Alliance
DHS Eligibility Assistance
Max’s Mission

📍 How to Donate:
Bring your clean, gently used, or new items—including clothes and bedding—to 315 Caves Hwy Suite "C" on Thursdays or Fridays between 10 AM–4 PM.

Your donations will go directly to those who need them most, helping to spread warmth and care throughout our community. Start your year by making a difference—thank you for your generosity! ❤️

For information about I.V. Living Solutions you can go to ivlivingsolutions.org.

01/07/2025

The following is a press release from the Josephine County Library: (Be sure to read the front page article by publisher Daniel J. Mancuso in this week's edition (Jan. 8, 2025) about the Josephine County Commissioner's 3-0 approved motion about the library's lease.)

Josephine County Board of Commissioners Terminates Library's Lease

Grants Pass, January 7, 2025—In a shocking turn of events, the Josephine County Board of Commissioners has voted unanimously to terminate the lease on the Grants Pass branch of the Josephine Community Library.

Claiming that the change from being a "county" to a "community" library in 2017 negates the county's charter mandate for "the support and maintenance" of libraries in Josephine County, Commissioner John West urged his fellow commissioners to terminate the lease with 30 days' notice. The lease, which has been in place since 2008, runs until Dec. 31, 2025.
The discussion preceding the vote failed to consider that in the late 1990s, citing Measure 50, the Board of Commissioners shifted a 33-cent library levy to the general fund to pay for public safety — an increase in the county's property tax of 57 percent. The County then absorbed that levy into the permanent tax rate, raising it from 25 cents to 58 cents. Except for maintenance of the Grants Pass branch, none of that money goes towards supporting the library.
"This abrupt decision undermines community trust and investment," said Library Director Kate Lasky. "Terminating the lease with just 30 days' notice disregards these contributions and the essential services the library provides to thousands. We deserve a fair and respectful process."
As it stands, the library's lease will end Feb. 6, leaving no recourse if the commissioners choose to evict the library from the building.
For more information about library programs and services, visit josephinelibrary.org, email [email protected] or call 541-476-0571.

Send a message to learn more

12/26/2024

Pop up warm meal at Jubilee Park at noon 12/26

12/23/2024

JoCo Food Bank has a pop up food pantry at I.V. Family Coalition now until food runs out or 2 P.M. (12/23/24)

12/22/2024

Fun Photos from Santa's visit and the Christmas Tree Lighting at the Visitor's Center with the Chamber and friends Saturday, Dec. 21.

12/18/2024

It appears that John West has been recalled.

12/06/2024

11/26/2024

Reminder: The Pop Up Event at Jubilee Park will be Today (Nov. 26) instead of Wednesday and then Thursday is the Thankful Hearts meal. Both at noon!

11/22/2024

Still looking for dishes for the Thankful Hearts meal for Thanksgiving day! We have enough turkeys but are looking for Hams
lg pans stuffing
mashed potatoes
gravy
rolls
sweet potato casserole
bean green casserole.
See poster for contact info.
Drivers still needed too

11/20/2024

Don't forget about Tuekey Bingo!

11/20/2024

Illinois Valley Wellness Resources: Facebook.com/ivwellnessresources
🌧️🌬️ 𝖶𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖴𝗉𝖽𝖺𝗍𝖾: 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗒 𝖲𝖺𝖿𝖾 & 𝖯𝗋𝖾𝗉𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖽! 🌬️🌧️
𝖧𝗂 𝖭𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝖻𝗈𝗋𝗌,
𝖶𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗇 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗎𝗉𝖽𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗆𝗒 𝗐𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗁𝖾𝖺𝖽. 𝖶𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾’𝗌 𝗇𝗈 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖼, 𝗂𝗍’𝗌 𝖺 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗉𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗌. 𝖧𝖾𝗋𝖾’𝗌 𝖺 𝗊𝗎𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝗌𝗎𝗆𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗒:
🌬️ 𝖶𝖨𝖭𝖣 𝖠𝖣𝖵𝖨𝖲𝖮𝖱𝖸
𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗇: 𝖳𝗈𝖽𝖺𝗒, 𝟣 𝖯𝖬 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝖶𝖾𝖽𝗇𝖾𝗌𝖽𝖺𝗒, 𝟩 𝖠𝖬
𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖤𝗑𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍:
𝖶𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝟤𝟧–𝟥𝟧 𝗆𝗉𝗁, 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗀𝗎𝗌𝗍𝗌 𝗎𝗉 𝗍𝗈 𝟨𝟢 𝗆𝗉𝗁.
𝖯𝗈𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗅 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗆𝖻𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝗎𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗌.
𝖳𝗂𝗉𝗌:
✅ 𝖲𝖾𝖼𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗍𝖽𝗈𝗈𝗋 𝗈𝖻𝗃𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖿𝗎𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝗈𝗅𝗂𝖽𝖺𝗒 𝖽𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌.
✅ 𝖣𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗒, 𝖾𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺 𝗁𝗂𝗀𝗁-𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖿𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝗏𝖾𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗅𝖾.
🌊 𝖥𝖫𝖮𝖮𝖣 𝖶𝖠𝖳𝖢𝖧
𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗇: 𝖭𝗈𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝖥𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖺𝗒 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀
𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖤𝗑𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍:
𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗏𝗒 𝗋𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝗆𝖺𝗒 𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝖿𝗅𝗈𝗈𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗇 𝗅𝗈𝗐-𝗅𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗌, 𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗄𝗌.
𝖨𝗇𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗋𝗂𝗌𝗄 𝗈𝖿 𝗋𝗈𝖼𝗄 𝖿𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌𝗅𝗂𝖽𝖾𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗉 𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗌.
𝖳𝗂𝗉𝗌:
✅ 𝖠𝗏𝗈𝗂𝖽 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝖿𝗅𝗈𝗈𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗌
✅ 𝖢𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝖾𝖻𝗋𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖽𝗋𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗌 𝗇𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗁𝗈𝗆𝖾.
𝖨𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗌
⚡ 𝖱𝖾𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗉𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝗎𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝗋 𝖼𝗁𝖾𝖼𝗄 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗍𝗎𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾: 𝖯𝖺𝖼𝗂𝖿𝗂𝖼 𝖯𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗋 𝖮𝗎𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝖱𝖾𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖳𝗈𝗈𝗅: https://csapps.pacificpower.net/.../outages.../report-outage
⚠️ 𝖱𝖾𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝗉𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗋 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝗋 𝖽𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌: 𝟣-𝟪𝟩𝟩-𝟧𝟢𝟪-𝟧𝟢𝟪𝟪.

11/20/2024

Fun photo from the I.V. HOPE Village groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 16. Our community is amazing!

11/18/2024

More photos from our fantastic remodeling of the Illinois Valley Library.

11/18/2024

The Library Grand Opening Saturday, Nov. 9 was amazing.

11/11/2024

Honoring veterans

11/01/2024

In the past 14 years, the Mancusos have personally endorsed candidates,
but the Illinois Valley News has not.
But due to some divisive decisions made in the Josephine County political scene of late, we have decided it was a good time for the Illinois Valley News to endorse the candidates that we feel would make our county a better place to live.
For the county treasurer, we feel continuing with Eve Arce is the prudent course. Her opponent DeYoung is running on transparency, but the
treasurer’s office is transparent. State law stipulates how a treasurer’s office must run. DeYoung also makes promises that he cannot fulfill.
Arce has run a tight ship during her tenure, even working through a battle with cancer, that’s dedication.
As for the commissioner’s race, to us it’s very clear.
Our current commissioners are extremely unpopular, and electing Chris Barnett and Ron Smith would be doubling down on what we already have.
It’s not that they are bad men; it’s that their relationship with John West would be a continuance of the status quo.
Colene Martin and Pat Fahey are the best candidates for the job and both must win to bring integrity, good decision making and to end the
public’s distrust of the board of county commissioners.
Martin and Fahey have the skills and knowledge to give Josephine County
what it needs to be better. Better representation to all, not just the extreme, far right of the Republican Party.
Now don’t take this as a partisan endorsement, Martin and Arce are members of the Republican Party, while Fahey, a past Republican, is now
registered as nonaffiliated.
We are not happy with the local Democratic Party at this time either, we will not endorse any candidate running on their ticket for reasons not important here. In our opinion, both local party leaderships left the
reservation a long time ago.
In the end, it’s the opinion of the Illinois Valley News that Arce, Martin and Fahey are best suited to represent ALL of Josephine County.
The Illinois Valley Soil and Water Conservation District position one and five are clear to us as well.Dr. Mechling running unopposed for Zone 1. Mechling has been a great
member of our community for years and will make sure all residents will be heard.
Janice I Denney is running against Zachary Robinson. We believe Denney is the way to go. Both have great resumes but Robinson seems to have an agenda that does not sit well with all I.V. residents. Additionally, his
brother Matthew is running unopposed as the at-large candidate and having two family members on the board is a concern to us.Denney has been very active in the community and shown she cares. In addition to being an internationally respected biologist, the Grants Pass native Denney, has served as a board member of the I.V. Watershed Council, I.V. Soil & Water Conservation District and the I.V. Garden Club.
As for Cave Junction City Council, Tina Casey Jones is the obvious choice for council position 2. Jones’ experience on the council and her years of covering the city for this newspaper make her stand out head-and-shoulders above her opponent.
And finally, we support Jesse Dugas for mayor. We feel he has the leadership style and temperament to represent our city in a positive way. Dugas is a coach, small business owner and choosing to raise his family in Cave Junction.
As a candidate he has clearly voiced his plans and direction for the city, while his opponent has not.
Vote your conscience, we know we will. Thank you for picking up this week’s edition. Enjoy!
The Illinois Valley News