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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, February 19, 2003
This was the week that I was going to tell you about the
Mother of All Picnics involving my parents and numerous
aunts, uncles and cousins way back when in the Cuyamaca
Mountains of eastern San Diego County. However, my resi-
dent Column Keeper advises that the particular picnic, duly
recorded in the history of California, already has been cov-
ered by yours truly in this very column.
So instead of the Great Picnic Fiasco, you will learn
about the most difficult job the editor ever had. Not that it
was particularly strenuous, although lifting 20- and 30-
gallon coffee urns could fall into that category. Or not that it
was too much of a strain on the brain, as the work was not
especially difficult. And even having to arrive at work at 5
a.m. was not that big a chore back in those days.
The job was as a cafeteria worker at a major shipbuild-
ing company in San Diego. The most difficult part of the
many tasks assigned to me in my restaurant whites, includ-
ing a full-length and quite stylish apron, involved working
up to speed. The boss’s speed; not mine.
For example, making sandwiches my way means that
you carefully spread the filling completely on each slice of
bread, even reaching the corners. But no. The boss wanted
the sandwiches made at top speed, and so I was forced to
just dab and go, dab and go. It was depressing.
And there was the matter of cutting pies. The boss
wanted several dozen pies sliced, with each piece on a plate
and covered with clear wrap, in about 90 minutes. I was tak-
ing about five minutes per slice, what with trying to be care-
ful, and not licking my fingers. Speed was the order of the
day, and I am not a speedy food person server.
Despite the “difficulty” of the job, I ate well. Until I saw
the cook and his not-always careful techniques one day. But
we will not go into that right now. Especially if you plan to
eat soon. Anyway, after that incident I lived on coffee and
pie, which did nothing for my complexion, stamina or waist-
line. But it was good pie.
Still and all, I learned a brand-vocabulary and some
really interesting stories from the shipyard workers, most of
whom apparently had their hard hats welded onto their
heads. I’d tell you about the words and stories, but I just
can’t. Especially if you plan to eat soon.
Coming next week: More drivel and stuff about Bob and
Jan’s Adventure in California. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry,
you’ll blow chunks. Many Pulitzer Prize-winning columns
have been written. Next week’s will not be one of those.
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. 48
Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild,
Chris Robertson, Sharon Silva & Becky Loudon
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES:
News, Display Ads, Announcements & Letters
3 P.M. FRIDAY
(Ads will be accepted until Noon, Monday with an additional charge.)
POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ welcomes
letters to the editor provided they are of general interest, in
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
published, but will be used to verify authenticity. The
‘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
(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.)
* * *
‘Education first’
From Sonny Moore
Cave Junction
This is my first year in-
volved as a staff member
within our schools, and it is
alarming as to how the news
media has misinformed the
parents of our community. I
have several things that I
would like to clear up.
First: if you have seen a
teacher looking down and not
very happy, it is not because
they have lost 10 days and
will not get paid. Rather, they
are very disturbed on how our
state as a whole views our
children’s education.
This 10-day cut will only
affect the students’ academics.
Teachers of this valley are
down because our children
will suffer the lack of proper
education time.
Secondly, you may have
read, or heard on the news,
about our valley schools get-
ting a “below average” or
“satisfactory” report card from
the state. This rating was de-
termined by one factor and
one factor alone -- student
attendance. It is not based on
anything else.
We have a high academic
level in our schools along with
highly trained and qualified
teachers in the valley, but this
satisfactory report card is sim-
ply because children are not
going to school as they
should.
The next time you think it
would be more convenient to
let your child stay home or go
with you, remember that every
time they do not attend school
it will affect the rating and
consequently could affect the
federal funding to our schools.
Finally, children today
have to deal with issues that
most of us would not dream
of. I commend those parents
who strive to do all they can
for their children by getting
involved and allowing their
children every opportunity to
have fun and be involved in
all the activities available to
them.
The children of this valley
deserve all we can give them.
They deserve 120 percent.
Let’s give it to them.
‘Biscuit Fire Ode’
From Jim Nolan
Cave Junction
Well I’ve worked in the
mill - Most of my natural days
- Didn’t make much money
then - But at least my bills got
paid.
Raised my kids and
bought a home - And my fu-
ture seemed OK - But now the
Biscuit Fire came - And took
it all away.
The Northwest Forest
Plan stopped the logging -
And the brush it grew like
corn - Add a little lightning -
And the Biscuit Fire was
born!
Now there’s 3 billion
board feet - A-layin’ in the
woods - While the timber is
rotting - Our mill shuts down
for good.
The Biscuit Fire is a burn-
ing - It’s burning mighty hard
- While the Fire is roasting -
Spotted Owl’s in my back
yard.
The Biscuit Fire is a burn-
ing - It’s burning mighty hard
- The Hypocrites are getting
fat off grants - While I am
living in my car.
The Biscuit Fire is a burn-
ing - It’s burning mighty hard
- And the politicians don’t
give a damn - If you work or
starve.
‘Ripe for catastrophe’
From Ore. Sen. Jason
Atkinson, District 25
Salem
This past summer, you
were forced to watch help-
lessly as Illinois Valley was
ravaged by one of the nation’s
largest wildfires and Oregon’s
largest fire in more than a cen-
tury.
This destruction brought
upon your homes and commu-
nity was preventable. The
management style of the fed-
eral government left the forest
in a condition ripe for catas-
trophe.
Further, the fire-fighting
priorities of federal agencies
tied the hands of area and state
firefighters, even when they
were poised to attack the fire
while it was still a small blaze.
After months of labor by
thousands of firefighters and
millions of dollars spent bat-
tling the blaze, the economy
of Illinois Valley has been
turned upside-down, and the
community and surrounding
forestlands have been left as a
blackened wasteland.
This legislative session, I
have drafted a memorial to be
sent to the U.S. Congress in
Washington, D.C. In this me-
morial, I urge the federal gov-
ernment to:
*Revise its fire-fighting
priorities to match the fire-
fighting priorities of the state
of Oregon.
*Cooperate with state and
area agencies when fighting
fires.
*Quickly salvage the Bis-
cuit Fire region in cooperation
with the Oregon Dept. of For-
estry.
*Restore and replant the
landscape in the Biscuit Fire
region.
*Provide funding for re-
forestation and economic re-
newal.
*Permanently station a
rappelling and/or smoke
jumping team in the valley.
Quickly salvaging the logs
in the Biscuit burn area can
bring some economic renewal
to I.V. Further, the federal
government must provide eco-
nomic relief for those in I.V.
affected by the Biscuit Fire.
BYCYCLE VS. TRUCK - Bicyclist Lloyd Thomas Henry Jr.
was injured Friday, Feb. 14 at approximately 4:24 p.m. when
he was struck by a pickup truck driven by Kenneth Lerew Jr.
on Redwood Hwy. in front of Select Market in Cave Junction.
Henry was taken by AMR ambulance to Three Rivers Com-
munity Hospital in Grants Pass.
(Photo by Sam Newton)
disgust. My mom and dad
started the Illinois Valley
Open Door in Selma seven
years ago.
They help everyone with
no questions asked. They fur-
nish food, clothing, personal
items, baby items, etc. to any-
one who needs them.
The I.V. Open Door is run
on donations from the com-
munity, businesses and per-
sonal money.
We recently made a trip to
the Food Share Warehouse in
Grants Pass to buy food for
the food bank on Tuesday,
Feb. 11. We purchased four
large hams that would be split
later and given to eight fami-
lies.
Sometime during the night
someone made a stop at the
I.V. Open Door and took the
hams. Now eight families will
be deprived of enjoying ham
dinners.
‘Is our angel gone?’
From Joyce & Harry
Abrams
Cave Junction
What kind of person steals
an angel?
What kind of person takes
pride in destroying something
(Continued on page 3)
592-4553
Restaurante
Kids Menu
Regularly $3.95
>> NOW! 99 ¢ <<
Sunday thru Wednesday
Lunch or Dinner - 12 and Under - No Take-Outs
Septic Tank Pumping & Cleaning
Family Owned & Operated
*Free Phone Estimates
*Residential & Commercial
*Licensed *Bonded *Insured
Serving Josephine County
7 days a week
592-6307
Ham shame
From Vicki Jones
Selma
I am writing this letter in
I wonder if whoever took
the hams will be able to look
us in the face.
I say the thieve(s) should
enjoy the hams, and when
they start eating, just know
that they have taken the food
out of the mouths of seven
other families.
I am so sorry that this has
happened. All they had to do
is ask and we would have
given it to them or would have
helped them find it.
We appreciate all who
have donated to the I.V. Open
Door during the past seven
years.
Shawn Elmer - owner/operator
P.O. Box 2122, Cave Junction, OR. 97523
is open
Saturdays:
9:30 a.m.
to
2:30 p.m.
Hours: Mondays - Saturdays
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information phone (800) 922-1025