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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 2003)
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, August 13, 2003 Flowering plants, or Angiosperms are primarily classi- fied into families according to similarities in the flower structure. Leaves, stems and roots are also similar in mem- bers of the same family. Flower colors can be very different, even within the same genus. One of the largest and most abundant families is the sunflower family or compositae. Their flowers are composites of many small flowers clustered together into one head. In sunflowers only the outside flower in each head have a single yellow petal called a ray. The other flowers in the head have no petals but still can produce seeds. This pattern is in dandelions, asters, daisies, and many others. Thistles are also in the sunflower family and their flower is a composite of many small flowers grouped to- gether into one head. The purple hair-like petals come out of the top of a rounded base, or ovary. Each hair is consid- ered a separate flower and produces a single seed which can be carried long distances in the wind, like dandelions. Artichokes are in this same group. The artichoke sold in stores is a composite flower which has not yet opened. The little hairs, inside on the heart that are usually dis- carded, would eventually extend out into the open. They would be purple and would be the same as a large thistle flower. Knapweed is also part of this thistle group and have similar but smaller flower. The outer flowers in the com- posite head are usually longer and more noticeable than the inner flowers, and there is definite rounded ovary below the petals where the seeds are produced. Russian knapweed is a common weed in this area, found along roadsides, power lines, cleared fields and other areas close to human activities. This is a clue that it is not a native plant, but an “alien.” It is thought to have come from eastern Oregon and before that from the steppes of Russia. It competes well with native plants and is hard to eradicate because of its deep tap root. It also survives burn- ing, plowing, cattle grazing and even many herbicides. Knapweed has purple flowers with a rounded speckled brown base. Scientists call it, Centaurea repens. The word “centaurea” is used because of the idea that this is the plant of the Centaurs. Star thistle is another alien invader from Eurasia by way of eastern Oregon. Most botanists think it arrived in western Oregon in bales of hay, because they appear first in pastures, near corrals, roadsides or hunting camps in the mountains. Just a few years ago, star thistle was the notorious in- vader that needed to be eradicated before it became firmly established. Today it seems firmly established and is found in the same general areas as Russian knapweed. Star thistle has a yellow flower with long sharp spines arranged around the base of the petals. The scientific name is Cen- taurea solstitialis and is very closely related to knapweed. The most recent invader in our area has received lots of attention and attempts to eradicate it seem to be futile. Spotted knapweed, Centaurea maculosa, also has light pur- ple to pink petals arranged above a rounded spotted base and spreads readily through the root system as well as with wind carried seeds. All three plants compete very easily with native plants and are known to be toxic to horses. There is a fourth member of this same noxious genus that is commonly sold in flower shops and in seed packets. Centaurea cyanus is usually called Bachelor’s Button and has a lovely blue flower. It is much more delicate and harder to establish that its relatives. However, don’t con- fuse it with chicory, another alien weed from Eurasia, with coarse stems and spines but with a lovely blue flower. Council learns CJ Pool didn’t earn enough to pay July bills The city of Cave Junc- tion will pursue a property foreclosure and a new judgment on a nuisance action, councilmen agreed. The action occurred Monday night, Aug. 11 in city hall, with Councilman Rita Dyer absent. The motions and ac- tions took place following an executive (closed to the public) session that lasted approximately 10 minutes. A foreclosure will be instituted against property at 606 Fredrick Court, owned by Gary L. Wean. He will receive the first $25,000 if the property is sold, said City Recorder Jim Polk. The city has tried for approximately three years to get Wean to connect to city sewer. A hearing was set for Sept. 16. The vote was 3-1-0, with Councilman Dan Fiske abstaining due to “a perceived conflict of inter- est.” Councilmen voted 4-0 to refile regarding nuisance action for property at 230 S. Caves Ave. The prop- erty owner was identified as Diana K. McCarlie. A number of vehicles in pub- lic view comprise the basis for the action, which began some two years ago. In another matter the council received a report from Grants Pass Family YMCA, which manages the city swimming pool, that income for July was $3,508 short of meeting expenses of $11,339. *Heard from Fiske that “bad language” used by skateboarders in Jubilee Park is turning away fami- lies wanting to use the park. The Illinois Valley Golf Association Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. at the golf course club- house, on Redwood Hwy. at Laurel Road. Meetings are open to the public. For more information phone Arnold Mellow at 592-3525. Page 9 Council crime ... (Continued from page 1) what merchants would like to see happen to stop a rash of burglaries and van- dalism that has many mer- chants up in arms. Most of what he out- lined for the council was stated during a meeting in Jubilee Park on Friday, Aug. 8. (See story above.) The city pays the sher- iff’s office $79,000 per year to have a deputy un- der contract as the Cave Junction officer. The mayor expressed dissatis- faction because “the con- tract officer should be at our beck and call to give support when needed. “If the sheriff says he can’t do that, I say cancel the service and pay a pri- vate security agency. “If we’re not getting our bang for the buck, the sheriff needs to go some- where else,” said Faircloth. He told City Recorder Jim Polk to set up a workshop that would include sher- iff’s Lt. Lee Harman, Illi- nois Valley Chamber President Terri Smith, Rodriguez and others in business willing to come up with ideas for getting a handle on crime. “We need to do some- thing to make the town safe,” said the mayor, a remark followed by a round of applause from the audience. “We need a plan,” he said. Mike Pernicka of Puff ‘n’ Stuff also ad- dressed the issue, agreeing with the mayor, and say- ing, “There’s no law en- forcement; it’s way out of hand. My business has been broken into three times, and the last time it took 45 minutes for a dep- uty to get here, giving the burglars plenty of time.” “We’re as frustrated as you are,” said the mayor. “We all pay county taxes and should get better con- sideration from the sher- iff’s office.” If the sheriff doesn’t agree, said Faircloth, “He’s on the wrong planet.” The mayor said it might be possible for a citizens volunteer patrol to receive training from the sheriff’s office. The com- mittee being formed, he said, will come up with a wide range of ideas for improving security. Fire danger remains despite recent summer rain showers “Keep your guard up,” says Keep Oregon Green Association (KOG). “That little bit of rain that we received recently has not been enough to lessen the fire danger,” says Mary Ellen Holly of KOG. “It has been our ex- perience that we get a little bit of rain and the public becomes less careful with fire,” she said. “Proof of this was apparent; as dur- ing the first 24 hours after the rainfall, 10 human- caused fires were reported. “Keep Oregon green by practicing fire-safe pro- cedures while traveling through or enjoying the forests, agricultural, and grazing lands. Many private lands are closed due to the fire dan- ger, but other public land remains open for recrea- tion.” *If campfires are al- lowed where you are camping, remember to put them out: dead out. *Keep all matches and lighters out of the reach of children and teach them the difference between good fire (campfires, birth- day cakes, etc.,) and bad fire (forest fires, house fires, and other harmful fires). *Use care when barbe- cuing. Make sure the ground under the barbecue has been cleared of vegeta- tion and is far away from anything that will burn. *If you must smoke when in the woods, be sure to use your ashtray. *Build survivable space with a radius of at least 30 feet around your home by reducing the amount of shrubbery and trees, removing dead and dying vegetation, and re- placing them with fire- resistant plants. *Clean your roofs and gutters of debris. *Keep wood piles or other fuel sources at least 25 feet away and uphill from your home. *Keep hoses, sprin- klers, and other water sources at hand in case a wildfire approaches. For more information phone Illinois Valley Rural Fire District at 592-2121, or KOG at (503) 745-7499. ROLL OVER - Marilynn Johnson of Solvang, Calif. was traveling north on Redwood Hwy. on Tuesday, Aug. 12 when her Ford Explorer skidded out of control and rolled on its side near Hogue Drive in Selma. The cause of the accident was unknown. She was trans- ported to Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass due to minor injuries. (Photo by Steve Fairchild) Riverside Physical Therapy Full Rehabilitation Services: •Physical Therapy •Occupational Therapy •Speech Therapy TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU Cave Junction Office 218 N. Redwood Hwy. (541) 592-6580 grants Pass Office 1619 N.W. Hawthorne Ave. Suite 109 (541) 476-2502 •Mike Johnson, P.T. •Jeff Wood, M.S., P.T.
