Oregon Transparency Laws and Ethical Expectations Ignored
Josephine County Commissioner Chris Barnett Continues to Defy Laws
By: John Oliver
A pattern of evasion, defiance, and retaliatory behavior continues to cast a long shadow over Josephine County Commissioner Chris Barnett, whose actions are raising serious concerns throughout the region. His most recent conduct—ignoring valid public records requests and lashing out at members of the press—only reinforces fears that one of the county’s highest elected officials lacks both the respect for legal and ethical obligations and the mental fortitude required to handle the responsibilities of public office.
The Grants Pass Tribune obtained copies of email correspondence this week revealing that Daniel J. Mancuso, publisher of the Illinois Valley News, issued a formal follow-up to a public records request originally submitted on April 27, 2025. The request sought videos and documentation related to Commissioner Chris Barnett but went unanswered for several weeks. In response to the silence, Mancuso resubmitted the request—this time
addressing Barnett directly and including other county officials—while pointing out the lack of acknowledgment. He warned that if the ongoing stonewalling persisted, he would file a formal petition citing an unreasonable denial of access under Oregon’s public records law.
Rather than complying with the state’s open records statutes, Barnett responded by redirecting Mancuso to a Facebook link, asserting that any relevant content could be found on his personal page, which he described as a “personal” domain outside offi-
cial government purview. The commissioner went so far as to say that since the videos were “big files,” they were uploaded for public viewing on social media and therefore, by his logic, fulfilled the request. In a follow-up response, Barnett escalated the interaction, writing simply: “Quit harassing me. Last notice.”
This type of response not only fails to meet the legal requirements of a public records request—it also reveals a fundamental misunderstanding, or outright dismissal, of what it means to serve as a custodian of pub-
lic documents while holding elected office. Under Oregon law, any government official conducting public business—even through personal devices or on social media—may be subject to public disclosure if the content pertains to official duties. Barnett’s refusal to acknowledge this, coupled with his characterization of a lawful request as “harassment,” sets a troubling precedent. In typical fashion, Barnett casts himself as the perpetual victim in a narrative of his own making.
This incident is not isolated. It is part of a growing pattern of behavior from Commissioner Barnett that raises questions about whether he believes the rules apply to him at all. Numerous journalists, including those from the Grants Pass Daily Courier, have reported being blocked or stonewalled when requesting public documents. Others allege that Barnett retaliates against individuals who speak out or challenge him publicly— either by cutting off communication, making veiled threats, or resorting to personal attacks on social media and during public meetings.
Barnett is already the subject of an active ethics complaint stemming from his creation of multiple online "news" platforms that appear designed to serve as partisan echo
• see BARNETT, page 3
Grants Pass Welcomes Japanese Musicians for International Band Exchange
GPHS and visiting students collaborate for music, mentorship, and cultural exchange
By Ginny Lee
Music is in the air this week as the Grants Pass High School Marching Band welcomes 40 student musicians from Japan for a unique cultural and educational exchange. The visit, organized in coordination with the GPHS Band Boosters and Band Director, marks a continuation of a growing international friendship between the two schools, following last year’s visit by the GPHS Jazz Band to Japan.
The exchange is more than just a visit—it’s a fully immersive experience designed to build lifelong bonds, foster cultural understanding, and elevate musicianship. Each visiting student will stay with a local host family, many of whom are GPHS band members themselves. This shared home-stay model not only deepens the connection between students, but also allows both American and Japanese students to learn directly from one anoth-
er in a personal, hands-on way that goes far beyond music.
Coordinating the arrival of 40 international students is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning and collaboration. From arranging transportation and meals to scheduling rehearsals and performances, the effort involves parents, volunteers, and school staff working together. Despite the challenges, the rewards are significant—not only for the students and the music program, but for the entire Grants Pass community.
Throughout the next two weeks, community members will have multiple opportunities to enjoy performances by these talented musicians. The Japanese marching band students will appear near the front of the Boatnik Parade, showcasing their precision and style on a stage few in the region get to experience. Due to a limited number of available instruments, the GPHS band will march further back in the parade to accommodate equipment sharing between the groups. This small logistical challenge underscores the cooperative spirit that defines the exchange.
In addition to the Boatnik appearance, the visiting musicians will also perform in a special concert at the Grants Pass High
School Performing Arts Center (PAC) later in the week. This event will give audiences a chance to hear a fuller range of music from both groups, celebrating the power of performance to bridge cultural divides.
For the students involved, this experience goes well beyond the notes on a page. The Japanese students bring with them a level of technical discipline and
artistic excellence that is world-renowned, offering valuable mentorship and collaboration for the local musicians. Likewise, the visitors get a taste of life in a small American town, where hospitality, community pride, and a love for music run deep.
As these students walk through town, rehearse in local parks, or enjoy ice cream with their hosts, Grants Pass residents are encouraged to extend a warm welcome— whether it’s a smile, a wave, or a simple “hello.” This kind of cultural connection doesn’t just happen in big cities or international arenas—it’s happening right here at home.
Thanks to the combined efforts of parents, teachers, volunteers, and students, Grants Pass is once again proving that music truly is a universal language—one that sounds best when shared.
OSU Extension and Josephine County Officials Work to Rebuild Cooperative Relationship
By: John Oliver
After nearly two years of uncertainty and fractured relations, renewed efforts are underway to restore the partnership between Oregon State University’s Extension Service and Josephine County, as outlined in a recent letter from OSU officials addressed to the Josephine County Board of Commissioners.
Dated April 21, 2025, the letter from Kristopher M. Elliott, Vice Provost for Extension and Engagement at OSU, and Jamie Davis, OSU Extension Southern Region Director, expresses appreciation for recent communications between OSU staff and county leaders. The correspondence marks a significant shift in tone from past tensions and underscores the university's intent to reestablish trust and cooperation with the county.
According to Elliott, all three commissioners—Andreas Blech, Chris Barnett, and Ron Smith—have individually met with Jamie Davis for informational discussions surrounding the role and future of OSU Extension in Josephine County. The university's tone in the letter reflects a commitment to transparency, mutual respect, and long-term collaboration.
Davis has reportedly kept the OSU leadership informed on the follow-up efforts sparked by those meetings, noting the value of Commissioner Barnett’s participation alongside OSU staff in the Association of Oregon Counties' County College program. That program, designed to educate and build connections among county leaders, provided further opportunities for discussion and learning between OSU and local officials.
A central focus of the letter highlights recent developments within the Josephine County 4-H/Extension Service District. The Board of Commissioners recently appointed three public members to its budget committee. OSU has expressed interest in working closely with those appointees to ensure budget pro-
cedures are being followed for both the current and upcoming fiscal years. Elliott emphasized OSU’s willingness to provide accurate and timely information to help facilitate the budget process.
“Please continue to work directly with Ms. Davis on this process,” the letter urges, offering ongoing support to ensure OSU Extension is fulfilling its responsibilities while also respecting the county’s decision-making autonomy.
During the 2023-2024 term, the Josephine County Commission Chair had met quarterly with OSU Extension leadership to review updates and concerns. OSU has indicated its willingness to resume those meetings—or consider alternative arrangements if preferred—to maintain a strong and consistent line of communication going forward.
To enhance public transparency, OSU has also developed and maintained an informational website tailored to the Josephine County community. This resource includes frequently asked questions and aims to clarify the role, responsibilities, and funding structure of Extension services, particularly in light of past misunderstandings.
The OSU Extension Service has been a cornerstone of public education and outreach across Oregon for more than a century. In Josephine County, howev-
er, that longstanding relationship has been tested in recent years by political divisions, budgetary disagreements, and public debates surrounding the future of the county’s 4-H and agricultural programs.
Despite these challenges, the tone of this most recent communication from OSU suggests a renewed openness to collaboration. “We remain interested in working with you to find a path forward to resume the cooperative relationship between Josephine County and OSU that existed for more than 100 years,” Elliott wrote.
Both Elliott and Davis have invited further dialogue with the county and made themselves available for meetings or clarification as needed. Their stated goal is not only to restore but also to modernize and strengthen the partnership in a way that continues to benefit residents, youth programs, and rural education across the region.
As these talks move forward, county residents will be watching closely to see whether both sides can overcome past divisions and reestablish a framework of cooperation that serves the public good. For now, the door remains open, and the tone from both parties suggests progress—albeit measured—toward reconciliation and restored services.
Barnett Continues to Defy Oregon Laws
From page 1
chambers rather than vehicles for public service journalism. Though he claims these platforms do not generate income and are not official government channels, their content often mirrors county messaging—or worse, disparages critics and opposing viewpoints. If they’re not profit-driven, then the only plausible motive left is propaganda.
Oregon law is clear: elected officials are not above the rules that ensure government transparency and fairness. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission prohibits public servants from using their positions for personal advantage, from engaging in retaliatory behavior, or from obstructing access to public records.
But the Barnett saga is emblematic of a
larger dysfunction in Josephine County politics—where rules, when inconvenient, are treated as optional. Rather than model ethical leadership, Barnett continues to behave as if criticism is an attack, oversight is harassment, and accountability is something only applied to others.
This deterioration in public trust is especially dangerous at a time when local governments are under increased scrutiny. In a rural county like Josephine, where access to accurate information is vital and media resources are already stretched thin, having an elected official who disregards the law and bullies those seeking truth is not just unethical—it’s corrosive to democracy.
Citizens of Josephine County deserve better. They deserve leaders who follow the law, respond to the public with respect, and uphold the principles of open government. Instead, they have a commissioner who dismisses legal obligations as nuisances, spins partisan narratives through self-made media outlets, and appears to retaliate against those who dare to challenge him.
Whether this pattern of conduct leads to further legal action or state intervention remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the office of commissioner is not a shield from scrutiny—it’s a responsibility to serve with integrity. And right now, that integrity is nowhere to be found.
www.grantspassmag.com
Retired Four-Star Navy Admiral Convicted in Historic Federal Bribery Case
News Desk
In a historic ruling, retired U.S. Navy Admiral Robert P. Burke has been found guilty of multiple federal charges, including bribery and conspiracy, making him the highest-ranking member of the U.S. military ever convicted for crimes committed while still on active duty. The conviction was handed down by a federal jury in Washington, D.C., following a five-day trial that revealed a complex scheme involving defense contracts and post-retirement financial incentives.
Admiral Burke, 63, previously served as the Navy’s vice chief of naval operations and as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa. According to the Department of Justice, Burke used his influence in 2021 and 2022 to steer a lucrative government contract to a private company, Next Jump, in exchange for promises of a high-paying job and stock options after his retirement from active service. The jury found that Burke awarded a $355,000 Navy contract to the company while negotiating a $500,000-a-year job offer, along with 100,000 stock options—compensation that began shortly after his retirement in October 2022.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Burke, despite warnings from the Navy against maintaining contact with Next Jump, met with the company’s executives in July 2021. The co-CEOs, Yongchul "Charlie" Kim and Meghan Messenger, had previously worked with the Navy on leadership training programs but were no longer under contract. During the meeting, Burke expressed interest in reestablishing a relationship between the Navy and the
company. He later instructed his staff to award a contract to Next Jump to conduct training for naval personnel stationed in Italy and Spain, a move that prosecutors said directly benefited his own post-service career ambitions.
The jury convicted Burke on charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, performing official acts that affected a personal financial interest, and concealing material facts. He now faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years
Tired of doing everything "right" and still feeling exhausted, bloated, and stuck?
At Elysian Women's Wellness, we specialize in helping women 35–55 balance their hormones, heal their metabolism, and lose stubborn weight without crash diets or two-hour workouts.
We use our Metabolic Optimization Method to help you feel like you again.
• Functional & traditional lab work
• Sustainable weight loss
• Hormone-friendly exercise & nutrition
• Expert support & accountability
in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden has scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2025. The executives of Next Jump are expected to stand trial later this year on related charges.
Burke’s legal team has criticized the outcome of the trial, with defense attorney Timothy Parlatore asserting that the prosecution withheld important evidence and failed to present the full context of Burke’s actions. The defense maintains that the jury was not given all relevant information, and an appeal is planned.
The case has sent shockwaves through the military and defense communities. It has raised significant concerns about ethical standards among senior military leadership, especially in relation to their transition into private sector roles. While the Pentagon maintains strict regulations intended to prevent such conflicts of interest, Burke’s conviction highlights the challenges of enforcing those rules when top-ranking officials are involved.
Observers say the verdict may lead to increased scrutiny of the so-called “revolving door” between military leadership and defense contractors, where personal gain can sometimes cloud professional judgment. It also underscores the ongoing need for robust oversight and accountability in federal contracting and military operations.
As the legal process moves forward, Burke’s conviction stands as a stark reminder that even those at the highest levels of the armed forces are not above the law. The outcome of this case could influence future policy and enforcement efforts to strengthen ethical standards within the U.S. military and government institutions.
SUPPORT FREE SPEECH
Advertise with The Grants Pass Tribune!
Stand with us in defending freedom of the press and the 1st Amendment! The Grants Pass Tribune is facing political persecution, with lawsuits aimed at silencing our bold investigative journalism. We remain committed to uncovering the truth and keeping our community informed like never before.
Show
The BCC Weekly - Taking the “Blind” out of the BCC
The 2025 Josephine County Crash Course in Why Local Laws, Local Policies, and Local Engagement Matters
By: Jay Meredith, CPA Investigative Journalist
Last week brought a faint ray of sunshine into what otherwise has been a dark and cloudy 2025 for the Josephine County BCC. In the second reading of an ordinance that sets the parameters of how and when the BCC holds their Weekly Business Sessions (WBS), where many of the major actions are decided by the BCC, many citizens spoke out that the draft ordinance was not acceptable. The BCC actually listened, which hasn’t been a common occurrence in 2025, and tabled the ordinance.
Comments from engaged citizens suggested that the BCC should always meet at the same day and time each week except for one week per month, always meet in the Anne Basker Auditorium for the WBS meetings, have at least one meeting per month in the evening like the BCC used to do many years ago, and post agendas several days in advance of the meeting to give citizens more than 24 hours’ notice of what will be discussed. At least one Commissioner, Ron Smith, appears to be in favor of most of these recommendations. Chair Andreas Blech at the end of the WBS meeting pushed back against the idea of requiring more than the 24 hours’ notice that state law requires.
In explaining why only 24 hours’ notice is given for agendas lately, Chair Blech stated, “We cannot post them much earlier than that because we’re business, we’re fluid, it’s dynamic, things change. It does not make sense to post draft agendas and then change things 25 hours before a meeting.” Chair Blech appears to have missed the entire point of the recommended requirement for posting the agendas and packet items several days in advance of a WBS meeting. Citizen input is only allowed at the once per week WBS meeting and this is traditionally where significant decisions are made and citizens are allowed to comment. Although this year the BCC or a single commissioner has made significant business decisions without public input at other meetings that happen throughout the week or behind closed doors. As for the WBS meetings, citizens have no chance to read the drafts of significant actions contemplated by the BCC in the WBS meetings if the agenda and packet items showing the detail of that item are only posted the minimum 24 hours in advance.
In a well-managed municipality, there is no reason agenda items and packets describing those items cannot be posted 3-4 days in advance of business meetings. These are not emergency decision items, typically. Let’s use the Grants Pass City Council regular business meetings as a prime example of best practice. For all the regular City Council business meetings, the agenda and packets are always posted online at least 5 days before the City’s twice per month Wednesday evening meetings. This brings up another extremely important point. Just like the Grants Pass City Council does for regular business meetings, there should be a standard form filled out and submitted with every major packet item for the BCC WBS meetings. There are several fields in the form, including a brief narrative of what it’s all about, time
sensitivity if applicable, and most importantly a COST IMPLICATION section. This forces our decision makers to disclose an estimate of the cost of approving the action. Just check the City of Grants Pass Council packets (for a regular Wednesday Council meeting) for a great template example.
Having this typically boring process and procedure in place, along with the BCC following all the other policies and procedures in place, could have potentially saved us millions in unnecessary costs in 2025 alone. One prime example was the voluntary employee resignation program, hastily approved by the BCC a few months ago. I personally showed up to a BCC WBS meeting and asked them to put a hold on this decision until they do a financial analysis of potential costs. The BCC disregarded public input, approved the program, and sent out this program offer to all County staff later that same day. A previously completed public records request proved there was no financial analysis done before approving this program. While I’ve been waiting approximately seven weeks for another public records request which would tell me exactly what this program ended up costing, former Budget Officer Simon Hare stated the total cost was $633,000. And like we’ve reported earlier this year, Simon Hare claimed this was a complete waste of taxpayer funds, because there was no financial reason to reduce staff and many of these positions will end up being replaced.
You would think that a financial analysis would accompany any major decision done by the BCC, and it seems that Josephine County policies may need to be beefed up in this regard. A pet peeve of mine, that I recently found out that I had in common with the last two Josephine County Budget Officers, is our elected officials claiming Josephine County is broke or headed
into hard times and is being forced to reduce County Staffing levels. Ten years ago the County was broke and in the middle of a severe financial crisis, but that isn’t the case today. Commissioners or former commissioners claiming this fallacy in one public way or another include every Commissioner we’ve had since after Dan DeYoung retired from office last year.
According to an interview former Budget Officer Simon Hare did about 3 weeks ago after his dramatic resignation, the first draft of next fiscal year’s budget showed the County adding approximately $2 million to the County General Fund and future reserve fund balances during the next year. This reinforces the idea that there is no reason to reduce County staff at this time, particularly in programs like law enforcement and criminal justice programs that share a certain modest amount of General Fund resources.
Not coincidentally, during last year’s budget season I did an analysis of the County budget and presented the BCC and County Budget Committee with some ways where at least $1.6 million more could have been directed to the Sheriff’s office while keeping the budget well balanced and not having to cut anything from any other County department budget. This was the minimum additional funds that should have been given to the Sheriff, given the County voters just passed a new Law Enforcement Service District for the Sheriff. At least one budget committee member agreed, the Sheriff agreed, but the recommendation was promptly ignored by the majority of the BCC.
As mentioned, several weeks ago by one of these weekly columns, the County just purchased $6 million of forestry/timber lands up in the Astoria, Oregon area. And this purchase wasn’t even specifically authorized by the BCC in a public meeting. A recent fulfilled records request showed that the County’s Forestry Direc-
tor authorized this purchase and that the BCC had given the Forestry Director the delegated authority to acquire forestlands on behalf of the County.
I’m not suggesting this wasn’t a wise purchase using timber fund reserve dollars from recent sales of County owned timber properties in Josephine County, but as a matter of normal checks and balances any major property purchase should have to go through the full BCC. Hence we have Josephine County Code 2.18.040 Authority. As Josephine County’s governing body, the Board of Commissioners retains exclusive authority to administer all County-owned property. [Ord. 2018-001 § 3.] And we’ve seen in the last two months what can happen when only one County official holds unchecked power.
The much larger issue here, and one where I admittedly have a “dog in the fight” from spending years trying to do a private mineral development project on one single 76-acre County owned forestry land, is that in the last year the County began selling multiple County-owned forestry lands in Josephine County in favor of purchasing forestry properties closer to the coast of Oregon. I once heard former Josephine County Commissioner John West say that if it was up to him, he would sell every County timber property we have in Josephine County and purchase timber properties closer to the coast. Never once has this dramatic change in course for the Forestry Department come before the public for discussion. Nor has it even come before the County’s Forestry or Mining Advisory Committee. But they have started carrying out this policy recommendation in the last 10 months.
And many County forestry property sale transactions that have happened in the last year were done counter to a specific recommendation made by the County’s Mining Advisory Committee (MAC). The MAC said last year that the County should not rush into any forestry property sales until time is taken to do a mineral assessment or give private parties some time to do a mineral assessment. We would be leaving hundreds of millions, potentially billions of County taxpayer dollars on the table if we sold all County owned forestry properties without doing any kind of mineral assessment.
In the last two years, and especially in recent months, we’ve seen countless examples of the BCC not following established policies and procedures. This was called “lazy government” in that same interview done by former Budget Officer Simon Hare. The label “lazy” was mentioned because personnel and other actions that have been done in recent months when Commissioners delegated all personnel decisions to just one Commissioner often skirted the normal policies and procedures that are in place to protect the County and make sure the County is acting lawfully.
According to Simon Hare, various department heads have been laid off without even doing the required performance evaluations, entire divisions such as code enforcement have been let go without explanation, and more. Hare also disclosed that Michael Sellers was given a job title and salary by the delegated commissioner • continued on page 9
which was approximately 25% higher than the highest salary among County Managers in our peer counties in Oregon, all without even having experience in the role of doing something similar to a County Manager.
One scary part about everything we’ve seen in recent months is that all of these restructuring actions have taken place before any of our current commissioners ever went through a full annual budget process for the first time. Just when the BCC needs to listen to the advice of experienced department heads and experienced members of the public the most, they’ve chosen to fire many of the most experienced department heads the County has, restructure departments without explanation, and make various major policy changes without the typical public input.
Because the County has not historically had a County Manager or any sort of central Admin-
Letter from the Editor
THE BCC WEEKLY continued
istrative Director that has oversight over various departments, County Commissioners are paid healthy full-time salaries to be both the policy board and administrative managers. I’ve long equated this to the County having three CEOs who can’t discuss anything about County business with another CEO unless they call a public meeting and give 24 hours advance notice of such meeting. Sweeping changes have been made in recent months without any public explanation, because certain authority to make decisions was temporarily delegated to just one of the three CEOs.
And then because the Grants Pass Tribune has made two requests to be recognized by the County under the County’s media policy, the County opted a couple weeks ago to completely suspend the County’s media policy and no longer hold any private executive sessions (private
meetings where approved media are allowed by state law to attend). This makes no sense, given the growing number of legal issues and pending lawsuits and the need to discuss them in private executive session from time to time.
With a suspended media policy, confidential information about lawsuits, property negotiations, or labor negotiations must be communicated one to one in private by County staff to each BCC member or through confidential memos from the County’s attorneys. Not only is this inefficient, but it increases the risks of having illegal chain meetings with the Commissioners. And there can be benefits when the three CEOs put their heads together in private executive sessions to discuss sensitive legal issues. But rather than act according to the County’s previously approved Media Policy, they chose to snub the Grants Pass Tribune yet again and put them-
selves at a disadvantage when the need arises to discuss sensitive legal issues. There will be a cost to this decision, one way or another.
Moving on to upcoming budget sessions, State budget law requires the allowance of public participation in annual budget committee meetings. These budget committee meetings are coming up quickly and for anyone that wants to weigh in on this year’s budget process, be ready to talk County budgets all squeezed into just two planned meetings on May 30th at 10am and June 4th at 9am. Anyone wishing to discuss the 4-H/Extension Service District, Rural Fire District, or the Law Enforcement Service District budget should plan to attend the one district budget meeting scheduled for June 2nd at 9am.
Speak up and get engaged…your voice can matter in local government!
Life Is Work, Work Is Life — Write That Down
Let that sink in for a second. Go ahead. Sip your coffee. Light a cigarette. Stare out the window if you have to. Chew on the phrase like it owes you rent.
Life is work. Work is life.
Somewhere, a Buddhist monk just raised an eyebrow, and somewhere else, a corporate zombie just nodded like they’ve known it all along. The line between the two is about as thick as a wet paper napkin at a dive bar.
We’ve created a world where work isn’t just something we do — it’s what we are. We don’t shake hands anymore without asking, “What do you do?” And God help you if you answer with something non-monetized like “I write poetry” or “I garden when I feel like it.” You might as well say you lick doorknobs for a living.
But here’s the rub: when did we decide that work and life are two opposing forces in a gladiator pit? And who’s keeping score?
There’s a dangerous illusion sold to us — by media, by motivational posters, by HR departments with beanbag chairs and kombucha on tap — that says balance is possible. They sell it like an essential oil. "Just find balance!" Like it’s sitting next to the basil in your pantry. But the truth is, balance is a see-saw in a hurricane. Some days you're up, some days you're face-down in the gravel, and most days you're just clinging to the middle praying your pants don't split.
Ask yourself this, and don’t answer too quickly: Do you live to work, or work to live?
Because if you’re not careful, you’ll find your-
self chained to a desk, counting the hours like prison bars. You’ll be checking emails at midnight and convincing yourself that if you just hustle hard enough, happiness will appear in your inbox flagged “urgent.”
And that’s the madness, isn’t it? We glorify burnout. We idolize overachievers who sleep three hours a night and call it “grindset.” Meanwhile, the sane ones — the folks who clock out at 5 p.m., shut the laptop, and go play frisbee with their dog — they’re treated like slackers. Lazy. Undriven. As if sanity were a flaw.
But let’s be clear: there’s no universal truth here. For some, work is life. It’s not a burden, it’s an identity. The chef who wakes at dawn to perfect a sauce no one notices. The nurse who comes home bruised but fulfilled. The mechanic who talks to engines like they’re old friends. These people aren’t just working — they’re living
through the work.
And then there are those who compartmentalize like clockwork. They leave work at the office, punch out mentally and physically, and live for the moments after the paycheck. Their life is a mosaic of hobbies, family, long walks, naps, and random YouTube rabbit holes. And you know what? That’s valid too.
The issue isn’t whether you should be one or the other. The issue is knowing where you fit — and whether you’re there by choice or because you got pushed by expectations you never agreed to.
So, I ask you, dear reader, wherever you are: Where do you fit in your life?
Are you the workhorse, endlessly pushing the plow because someone told you that purpose only comes through productivity? Or are you the escapist, counting the seconds un-
til the weekend like a prisoner scrawling tally marks on a cell wall?
More importantly, are you happy where you are?
Because somewhere between those extremes lies the dangerous middle — the place where you’re not sure if you're thriving or merely surviving. That’s the real purgatory. That’s where souls go to stagnate. And in that middle place, time slips away unnoticed, like receipts in a glove compartment or socks in a dryer.
The truth is, there’s no perfect formula. No life coach can draw you a map. No podcast is going to unlock the code. You’ve got to look at your own reflection, eye-to-eye, and ask if the life you’re living feels like yours — or if it belongs to someone else’s dream of success.
And if it doesn’t feel like yours, maybe it’s time to clock out early. Not forever — just long enough to remember who the hell you were before LinkedIn decided your value was tied to your title.
Because life is work, yes — but work, my friends, should serve life. Not the other way around. And if the machine starts chewing up your soul faster than you can replenish it, you owe it to yourself to pull the plug, at least for a moment, and take inventory.
So go on. Write it down.
Life is work. Work is life.
Now underline it, scratch it out, rewrite it, or scream it from the roof. Whatever it takes.
Just don’t forget to ask yourself where you fit — before the grind answers for you.
TAKE A BREAK
19, 2025
Posting Date
Posting May 19, 2025
COMMUNITY
Boatnik 2025 Parade Prompts Road Closures and Traffic Adjustments in Grants Pass
The City of Grants Pass has announced a series of road closures, traffic reroutes, and parking restrictions in preparation for the annual Boatnik Festival and parade taking place over Memorial Day weekend. Residents and visitors should plan accordingly as the city prepares for large crowds and increased traffic during the festivities.
On Saturday, May 24, 6th Street will be closed to all vehicle traffic—with the exception of parade participants—between “A” Street and the Rogue River. This closure will be in effect from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 1:00 p.m., coinciding with the duration of the parade. During this time, traffic typically traveling along 6th Street will be diverted at “A” Street toward Beacon Drive and rerouted onto the Grants Pass Parkway. From there, drivers may access Interstate 5 or continue along the Parkway to navigate around the event zone.
Additionally, side street closures will impact through traffic in the downtown area. Streets from B to F will be closed between 4th and 7th Streets, and streets from G to M will be inaccessible to through traffic between 5th and 7th Streets. These restrictions aim to provide safety and space for parade attendees, participants, and emergency personnel.
The Caveman Bridge (6th Street Bridge) will also be closed to vehicles on the morning of the parade, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Anyone needing to travel across the Rogue River during this period must use the Grants Pass Parkway
Bridge or the 7th Street Bridge, which will remain open for northbound traffic only.
To accommodate the parade and ensure public safety, parking restrictions will be strictly enforced. No parking will be allowed from midnight Friday, May 23, through Saturday afternoon on the following stretches:
6th Street, from “A” Street to the Caveman Bridge Voorhies Way, between 6th and 7 th Streets
The city is also advising parade spectators to remain within designated viewing areas, standing or sitting adjacent to the curb within marked parking stalls on 6th Street. This restriction is intended to keep pedestrians off the roadway and ensure a clear, safe path for parade vehicles and performers.
In addition to parade-related clo-
sures, the city has scheduled other traffic and access changes throughout the holiday weekend. East Park Street will be closed to all vehicular traffic from 6:00 a.m. Friday, May 23, through 9:00 p.m. Monday, May 26. Only vehicles with a Boatnik event parking pass or a valid disabled parking permit will be permitted access via the Parkway entrance.
Baker Park will also be off-limits to vehicle traffic and boat launching will be prohibited from Friday at 5:00 p.m. through Monday at 3:00 p.m.
Dog owners are encouraged to leave pets at home, as the large crowds and heat may present safety concerns along the parade route.
The City of Grants Pass encourages attendees and travelers to plan ahead and allow extra time for detours and traffic congestion. Those with questions can contact Julie Hall at 541-450-6000 for additional information.
GRANTS PASS WEATHER
5 DAY OUTLOOK
SOURCE: WEATHER.COM
