Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Calhoun gallops
away with gold
I’ve made a few messes in my time, sometimes
because of being stupid.
Jan still remembers a time in Poway, Calif. when
a wasp or some other vicious insect landed on a small
table on our patio. Being the hunter that I am, I took
careful aim and slammed a broom onto the table top. I
missed. The insect flew away, unharmed, but the
glass-top table went to pieces.
Probably the “best of the best” of my bonehead
extravaganzas involved a 240Z we had when we lived
in Escondido, Calif. Jan kept telling me that the en-
gine sounded funny, and I kept telling her that it was
fine. Until the engine seized due to a severe lack of
oil. Yep, that was from the Bonehead Olympics.
One really stupid action I took occurred in Gold
Beach on the Oregon coast, when I was covering a
trial of a man accused of murdering a U.S. Coast
Guardsman and his girlfriend near Brookings.
As the suspect was led in handcuffs from the
courtroom to the Curry County Jail sally port (from
the Spanish salir puerta), this unthinking journalist
with a camera leaped in front of the entourage of sus-
pect, defense attorney and armed deputies, and
ducked under the rising door. I didn't get the photo,
but I did get a severe tongue-lashing for breaching
the sanctity of jail security.
It’s embarrassing even now, some 24 years later.
What’s perhaps next on the list of absurd happen-
ings occurred just this week. One of us, who live to-
gether in wedded bliss, forgot that they had put dish-
washing soap in a couple of containers. They then
placed said containers inside our atomic-powered,
automated dishwashing device; added dishwasher
soap; and turned on the machine.
Only a few minutes later, one of us entered the
kitchen and marveled at the beautiful soap suds. Un-
fortunately they were billowing out the dishwasher
door, and all over the floor. We had enough soap suds
to wash a couple of horses if we had wanted.
But we don’t have even one horse, and had to
clean the cleaning overflow. Took a while. It’s hard to
believe the volume of suds that can emanate from a
dishwasher. Thank goodness some friends have a lit-
tle sucker, which we used to dry the floor.
At least it wasn’t as expensive as a new engine.
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 66, No. 14
Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild,
Chris Robertson, Steve Fairchild & 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.
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 let-
ter-writers.
* * *
Typed,
double-spaced
letters are acceptable for
consideration.
Hand-
written letters that are
d o u b l e - sp a c e d
an d
highly legible also can
be considered for publi-
cation. Cards of thanks
are not accepted as let-
ters.)
* * *
‘Save the Trees’
From Paul Weller
Cave Junction
Lorna Byrne Middle
School is scheduled for
demolition within days,
but to my dismay I’m told
the six beautiful, big and
healthy sycamore trees in
front are going too; to
make way for a parking
lot.
The school district
hired an architect to design
the new school, but it
seems to me a high-
powered professional de-
signer from the “big city”
should have enough imagi-
nation to design a parking
lot and bus loading area
around these magnificent
landmarks. There is lots of
room between them for
vehicles and access.
I understand Lorna
Byrne personally helped
plant them, and they could
make a impressive en-
trance to the new school,
as well as welcome shade.
Or, we could have another
scorching sea of asphalt
baking in the sun and a
few little 6-foot seedlings.
Please, phone the
school district or board
members and ask them to
save LBMS’ sycamore
trees.
In the recent Oregon
High School Equestrian
State Championship
(OHSET), Chelsea Cal-
houn from Fort Hay Ranch
in Selma topped the 950
athletes from 103 Oregon
and Washington schools to
capture the Hi-point per-
formance Award.
In addition to her gold
medal performance in
Trail, Calhoun took the
bronze in Reining and Sil-
ver in Stock Seat Equita-
tion. Garnering points in
Driving and Working
Rancher pushed her scores
to an unbeatable level for
the Hi-Point Blanket
awarded on the last day of
the meet.
This was the last com-
petition for Calhoun, who
graduated from Illinois
Valley High School on
June 4, and her equine
partner ‘Fawn’ in this var-
Chelsea Calhoun
sity sport. Calhoun also
received the OHSET
Scholarship for the South-
ern District as the out-
standing Southern Oregon
athlete and student.
She will attend the
University of Findlay in
Ohio in the fall and will
study business manage-
ment and equine orthope-
dics. She has received an
athletic scholarship for her
horsemanship along with
an educational grant from
Findlay. In addition, Cal-
houn was just named the
recipient of the Ford Motor
Company scholarship for
the area.
Kerby-Jefferson capital?
Self-described
“tourism activist” Jack
Heald wants to give a gi-
gantic boost to Illinois
Valley’s tourism business
by making Kerby the capi-
tal of the State of Jeffer-
son.
Heald, a longtime val-
ley resident, addressed the
I.V. Chamber of Com-
merce Board of Directors
during its meeting on
Thursday, June 19 in Wild
River Brewing & Pizza
Co. in Cave Junction.
A veteran booster for
valley tourism, Heald
noted that he’s been a tour-
ism activist for the past 14
years. He noted that the
chamber meeting he at-
tended marked the 279th
gathering he has either at-
tended or participated in
for furthering the visitor
industry.
Heald said that Kerby -
- with attractions including
It’s A Burl, Kerbyville
Museum, Stoneyfront Tav-
ern, Kerbyville Acres, the
Cron Farm, and two his-
toric buildings, one used
by Kauffman Wood Prod-
ucts -- would be right as
capital of the somewhat
legendary State of Jeffer-
son.
In addition, he noted
that because Kerby once
was the county seat of Jo-
sephine County -- and be-
cause there are plans for an
historic-type craft and
commercial development
on the former Cabax Mill
site in Kerby -- the town is
appropriate.
In ad dition, the
Kalmiopsis Wilderness
and Rough & Ready Bo-
tanical Wayside, although
not in Kerby, are in the
valley neighborhood.
Heald said that ecotourism
is a fast-growing business
and that the valley has a
great opportunity because
of it. He said that ecotour-
ism involves “pristine and
primitive places” sought
by many, and that Illinois
Valley fills the bill.
The State of Jefferson,
which has two Web sites,
is the brainchild of resi-
dents in the S.W. Oregon
and Northern California
locales. S.W. Oregon resi-
dents tend to feel that the
Willamette Valley gets the
lion’s share of attention
and funding from the state;
while N. California resi-
dents generally feel that
the Sacramento and San
Francisco areas get the
most attention.
Generally, the State of
Jefferson would take in an
area including the N. Cali-
fornia areas of Weed, Mt.
Shasta, Crescent City,
Yreka and Happy Camp.
Beaver State areas gener-
ally would encompass
S.W. Oregon from Ban-
don, Myrtle Creek and
Crater Lake, and obviously
including Illinois Valley.
For those who would
scoff at his idea, Heald
noted that his other sug-
gestions, initially regarded
as foolish, impossible or
stupid, have come to pass.
They include the rock
sculptures around the val-
ley; and the “Welcome”
rock structure.
He said that he also-
suggested the valley post-
cards and a map of the
area, both of which have
come to pass.
With regard to Kerby
as the State of Jefferson
capitol, Heald said,
tongue-in-cheek, “It’s just
another of my stupid tour-
ism ideas.”
RCC summer
hours in effect
Rogue Community
College campuses and of-
fice locations are now
closed on Fridays. The
closures will remain in
effect through Aug. 29,
with normal hours of op-
eration resuming in Sep-
tember.
During the summer
business hours at most
RCC sites will be 8 a.m. to
5 p.m. Mondays through
Thursdays.
The closures are part
of the college’s efforts to
make up a projected $2.86
millions budget shortfall
over the next two years.
The deadline for all
items for the July 9
issue of the ‘I.V. News’
is noon on Friday,
July 4.
Delivery only
$1 more!
131 N. Redwood Hwy - 592-6649
(Behind LaCaverna Mexican Restaurant)