Author: Siege Schatza

County defends Pipe Fork negotiations

Lovers of Pipe Fork Creek, the 320-acre county forestland that has been the focus of a four-year effort by the Williams community to get it sold to a conservation organization, turned out at Anne G. Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass Jan. 10 to encourage the Josephine County Board of Commissioners[Read More…]

County on wrong track, says half of residents

Siege SchatzaIVN copy editor A new poll commissioned by the Rogue Valley Association of Realtors and conducted by Nelson Research found that nearly half of Josephine County residents believe JoCo is headed on the wrong track.According to a press release, “The Rogue Valley Association of Realtors is a trade association[Read More…]

Library goes to court over tax opt-outs

Siege SchatzaIVN Contributing Writer After the Board of Josephine County Commissioners’ unprecedented decision Dec. 6 to grant a local couple’s petition to withdraw their property from the Josephine Community Library District, and the associated taxes, four more families submitted petitions to follow suit, which the board considered at their Dec.[Read More…]

Commissioners allow opt out

SEE AFTER PRESS DEADLINE UPDATE: https://www.opb.org/article/2023/12/12/josephine-county-library-tax-district-opt-out/ Since its formation in 2017, it has been a common occurrence for landowners residing outside of the Josephine Community Library District to voluntarily have their property annexed into the district in order to pay taxes to support the library system, which has to be[Read More…]

Citizens sound off on new tax

While the Josephine County Commissioners canceled their weekly business session for the week of Thanksgiving, all three commissioners assembled in Grants Pass’ Anne G. Basker Auditorium Wednesday, Nov. 15 to hear requests and comments from the citizenry.“This is almost the shortest agenda I’ve seen since I’ve been a commissioner, so[Read More…]

County commissioners mark Veterans Day with poem

Navy Veteran and Josephine County Commissioner Dan DeYoung concluded the Board of County Commissioners’ Wednesday, Nov. 8 weekly business session, which was held at Anne G. Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass, by reading a poem in honor of Veterans Day. This poem was supplied to the board by meeting frequenter[Read More…]

Mineral exploration permits ceased by county

At their Oct. 25 weekly business session held at Anne G. Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass, the Josephine County Board of Commissioners voted to suspend the acceptance of mineral exploration permits and mining leases.According to the board order, “The Board of County Commissioners intends to update Chapter 5.15 of the[Read More…]

October school board meeting held in the Valley

The Three Rivers School District Board of Directors convened Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Illinois Valley High School in Cave Junction to conduct their monthly regular session.Zone V Board Member Jennifer Johnstun recounted that the board has received a tour of I.V. High earlier in the afternoon.“I just want to say,[Read More…]

Commissioners criticize land use laws

Last week’s updates to the Josephine County Land Use Code – Title 19 – were long in the making. JoCo Deputy Planning Director James Black said that some of the Oregon statutes newly incorporated into Title 19 were passed in the year 2005.Black made these remarks during the Josephine County[Read More…]