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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 2002)
Election at a glance Salvage sales for Biscuit? By SHARON SILVA Green trees and burned trees that were victims of the 500,000-acre Biscuit Fire that nearly caused evacuation of Illinois Valley figure in possi- ble timber sales. Trying to make the best of a bad situation, representatives of several Illinois Valley or- ganizations have been meeting to discuss what could be done to benefit Illinois Valley with the devastation left behind by the Biscuit Fire, which burned trees and brush. The valley’s 15,000 resi- dents were faced with possible evacuation in late July and early August, as the wildfire raged out of control. Ron Phillips, executive director of Illinois Valley Community Response Team (IVCRT), led the latest gather- ing, held on Wednesday after- noon, Oct. 30 in Cave Junc- tion City Hall. Phillips gave an overview of the Fire Recovery Task Force. “The plan is for there to be a constructive engage- ment between the U.S. Forest Service and the task force and Illinois Valley,” Phillips said. Phillips went on to ex- plain that the fire recovery consists of two main compo- nents. Education, research and tourism would include com- munity education, a fire inter- pretation center, fire tours and participatory research. Restoration and readiness would include fire restoration, contracting, salvage sales, which would be accessible to local bidders, community fire planning, and a permanent in- place fire crew, possibly at I.V. Airport, location of the former Siskiyou Smokejumper Base that closed in 1981. Regarding the Biscuit Fire, Pam Bode, I.V. District ranger for the forest service’s Siskiyou National Forest, ex- plained 190,000 board feet of timber will be available from green trees, which were pushed to the outside of the fire line. The trees will be cut off low at the trunks, and the logs stored. These logs will be put up for sale without environ- mental input, Bode said. She said that the logs would be “ideal for small business operations.” The forest service also is looking at the logs spread along the fire line. “A scoping notice regard- ing this timber will be re- leased pending a study,” Bode said. There also will be a study in one month to decide what should be done with the burned trees alongside the roadways. Bode added that a possible outcome of this study would be the sale of those trees that would fall within a one-year period. Bode said that salvage logging in the no-roads areas is being studied, with analysis planned for 2003, and harvest planned for 2004. “This also includes roaded (Continued on page 8) HALLOWEEN ‘SUPER-VISORS’ - It was a day of ‘super-ior’ efforts at Klamath First in Down- town Cave Junction on Thursday, Oct. 31. The crew dressed as wonder women for the day, and made sure that one member was ‘flying’ through the air. Other related photos elsewhere in this issue. (Photo by mild-mannered reporter for a great rural newspaper.) Lovejoy Hospice eases pain for terminally ill, and their families By BRITT FAIRCHILD “If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can “Ease one life, or cool one pain, or help “One lonely person into happiness again, I shall not live in vain.” For Celenia Konich, Emily Dickinson's words say it all. They describe, com- pletely, her reasons for work- ing with Lovejoy Hospice. Based in Grants Pass, the Lovejoy Hospice program provides terminally ill patients in Josephine County, and parts of Jackson and Douglas coun- ties, with a holistic approach to end-of-life care. Together, home health aides like Konich, nurses, so- cial service counselors and volunteers help make the last days of life as happy and ful- filling as possible, for patients and their families. "The only way I can do this," Konich said, referring to the lines of the Dickinson poem, "is by joining Lovejoy Hospice, because they have the hearts of caring." The non-profit organiza- tion is named after Jean Lovejoy, founder of the local chapter of Make Today Count, a mutual support group for people with life threatening illnesses. Lovejoy died in 1981, as the hospice program was being formed. Since its inception, more than 3,000 patients and fami- lies have used Lovejoy Hos- pice. Yet, an even greater num- ber continue to go without such care, either because they don't know what hospice is, or how it works. Others refrain from dis- cussing the issue of death alto- gether out of fear. The Illinois Valley Lovejoy volunteers hope to change that -- starting now. Efforts throughout No- vember, which is Hospice Month, are aimed at raising awareness about Lovejoy's program. "There are so many that can take advantage of hospice, and make their (end) journey just a little bit easier," said Lovejoy volunteer Cheryl Willburn, who lives in Cave Junction. "I think a person needs to know that they can die with dignity, they can die as pain-free as possible, that they can do it in a gentle way. I want to share that with oth- ers." Any person -- regardless of age, race, religion, or eco- nomic status -- who has been diagnosed by a physician with less than six months to live, and has undergone all other curative measures to no avail, qualifies for hospice services. Services are provided to patients whether they are at home, in a family member's home, a skilled-nursing facil- ity, assisted-living residence or adult foster-care home. "I never knew there was such a thing," said Bill Shiery from O'Brien, who has been a Lovejoy volunteer for seven years. At the time of his wife's death in 1987, there wasn't anyone to lean on, he said. Had he known about a pro- gram such as hospice, he would have used it, he said. Depending on their needs and desires, patients may ac- cess spiritual support, dietary assistance, medical supplies, and physical, occupational, speech and massage therapy, among other services, which are available 24 hours a day. They may also make personal requests, such as one last drive in the country, or to have mu- sic playing at the end of their life. Prior to her death, Bonnie Greener's mother had a lunch- eon with friends and the mem- bers of her hospice program in the California Bay Area. "It was a marvelous ex- perience," said Greener, who now lives in Cave Junction and who has been a Lovejoy volunteer for 10 months. "I think the seeds were planted then," she said. Another integral compo- nent of hospice is care-giver respite. "(Hospice) is not just for the patient, it's for the whole family," Greener said. Volunteers run errands, help with household chores, sit with a patient, and what- ever else is needed. Shiery said that he once surprised a care-giver who had broken her arm by cleaning her windows and vacuuming her carpet while she was out. "They're (the care- givers) really thankful for the help," Greener said. Likewise, she said, the volunteers can become close to the families and patients they care for. Greener remembered when one of the patients died while she was helping the family. It was difficult, she said, but not overwhelm- ing. "It was just real special to be part of the family," she said. But Shiery stressed that spending time with someone who is dying is "not all gloom and doom." He noted the many humorous and touching memories during his years as a volunteer. One patient, he said, taught him how to play crib- bage. "I haven't had anyone who is afraid to pass," said Shiery, who also volunteers Friday mornings at the Lovejoy office in Grants Pass. Through hospice, family members and care-givers also have access to grief counseling, if desired. As a bereavement vol- unteer, Willburn phones (Continued on page 3) Following are unofficial, incomplete results from the Jose- phine County Elections Office, and statewide indications from the Tuesday, Nov. 5 vote-by-mail general election. Most of the following figures were released at approximately 2 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6 by the Josephine County Elections Office, which reported a 62 percent voter turnout. *I.V. Fire District bond issue: 1,885 “yes”; 1,294 “no.” *Library operations option tax: “no” 15,727; “yes” 13,879. *JoCo commission: Jim Riddle 15,355; Heidi Iverson 11,595. *County Wellness Center: 18,511 “no”; 10,604 “yes.” *County parks district: 19,540 “no”; 8,696 “yes.” *County Public Works fees: 16,326 “no”; 12,607 “yes.” *Third District state representative: Republican Gordon Anderson 14,421. Pacific Green candidate Dale Matthews, 5,872. *Fourth District congressional race: Democrat Peter DeFazio was leading Republican Liz VanLeeuwen. In statewide voting, initial indications were that Republican Kevin Mannix was leading Democrat Ted Kulongowski in the race for governor of Oregon. It also appeared that Gordon Smith defeated Bill Bradbury for U.S. senator by a wide margin. Among other unofficial, incomplete outcomes, it appeared that Measure 18 to allow certain tax districts to establish perma- nent property tax rates was losing. Measure 23, the statewide health-care plan, was going down. And a proposal to raise the state minimum wage to $6.90 in 2002 was winning. Tony Paulson was beating Tom Green for Pos. 2 on the Cave Junction City Council. Mayor Ed Faircloth, and councilors Rita Dyer and Dan Fiske were being re-elected without opposition. Final results will be in next week’s issue. Family seeks assistance after fire destroys home Following an early morn- ing fire that destroyed a rural Cave Junction residence, a request for clothing assistance has been made. Fifteen Illinois Valley volunteer firefighters and two staff members with eight pieces of apparatus responded to 5615 Westside Road for the 3:36 a.m. alarm. Four adults and three chil- dren “need to rebuild, and everything of the children’s was destroyed,” according to Rachel Lawson, one of the adults. The “Rachel Lawson Fire Fund” has been opened at Klamath First in CJ. Temporary assistance has come from American Red Cross, but community help is needed for the long term, it is indicated. Following is a list of fire victims and clothing sizes. Those who can help, including assistance with cleanup or replacement of tools, can phone 592-5249 or 592-6831. Rachel Lawson, 28, needs 14-16 clothing, 12ww shoes; Michael Scott, 38, needs 33- 36 trousers, size 11 shoes; Myiha Giles, 8, needs 12-14 clothing, size 3 shoes; Ray’Eena Giles, 6, needs 8-10 size clothing, size 2 shoes; Michael Giles, 4 months, needs 9-12-month clothing; “Horse Mark” Alexander, 52, needs 32-36 clothing, 9 1/2 or 10ww shoes; and Jed Nielsen, 19, needs 34-36 size clothing, size 12 1/2 shoes. All shirt sizes are large. Fire destroyed a wood structure of approximately 20- by-20 feet, said staff Capt. Jeff Gavlik, who was incident commander. It was directly behind a double-wide mobile- home, which incurred some damage. Gavlik said that the alarm was given after Mike Scott was awakened by a smoke (Continued on page 3) FRICK’S PICKED - Jim Frick, longtime valley resident and Realtor with Century 21 Harris & Taylor was chosen from ap- proximately 325 real estate agents and five finalists as ‘Realtor of the Year’ for 2002 by the Grants Pass Association of Realtors (GPAR). The award was presented during the GPAR quarterly membership meeting at Wild River Publick House on Friday, Oct. 25 for Frick’s achievements locally, statewide and nationally. Among his many accomplishments, Frick has served as president of the Illinois Valley Golf Asso- ciation for two years, president of the Illinois Valley Medical Center (IVMC) Board for two years and on the IVMC board for seven years. He also served as political affairs leader for Oregon Association of Realtors. (Photo by Sam Newton)