By Dwayne Yunker Sara Bristol would like the citizens of Grants Pass to believe she has no power. This is false. Sara Bristol’s mayoral term began in 2021, and it was very apparent she had aligned herself with nonprofits that make their money directly from the tragedy of homelessness. These include UCAN and AllCare, two nonprofits that receive millions of …
Two petition drives are now underway locally, with volunteers gathering signatures to revise the Josephine County Charter. This follows a year-long study effort by the Josephine County Charter Review Commission. The groups have two years to collect the necessary 3,437 verified signatures to qualify for a county-wide vote. Josephine County is one of nine “home rule” counties in Oregon. This …
It’s being claimed that “Mayor Bristol has no power to fix the problem of homeless people living in our parks.” Really? Her influence inside city government proves otherwise and is a power unto itself. Mayor Bristol was not a political neophyte when she became mayor. Her father is former Grants Pass Mayor Mike Murphy. He controversially appointed five city councilors …
Josephine County property owners, you’ve just received a tax cut. On June 7, two Josephine County commissioners voted to defund 4-H and other OSU Extension services for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. Acting as the governing body for the OSU Extension Service District, the Board of County Commissioners voted 2-1 to stop charging the 4.6 cents per thousand …
The May 16 Special Election resulted in significant changes to our local school boards. Here are the official election results for races in Josephine County. Grants Pass School District Voters elected four new school board members to Grants Pass School District 7. Position 1: Challenger Dustin Smith defeated incumbent Scott Nelson. Dustin Smith: 4,102 (54.57%) Scott Nelson 3,383 (45%) Position …
4-H originally started in Oregon in 1916. It was a program that began for the purpose of educating boys and girls how to better grow crops and livestock. Here in Oregon, the 4-H programs recently have changed. Local leaders had been feeling some of these changes for the past five years but had found a way to still educate kids …
By Richard Emmons I met with Don Scott on Sept. 16. He wanted to show me one of his $350 pine caskets, which he sells to individuals and local funeral homes. You can see his ad on page 20. I told him that folks should buy a casket now and use it to store firewood or grandkids’ toys until needed …
The Board of County Commissioners faces challenges on funding the Sheriff’s Office, preventing wildfires, expanding housing opportunities in the county and running county operations at a time of leaner resources. So, what do we need in our new commissioner? An effective county commissioner requires a combination of leadership and management skills and experience. This is very different from school boards …
The proposed sales tax is like the Rogue River. On the surface the Rogue River is beautiful to look at and float down on a raft. Yet beneath the surface the fast-moving currents are risky. Hidden boulders can seriously harm anyone who gets knocked out of a raft. Likewise, the proposed sales tax appears simple. Just add 3 cents to …
By Brettani Shannon I was a public-school girl, myself, but once in middle school and high school, it wasn’t healthy for me. I ended up a teenage parent, dropping out of school and was lost for many years. Over time, I did what my mother did and turned lemons into lemonade. I used my experience in abusive relationships to advocate …