Applegater Fall
2012 1
U.S. Postage
Applegate Valley Community Newspaper, Inc.
P.O. Box 14
Jacksonville, OR 97530
Paid
Non-Profit
Permit No. 50
Grants Pass,
OR 97526
Log on to
our website
www.applegater.org
Photo by Teya Jacobi
FALL 2012
Volume 5, No. 3
Applegate Valley Community Newspaper
Serving Jackson and Josephine Counties — Circulation: 9,300
Your Applegater
needs YOU!
Postal Patron
TRENDS AND OBSERVATIONS
Lady lost
It’s that time of year when we
ask you—our readers and friends—to
help support the Applegater. Our financial
situation is even more critical this year
because we were unable to hold our annual
BBQ fundraiser this past spring, and
printing and mailing costs are continually
rising, in spite of utilizing the cheapest
methods and materials available to us.
Although revenue from our loyal advertisers helps greatly, it
isn’t enough to cover our costs.
The Applegater needs your DONATIONS!
A donation envelope tucked into the centerfold of this issue
makes it easy for you to send a tax-deductible donation to the
newspaper. Put this envelope with your bills and when you are
writing your checks include one to the Applegater (or donate
online at www.applegater.org using your credit card or PayPal).
The Applegater is mailed quarterly to each household in
the Applegate watershed, which stretches from Wonder and
Wilderville in Josephine County, to the Red Buttes Wilderness
area in Siskiyou County, to McKee Bridge and Jacksonville Hill
in Jackson County, and everywhere in between. Although you
receive it for free, the costs are considerable to prepare, publish
and mail, even with most of the work being done by unpaid
volunteers.
Keep it coming!
Over the last 18 years, the Applegater has been your source
of interesting, educational and relevant news, events and activities
that are important to you. In addition, volunteer Applegater
contributors keep our fellow Applegaters informed about fire,
fish, farming, wildlife, forestry projects and community activities.
Interesting stories, commentaries and a sprinkling of humor also
make the Gater what it is today.
Our online calendar showcases events all over the region
and is a source of news and other information between Gater
publications. The Gater website has articles exclusive to our site,
and the readership of the online version is steadily rising.
Please help keep the Applegater coming to your mailbox.
Thank you for your donations and thanks to all who have
supported us throughout the years, especially the 50-plus
volunteers who contribute their time to help keep our community
informed and entertained.
Board of Directors
Applegater Newspaper
bY RAunO PERTTu
My wife Jan passed away
early on the morning of June 25.
She was 62. Five days earlier, her
dementia had taken away even
her ability to swallow. So began
the vigil for me and our children
Kirk and Emily. In the end, death
was merciful in freeing her from
Jan Perttu racing down the slopes of Mount Hood.
the personal prison that had been
slowly built by her progressing disease. Yet distinguished herself, including winning
no matter how merciful, it was still painful. the Shakespeare Cup and other trophies
Some of us are lucky enough to have at our local Mount Ashland. Her love
the person we fall head over heels for of skiing led Jan to Colorado College in
actually love us in return. With Jan, I was Colorado Springs, and onto the college ski
one of those lucky people. We shared 38 team. After her first year, she decided to
eventful years and two children together. I take a year off and became a “ski bum” at
wish we could have had many more years, Steamboat Springs. After her year of fun,
but life granted me those 38, so I have she returned to Portland and enrolled at
to consider myself very lucky. She was a Portland State University in geology, which
special lady.
was a fortunate choice for me because it led
Jan grew up in Portland in a family to our eventual meeting.
of skiers. She had an older brother who
When I met Jan, she was an honors
died many years ago in an automobile graduate student in geology at Portland
accident, and a younger sister who lives State. Our geology connection and the
near Whitefish, Montana. They had a cabin fact that she was an intelligent, attractive
at Mount Hood and spent many winter blonde with a delightful sense of humor
weekends there, where everyone including caught my attention. I quickly realized
her mother and father “hit the slopes.” that I would have to become a skier if I
Her parents took the family to many ski were to have any long-term chance with
areas and ski competitions, where Jan
See LADY LOST, page 8
Applegate Valley Days
2012 a success
bY DAViD LAAnAnEn
The first Applegate Valley Days,
held on June 23 and 24, was a success.
Although the weekend weather, including
a very wet Saturday, wasn’t the best,
more than 500 people took part. One
of the goals of the weekend was to
introduce people to Cantrall-Buckley Park,
Christina Duane performs with Butch and
Skip of Sons of the Oregon Trail.
Photo by Hincks Photography.
a Jackson County park that is operated
by the nonprofit Greater Applegate
Community Development Corporation
in partnership with the county. Many
visitors were delighted to see and tour this
beautiful facility on the Applegate River.
Most of the events were held at the
park. Showcasing the history of the area
were displays of old logging equipment
(thanks to Bob Baize) and antique cars
(thanks to the Rogue Valley Model A
Club), as well as demonstrations of
gold panning. Also at the park, 35
vendors showed off their local products,
including arts and crafts and a variety
of outstanding locally produced food
See APPLEGATE VALLEY DAYS, page 22
INSIDE THE GATER
Get yer goat...........................................................................page 4
Great gardens start with sweet Winter Dreams......page 15
Federal grant approved to restore McKee Bridge.....page 6
Thin for quality and health, not spacing....................page 16