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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, April 30, 2003
Having been asked to speak during Career Day at Lorna
Byrne Middle School this week, I was looking forward to
meeting with students, as I once was (for what seemed like
three years) in the eighth-grade, where my teacher was a
relative to the person Jake and Elwood Blues called “The
Penguin.”
And several years ago, for one semester, I attempted to
teach a journalism class at Lorna Byrne to eighth-graders.
That’s a topic that could fill a page here some day.
Others on the “Noose” staff elected me to serve as the
journalism representative at Career Day, apparently because
they are allergic to eighth-grade students. Not really; they
just know that I am essentially a big ham, who enjoys hear-
ing himself discourse on varied subjects, many of which he
knows little or nothing about.
Had my chance at an hour of middle school fame come
true this week, I would have been able to tell the students a
thing or three; much of it true. With that in mind, let us de-
part into an interview that could have been, had enough stu-
dents signed up for the journalism presentation:
Q. How did you get into journalism?
A. As a college freshman I needed a class at 2:30 in the
afternoon to complete my schedule, and journalism fit, so I
took it. It was either that or private tuba lessons.
Q. What do you like best about your job?
A. It’s difficult to single out one aspect. But I think that
being able to present stories about people and places; taking
photos; meeting lots of different people; and striving to en-
tertain and inform readers rank high. Besides that, reporters
often are the first to know about what’s happening, and
we’re often allowed in where others are kept out. Of course,
sometimes we’re kept out of where others are allowed, but
that’s sometimes part of the territory.
Q. How’s the pay for reporters and others jobs in the
newspaper business?
A. Don’t ask. But really, we don’t work just for pay.
We work in journalism because we enjoy the job. Naturally,
it’s nice to get that weekly paycheck, unless you own a
weekly newspaper and take no salary, but that’s another
story. As far as how much you could be paid, it all depends
on where you work. If you work for the “Stinkweed Weekly
Stench,” you likely will not be paid as much as if you’re
hired by say, “The New York Times” or the “Washington
Post.” You won’t get rich, but you can do quite well.
Q. How can you get hired by a larger newspaper instead
of a smaller one?
A. Work at it. Many of us started writing in the seventh-
and eighth-grade, working on school newspapers, or writing
youth or sports stories for daily or weekly newspapers. You
get paid by the inch, and it’s not much, but it’s worth the
experience. If you find that you have a talent for and enjoy
writing compositions, that’s a clue that journalism might be
the career for you. College is important too; get at least a
two-year degree and work on the student newspaper. After
college, lots of reporters begin their careers working for
weekly or biweekly newspapers and then graduate to the big
leagues of daily newspapers in medium- to large-size cities.
Q. What don’t you like about journalism?
A. The times when you are present at tragedies and
have to write stories about them; or find out about some-
thing tragic and have to track down sources for your story. It
can be emotionally painful for everyone involved. Also, the
times when you work for hours on a story, and it turns out
that you really have no story. But you learn to live with that.
Making errors is a bear, too; something we work extremely
hard to avoid, but we’re only human. Then there are times
when somehow we miss a story, and on a weekly newspa-
per, that’s really tough. So we work at it.
Q. If you could have done something else as a career,
what would it be?
A. Mowing lawns for a living sounds like a nice job.
(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.)
* * *
‘Need a pool’
From Kelpie Wilson
Cave Junction
Lynn Vanderlinden (April
16, “I.V. News”) is right. The
people of Illinois Valley need
and deserve a year-round
pool.
It would be a wonderful
place for our aging population
to get some healthful exercise.
It would be great for kids and
teens. Unfortunately, her idea
of writing grants to fund the
pool is not very realistic. The
money is not there.
Because of the poor econ-
omy, most private foundations
have far less money than they
had just a few years ago. I am
one of the grant writers for
Siskiyou Project, and we are
feeling the pinch. Every non-
profit organization I know is
cutting back programs and
laying off staff.
Grants come from two
main sources: private founda-
tions and government pro-
grams. Private foundation
money is mostly invested in
the stock market, and founda-
tions are required to pay out a
minimum percentage of their
income every year in grants in
order to qualify for tax-
exempt status.
They are not earning
much these days, so they’re
not giving many grants. I’m
not familiar with the world of
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 66, No. 6
Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild,
Chris Robertson, Sharon Silva & Becky Loudon
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES:
News, Classified & Display Ads,
Announcements & Letters
3 P.M. FRIDAY
(Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can 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.
POSTMASTER:
Please send address changes to
P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR. 97523
Diabetes Association
The Cave Junction branch
of the Jerry Acklen Diabetes
Health Association will meet
Thursday, May 8 at 1:30 p.m.
at the Illinois Valley Senior
Center, 520 E. River St., Cave
Junction.
Don’t drink and drive.
The
Home Loan Store
phone Steve Elliott
659-2142
Credit Issues are OK
*Purchases *100% Financing
*Refinancing *First Time Buyers
*Private Money Loans
*Non-Conforming Loans
Evening and Weekend Appointments
“We make Loans Work”
‘Give a rock’
From Jack Heald
Cave Junction
Everyone by now is be-
ginning to notice the “rock
sculptures” around town; and
soon there will be more.
This project was initiated
by members of the Illinois
Valley Community Resource
Team “Tourism Committee”
billboard, and soon construc-
tion will start on a centrally
located rock sculpture.
It is hoped that Illinois
Valley residents might like to
donate an unusual rock or two
Invites you to the FREE
2003 Home Show * Builder Olympics
& Spring Tour of Homes
Friday through Sunday
May 9, 10 and 11
Josephine County Fairgrounds
*Home Building and Remodeling Products & Services
*More than 100 Vendor Booths
*Food & Entertainment
*Children’s Activities
*Educational Seminars & Demonstrations
Why not support your area high
school shop programs by bidding
On an 8’x8’ storage shed at
the Builders Olympics,
Saturday, May 10?
Maps will be available at the Home Builders Booth
at the Home Show and by contacting the
Home Builders office at (541) 479-1311
Senior Nutrition Menu
Sponsored by
592-3562
(541) 592-2126, 474-5440
Meals are served in the
CJ County Bldg.
FRIDAY, MAY 2
*Rotisserie-style chicken,
creamed potatoes, broccoli
cuts, oatmeal bread,
rhubarb cobbler
MONDAY, MAY 5
*Roast pork with gravy,
whipped sweet potatoes,
green peas, rye bread, pea-
nut butter bar
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
*Meatloaf with gravy,
whipped potatoes with
gravy, Italian blend
vegetables, herb bread,
butterscotch pudding
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
to be imbedded along with the
rest of the rock masonry con-
sisting of local rocks.
Already donated and
ready to be used is a red rock
from Arizona, a petrified tree
rock from California, a pink
rock from the Brookings
coastal shores and others. To
donate a rock phone 592-
3203.
Not enough room in your garage?
Need more storage space?
Illinois Valley News
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and
published by Robert R. (Bob) and Jan Rodriguez
Bob Rodriguez, Editor El Jefe
government grants, but
clearly, with the current tax
cutting fever, there’s far less
money available.
It makes me angry that we
live in such a wealthy country,
and yet we can’t meet basic
needs like a community pool.
There is something wrong
with a government that spends
all its resources on building an
oil empire in the Middle East
and invests almost nothing in
developing renewable energy
here at home.
It is the height of insanity
to give another huge tax cut to
the rich right when the bill for
the Iraq invasion is due.
If you think tax cuts help
the economy, think again. The
last tax cut didn’t do the job. It
just left poor communities like
ours even worse off. Here’s
one example: millions of dol-
lars for fighting fire and pre-
vention were just cut from the
federal budget. What will we
do if this summer’s fire season
is as bad as last year’s?
I’m afraid that if Illinois
Valley wants a better pool, the
only option is to hold a bake
sale. And another bake sale,
and another one. Either that or
vote for a government that’s
willing to invest in its people
and work on improving the
economy.
Support the merchants
who advertise in the
‘Illinois Valley News’