Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, January 1, 2003
Page 2
(Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary expressed in
letters to the editor are
strictly those of the letter-
writers.
* * *
Typed,
double-spaced
letters are acceptable for
consideration.
Hand-
written letters that are
double-spaced and highly
legible also can be con-
sidered for publication.
Cards of thanks are not
accepted as letters.)
Drink, drive: die
El Jefe resolves for the New Year to do some-
thing, but he hasn’t made up his mind yet ...
Happy Holidays!
Restaurante
Family Discount
>>> Kids Menu <<<
99 ¢
Sunday thru Wednesday
From Vicki Kaplan
Carlsbad, Calif.
This poignant item could
save lives. It’s from Mothers
Against Drunk Driving:
“I went to a party, and
remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink, so I
had a Sprite instead.
“I felt proud of myself,
the way you said I would. Al-
though some friends said I
should, I made a healthy
choice.
“And your advice to me
was right. The party ended,
and the kids drove out of
sight. I got into my car, sure to
get home in one piece: I never
knew what was coming.
“Something I expected
least. Now I’m lying on the
pavement, and I hear a police-
man say, ‘The kid that caused
this wreck was drunk.’ Mom,
his voice seems so far away.
“My own blood is all
around me. As I try hard not
to cry, I can hear a paramedic
say, ‘This girl is going to die.’
“I’m sure the guy had no
idea while he was flying high,
because he chose to drink and
drive that I would have to die.
“So why do people do it,
knowing that it ruins lives?
And now the pain is cutting
me like a hundred stabbing
knives. Tell sister not to be
afraid.
“Tell daddy to be brave,
and when I go to Heaven, put
‘Daddy’s Girl’ on my grave.
“Someone should have
taught him that it’s wrong to
drink and drive. Maybe if his
parents had, I’d still be alive.
My breath is getting shorter;
I’m getting really scared.
“These are my final mo-
ments, and I’m so unprepared.
I wish that you could hold me,
mom.
“As I lie here and die, I
wish that I could say I love
you and good-bye.”
Lunch or Dinner - 12 and Under - No Take-Outs
Railroad to valley
Illinois Valley News
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and
published by Robert R. (Bob) and Jan Rodriguez
Bob Rodriguez, Editor El Jefe
Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post
Office as Official Newspaper for Josephine County and
Josephine County Three Rivers School District, published
at 321 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523
Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523
Post Office Box 1370 USPS 258-820
Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
Volume 65, No. 41
STAFF: Virginia Gilliam, Cindy Newton,
Chris Robertson, Sharon Silva & Becky Loudon
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES:
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good taste, legible and not libelous. All letters must be
signed, using complete name, and contain the writer’s
address and telephone number. The latter need not be
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‘News’ reserves the right to edit letters. One letter per
person per month. Letters are used at the discretion of the
publisher. Unpublished letters are neither acknowledged
nor returned. A prepaid charge may be levied if a letter is
inordinately long in the editor's opinion.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One year in Josephine County - $20.80
One year in Jackson and Douglas Counties - $24.40
One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state -$28
POSTMASTER:
Please send address changes to P.O. Box
1370, Cave Junction, OR. 97523
From Robert C. Elesky
Cave Junction
Here is the end of another
year, 2002, and I ask, “What
is the economic future of Cave
Junction?”
The answer: Our leaders
don’t seem to know, or it is a
well-guarded secret not
unleashed on us yet, or maybe
it has and I don’t know it.
The facts are that the lead-
ership at our state, county and
city levels has disappointed
me, and I think, many other
business people in our area.
I have to ask who has a
clear economic vision of Cave
Junction in 2010?
Our first casualty was Fire
Mountain Gems leaving the
area. Our next is Rough &
Ready. The next is Krauss
Craft, as I understand it. My-
self, and I am sure a lot of
other people, are asking, why?
Some have the answer, some
don’t. I think I know why.
Currently our economic
future as a community is very,
very dim, to put it mildly.
Rough & Ready, one of
our largest employers, is being
forced to close due to silly and
unfounded environmental re-
strictions on timber harvests.
The fact is they just can’t
get any logs despite the fact
that a half million acres has
just burned, and there is plenty
of salvage logging that could
be done.
The area is now nothing
more than a wasteland due to
poor forest management.
President Bush has signed a
deal to turn things back over
to local control, but I am
afraid it might be a day late
and several dollars short.
This is the area I and a lot
of other people wish to live in.
We have wide-open spaces,
clean air, abundant wildlife
and relatively low crime rates.
I see a thriving vision of
Cave Junction and Illinois
Valley in the next five to 10
years. What is that vision? Let
me paint you a quick picture
of things to come.
I see Rough Truck Body
increasing production and
profits, along with Kauffman
Wood products. I see new in-
dustry coming to Cave Junc-
tion and operating in our air-
port industrial park. I see
Rough & Ready Lumber Co.
reopening and possibly even
expanding. I see lots of jobs
that can be created here with
little environmental impact.
I see ore from the Nicore
mining project being moved,
creating new jobs in an envi-
ronmentally responsible way,
I am sure, knowing who is
involved.
The fact is that we are in a
federal enterprise zone. We
can sell goods and services to
the government. The future of
our valley is in the field of
government contracts. The
government purchases large
quantities of goods and ser-
vices daily.
Our leaders need to pro-
mote this, along with giving
them tax incentives to outside
industries and give the same
reasons to locate here, or we
as local people need to take
the bull by the horns and cre-
ate our own business.
The following govern-
ment website: http://
progate.daps.dla.mil/home/
shows the types and amounts
of goods and services we
might be able to provide to
our country.
The funding to start is
available for just about anyone
with some drive and energy.
One of the issues con-
fronting this area is the high
cost of shipping raw materials
and goods in and out.
I believe it can be done in
an environmentally responsi-
ble way, with limited effect on
our environment. None of us
came here because we wanted
to live in a situation like Los
Angeles. We came to live in
the great Northwest and enjoy
the wilderness; at least I did.
I am not painting a vision
of factories billowing smoke
and pollution from large
stacks or dumping toxic waste
into the rivers, so don’t any
environmentalist types try put-
ting words in my mouth.
I am painting a picture of
clean, environmentally re-
sponsible industry coming
here and creating good jobs
for us all.
I am going to propose
something here that may have
been proposed before; I don’t
know, having only been here
just 10 years now. I would
like to encourage legitimate,
re-asonable responses.
Wanting to establish a
government contracting com-
pany here myself, I propose
that we bring the railroad to
our valley from Grants Pass.
I want any like-minded
individuals or business to pro-
vide legitimate feedback on
the idea and what they might
feel the effect on our area
would be.
I would also like the so-
called environmentalists to
picture this. Think of how this
would grant access to our wil-
derness area in a controlled
manner. Just think if we were
able to provide a rustic rail
ride through the wilderness
with stops along the way with
established campgrounds and
(Continued on page 3)
Auction begins at 7 p.m.
WILD RIVER BREWING & PIZZA CO.
(Cave Junction location)
Friday, Jan. 10
(R)
Fresh Cooked Oregon Crab … $3.50 lb.
Tree Ripe Oranges … $5.99 bag
Smoked Turkey Breast … $1.99 lb.
Ring in the New Year with us!
‘Dale & Siskiyou Mountain Boys’
playing country music, Tuesday, Dec. 31
9 p.m. - 1 a.m.
‘RASHA’ Friday, Jan. 3, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Now serving beer & wine