2 Summer 2013 Applegater
A huge T HANKS to the Seventh and eighth graders help make
our community a safer place to live!
generous donors
who contributed to by carey chaput
The Applegate Valley Fire District that may assist you in the event of an
the Applegater.
responds to approximately 600 emergencies emergency.
SUSTAINERS
Sara Katz, Williams, OR
CONTRIBUTORS
Chris Bratt, Applegate, OR
Stacie Brink, Applegate, OR
SUPPORTERS
Barbara Winch, Applegate, OR
SPONSORS
Janis Bogdanovich, Williams, OR
Kay Clayton,
In honor of Denni & Doug Bateman,
Lynnwood, WA
Anne Bryan, Murphy, OR
Barbara & David Calahan,
Jacksonville, OR
Mary Ann Gum, Jacksonville, OR
Jon & Julia Macconochie, Applegate, OR
Dave Willard, Jacksonville, OR
Jan & Lu Wilt, Jacksonville, OR
Pennie & Marc Zurcher, Jacksonville, OR
Help us ensure that we have the ongoing
support needed to publish the Applegater.
All contributors receive recognition in the
Applegater each issue.
Patron - over $1000
Sustainer $501 - $1000
Contributor $201 - $500
Supporter $51 - $200
Sponsor $5 - $50
All donations are tax-deductible and are
greatly appreciated. Please make your
checks payable to Applegater Newspaper
and mail to:
Applegater
P.O. Box 14
Jacksonville, OR 97530
Donors: We strive to ensure our donor
list is accurate. Please contact us if
there are errors or omissions.
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every year. Medical emergencies make up
over 80% of the fire district’s service calls.
Timing is everything when it comes to
emergency services. Having the confidence
to act in emergency situations comes from
either intuitiveness or experience. You can
play a big part by knowing how and when
to call 9-1-1.
Applegate and Ruch Elementary
Schools have both joined in our efforts
to deliver the most effective emergency
services by electing to learn the latest
in Hands-Only CPR training. This
program is part of a southern Oregon
initiative developed by the American Heart
Association to increase the knowledge and
skills for Hands-Only CPR in our region.
There were 180 out-of-hospital cardiac
arrests recorded in Jackson County last
year and 270,000 in the United States.
Increasing a bystander’s ability, skills and
confidence can greatly increase survival
rates.
Seventh- and eighth-grade students
are learning the skills that will empower
them to act with confidence in the case
of a sudden cardiac arrest. Through this
initiative, they are learning first-aid skills,
CPR skills and how to help someone
who is choking. This program has been
developed to provide students with the
ability to recognize an emergency and act
in a safe and confident manner.
As part of their homework assignment,
students are required to teach others in the
community as they have learned. Be on the
lookout for these students who have now
acquired the skills and the kits to continue
their education for years to come.
Planning ahead
A big part of serving the community
comes in preventing emergency situations
through outreach and education. We feel
communication is a key component to
serving our constituents by sharing the
latest information from managing wildfire
to seasonal safety tips to the latest method
in providing first aid and CPR.
Here are some planning strategies
• Situational awareness is paramount
to your safety. Take a moment to know
where you are and the conditions of the
emergency before you place the 9-1-1 call.
• Have information available when
needed. Did you know that emergency
responders always look on the refrigerator
for Medical Histor y Forms when
responding to an unconscious person?
Having a list of important phone numbers
and current medications and allergies in
a Medical History Form can help us save
your life. You can find a fillable form on
the fire district’s website at http://www.
applegatefd.com. Take the time to review
and plan for your family needs.
• Would you need special help in an
emergency? Disaster Registry provides
the names and locations of people who
need special assistance to fire, police and
rescue workers. Please contact the Rogue
Valley Council of Governments to find
out more information at 541-664-6676
or 541-474-5947.
• This is definitely the season to start
working in the yard, mowing grass and
moving firewood away from the home. It
is also the best time to think about what
you would take if you had to evacuate.
Have you thought about having supplies
that could last 72 hours for you and your
family?
• Don’t forget your animals. Make prior
arrangements with someone who could
handle your animals if needed.
As you plan ahead, think about what
you would do in the case of an emergency
and please also consider your medical
needs. Be prepared so that we can serve you
in the best way possible. It is our mission
to respond to the needs of our citizens and
to be recognized as professionals dedicated
to making the Applegate Valley a better
place to live. We are honored to serve you.
Please contact fire district office
manager Carey Chaput at 541-899-1050
if you would like more information on any
of these planning strategies.
Carey Chaput • 541-899-1050
DEADLINES
Summer masthead
photo credit
ISSUE
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
DATE
August 1
November 1
February 1
May 1
What's Inside the Gater
Back in Time: Growing up on a squirrel ranch ..................................... p. 6
Behind the Green Door: Money doesn’t grow on trees ............................ p. 21
Birdman: Owl-watching is a hoot .......................................................... p. 13
Dirty fingernails and all: Mulching out loud ........................................ p. 5
Hot, dry summer predicted: Will you be ready? .................................... p. 20
Next Generation: Applegate Valley school students ................................ p. 23
Opinion: A rogue climate for the Applegate Valley ................................ p. 19
Tall Tales from the Editor: Family tales or Biting ankles ....................... p. 18
The Starry Side: Miracles of a balanced universe .................................. p. 7
Trends and Observations: A new sunrise .............................................. p. 8
High-tech wildfire detection in southwest Oregon .................................. p. 11
Mikell Nielsen of Williams captured
this shot of the Applegate Valley Lavender
Farm in Grants Pass.
Photo Specs
To be printable, all photos submitted
must be high resolution (300 dpi) or “large
format” (e.g., 30” x 40”).
Advertisers !
We can help you reach your
market. The Applegater is the only
newspaper covering the entire
Applegate Valley.
With a circulation of 9,200 and
a readership of over 20,000, we cover
Jacksonville, Ruch, Applegate, Williams,
Murphy, Wilderville, Wonder, Jerome
Prairie and areas of Medford and Grants
Pass.
For more information, contact:
Jackson County—Sally Buttshaw
541-646-8418
sallybuttshaw@ymail.com
Josephine County—Shawn Zimmerman
541-414-7301
thezsfamily@gmail.com
Next deadline: August 1
WHO WE ARE
The Applegate Valley Community
Newspaper, Inc. is a nonprofit
501(c)3 corporation dedicated to
the publication of the Applegater
newspaper, which, we feel, reflects
the heart and soul of our community.
Our Mission
The nonprofit Applegate Valley
Community Newspaper, Inc. (AVCN),
provides the many rural and diverse
communities of the Applegate
Watershed with a communications
vehicle, the Applegater newspaper,
free of charge to all watershed
residents. Our quarterly paper
presents constructive, relevant,
educational and entertaining reports
on a wide variety of subjects such as:
n natural resources
n ecology and other
science information
n historical and current events
n community news and opinions
AVCN encourages and publishes
differing viewpoints and, through
the Applegater newspaper, acts
as a clearinghouse for this diverse
community. We are dedicated to
working together with community
members to maintain and enhance
the quality of life that is unique
t o t h e A p p l e g a t e Wa t e r s h e d .
Acknowledgements
The Applegater Newspaper is
published quarterly by the Applegate
Valley Community Newspaper,
Inc., and is funded by donations
from our loyal readers and
advertisements for local businesses.
Special thanks to Barbara Holiday
for layout; Chris Allen, Sue Maesen,
Margaret della Santina and Paul
Tipton for editing; Kaye Clayton, P. R.
Kellogg and Paul Tipton for proofing;
and Rona Jones for bookkeeping.
Board of Directors
Greeley Wells, Chairman
Linda Fischer, Secretary
Joseph Lavine, Webmaster
Hal Macy
Michael Riding
Paula Rissler
J.D. Rogers, Editor
Editorial Committee
J.D. Rogers, Editor
Chris Bratt
Rauno Perttu
Sandy Shaffer
Greeley Wells
All articles, stories, opinions and
letters that appear in the Applegater
are the opinion and property of the
author, and not necessarily that of
the Applegater or the Applegate
Valley Community Newspaper, Inc.
PROTECTION OF
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
The Applegater requires that
any and all materials submitted for
publication be the intellectual property
of the author unless otherwise credited.
All articles submitted to the
Applegater are subject to edit at the
newspaper’s discretion.
Letters to the Editor cannot be
more than 450 words. Opinion
pieces and unsolicited articles cannot
exceed 600 words. Community
calendar submissions must be brief.
All photos submitted must be high
resolution (300 dpi) or “large format”
(e.g., 30” x 40”). Any questions, email
gater@applegater.org.
All submissions for our next issue
must be received either at the address
or email below by the deadline.
Applegater
c/o Applegate Valley
Community Newspaper, Inc.
P.O. Box 14
Jacksonville, OR 97530
Email: gater@applegater.org
Website: www.applegater.org