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85 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, October 13, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 12, 2004 Rich Fuller of Berkeley, Calif., strolls through historic Jacksonville. Visitors and residents alike are talking about President Bush�s planned overnight stay later this week. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Where will Bush sleep? The president’s planned stay on Thursday is the talk of Jacksonville, with some liking the publicity, while others worry about costs By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune JACKSONVILLE — The president is coming, and the town is abuzz with theories on just one thing: "The biggest speculation is where he’s staying," said Linda Graham, owner of Scheffel’s Toys on California Street. With recent news that President Bush will be coming to the valley for a campaign rally Thursday, and plans to stay overnight somewhere in Jacksonville, downtown store owners and customers are wondering just where he’ll lay his weary head. "I would love to have him come and stay at my house," said Stephanie Schopf, an employee of the Anna Maria tasting room for Valley View Vineyard on California Street. She said she planned to be in Jacksonville Thursday with hopes of catching a glimpse of the president. Mayor Jim Lewis offered no insight. Advertisement "I know that he’s not staying at my house ’cause nobody asked me," said Lewis. But he did say he could tell planning for the special visitor was under way. "Just moments ago I could count four Secret Service," said Lewis, pointing up Oregon Street. President Bush’s campaign rally is scheduled for late afternoon Thursday at the Jackson County Expo in Central Point. Tickets are still available at the GOP headquarters in downtown Medford. Some think he’ll stay at one of the fancier inns, others surmise he’ll zip off to a private home, but shoppers and business owners alike agree it’s a big deal to get such a visitor to the historic town with a population of 2,235. The president was in Southern Oregon for four hours in August 2002. His visit included a quick zip in a motorcade through Jacksonville to visit the site of the Squires fire. People lined the town’s streets with flags and banners for that visit, but shop owners said they didn’t think there would be as much of a fuss this time. Jacksonville Police Chief David Towe said he’s been busy working with the Secret Service, but he declined further comment. Graham said the president would probably arrive after dark and leave early, and shop owners didn’t even know if he’d drive down California Street, the main street. She didn’t know of any special decorations planned. "As a town we’ll probably put up the American flags," she said. Steve Abandonato, owner of The Pot Rack on California Street, said he was enjoying the excitement among customers. "Everybody’s talking about it now," he said. "Jacksonville is well-known, but it doesn’t hurt us to have a little publicity." Rich Fuller, a visitor from Berkeley, Calif., wondered about the expense of all the campaign visits to the small towns in Oregon. "You see all the attention going to the swing states and the undecideds," he said. But he said it’s a financial burden for the communities. Mayor Lewis said that with the extra police officers, plus public works and fire crews, the event takes a hit on the city’s budget. "It’s unintended overtime," he said. Presidential contender John Kerry’s mid-August visit cost local governments $19,000 in police overtime and Vice President Dick Cheney’s rally in late July cost $30,000. The expenses were not reimbursed by the campaigns. Graham said she can’t imagine why the president would visit the area. "We can’t even get our own state legislators to pay attention to Southern Oregon," she said. "Regardless of your politics it’s great to be saying the president is coming," said Terri Gieg, president of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. Gieg said Jacksonville is known for leaving its celebrities alone, as with actress Kirstie Alley, who owns a nearby ranch and can shop without being accosted. "This is the kind of town any president could walk in," she said. Gieg, who manages the Anna Maria tasting room, said she’ll get dressed up in Victorian garb as she often does for special occasions, just in case she gets to toss a wave to the commander in chief. "I think that we’ll just be who we are," she said, "a loving, friendly very open town." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities