I.V. Patrol
eyes more
members
As part of its efforts to
“light the darkness” and
make I.V. Citizens Patrol
(IVCP) even more visible
and effective, the group is
undertaking a recruiting
drive.
Anyone interested in
joining the observational
grass-roots organization, to
help with occasional three-
or four-hour patrols, can
phone 592-9296. Informa-
tion also is available
through the “Illinois Val-
ley News” office at 592-
2541.
In addition, to help
spread the word and per-
haps gain support in areas
other than patrolling, IVCP
members tentatively plan
to contact I.V. High
School and I.V. Senior
Center.
“Students could help
with information about
problem areas and distrib-
uting information, and
there are many senior citi-
zens with backgrounds in
law enforcement,” one
IVCP member said during
a meeting in the Josephine
County Bldg. in Cave
Junction on Monday night,
Sept. 29.
Another IVCP public
meeting will be held on
Monday, Oct. 6 at 6:30
p.m. in the Junction Inn.
During the meeting
this week, patrollers re-
counted some of their ex-
periences, noting that they
often see teen-agers, espe-
cially girls, roaming the
streets at 3 and 4 a.m.
“Where are their parents?”
asked one patroller. Those
on patrol are keeping logs
of possible suspicious ve-
hicles, persons and circum-
stances in case crimes later
are discovered.
Also, patrollers use
spotlights or flashlights to
“light up” dark areas. One
patrol team reported that at
Jubilee Park, when they
used lights, at least one
person, possibly wanted,
fled the area. IVCP mem-
bers used cell phones to
communicate with the 911
Dispatch Agency in case
of emergency or crimes in
process. They also main-
tain communication with
others on patrol.
In another matter, the
group plans to check with
other cities to see how they
handle dealing with intoxi-
cated persons or vagrants
in public. The city of Cave
Junction, saying that its
ordinances against such
rules are in opposition to
Oregon Revised Statutes,
plans to rescind its ordi-
nances addressing those
issues.
An account for IVCP
has been established at
Home Valley Bank. Dona-
tions to assist with ex-
penses will be welcome,
member said.
Join the
I.V. Citizens Patrol
and help
spotlight evil-doers.
Phone 592-9296
Takilma pirate FM
station keelhauled
Tanya Nevarez (bottom left) led the ceremony. (Photos courtesy of IVSHA)
Murder victims highlighted in vigil
Tanya Nevarez, an
advocate for Illinois Val-
ley Safe House Alliance
(IVSHA) led a candlelight
vigil on Thursday, Sept. 25
at Lorna Byrne Middle
School.
Fifteen men, women
and children attended a
video showing and vigil on
the 25th, the “National
Day of Remembrance for
Murder Victims.”
The event was co-
sponsored by IVHSA and
LBMS. It was a collabora-
tive effort to bring together
survivors and the commu-
nity in the remembrance of
loved ones.
During the candlelight
vigil people spoke against
the violence in their com-
munity.
Nevarez performed a
Native American mourn-
ing song as a tribute to
those who have died by the
hands of violence. It
moved some to tears.
By STEVE FAIRCHILD
Staff Writer
If you can’t find your
favorite unauthorized
Takilma radio station on
the FM dial it’s probably
because the Federal Com-
munication Commission
(FCC) has shut down the
station -- again.
According to a disc
jockey at the station, who
preferred not to disclose
his name, the Takilma pi-
rate radio station received
a “cease-and-desist” order
from an FCC representa-
tive at 3 p.m. on Thursday,
Sept. 25 for transmitting
without a license.
The FCC representa-
tive told the DJ that it had
received a complaint from
a member of the commu-
nity and “had to respond to
the complaint.”
The complaint was not
due to any illicit content,
but was due simply to the
fact that the station didn’t
have a license to legally be
on the air, the DJ said.
This is the second time
a pirate station in Takilma
has been shut down by the
FCC. In its previous incar-
nation the Takilma station
was on the air for five
years at 88.9 FM before
the FCC killed it.
The new station trans-
mitted its seven-watt low
power station on 87.9 FM
and was reportedly ex-
tremely careful to not in-
terfere with any other sta-
tions, even going as far as
providing a phone number
for people to call if they
had any problems with the
station being on the air. It
provided Takilma and the
surrounding area with lo-
cally generated news, mu-
sic and talk shows.
“It started to become
beneficial,” the DJ said.
“The DJs were passionate
about getting the news out.
We just want radio, man.”
Gary Potter, owner of
G-Dub’s Fix It Shop in
Cave Junction, was a lis-
tener and said local radio is
something the community
needs.
“We really need the
community to have a fast
and local source of infor-
mation,” Potter said. “We
need a community-based
radio station controlled by
the community that is an
open forum.”
Potter cited the 2002
Biscuit Fire, a rash of
mailbox burglaries and
even this weekend’s
smoke-filled skies caused
by a Northern California
fire as examples of the
type of events about which
the community needs in-
stant data.
Those are areas that
large stations in Medford
and Grants Pass don’t pro-
vide information about, he
said.
“We’re so far from any
other commercial station.
It was nice we had the sta-
tion whether it was legal or
illegal,” he added.
Jonathan Klein of the
Takilma Community Asso-
ciation (TCA) said that is
has a legal station waiting
to go on the air, but the
FCC has yet to approve its
application.
Klein emphasized that
TCA and the pirate station
are not related.
In its application for
the radio station TCA said
it wants a local station be-
cause:
(Continued on page 5)
Hearing about ’Dom’ fate
slated Friday in Medford
Carol Crawford and ‘Energizer’
Crawford recalls Pony Express ride
By BRITT FAIRCHILD
Staff Writer
It was a moment Carol
Crawford will never for-
get: Riding her trusty
Spanish
mustang,
“Energizer,” along the
Pony Express Trail,
gazing at the Nebraska
cornfields stretched before
her, and eating an ice
cream sandwich.
The frozen treat had
come as a welcome sur-
prise, courtesy of the
driver whose ice cream
truck had broken down
near the trail.
It’s been more than
two years since the Cave
Junction resident partici-
pated in the XP 2001 En-
durance Ride, but anec-
dotes like these are fresh in
her memory.
“It was amazing,”
Crawford said of the trek.
“I’d love to do it again.”
More than 100 people
from around the nation and
other countries rode in the
XP Ride, which followed
the original Pony Express
Trail as closely and con-
tinuously as possible.
Sanctioned by the
American Endurance Rid-
ing Conference (AERC),
the 2,000-mile journey
began in St. Joseph, Mo.
on June 5, 2001 and ended
in Virginia City, Nev. al-
most two months later.
To share her experi-
ence with others, Crawford
is assembling a display for
Kerbyville Museum. She’s
also tossing around the
idea of writing a book.
Once Crawford knew
for sure she was going to
take part in the XP, she set
a couple of goals for her-
self: finishing the ride and
finishing the ride on 16-
year-old “Energizer.” Most
riders used two or three
horses during the event.
“(I thought) wouldn’t
it be nice to do it on one
horse,” she said. “I thought
this horse could do it. I
always feel when I’m rid-
ing him like I’m 20 min-
utes late.”
Together, the two trav-
eled 1,650 miles -- more
than any other single horse
and rider team -- averaging
about 10 hours of riding
each day for 33 days.
When she thought
“Energizer” was tired,
Crawford said they took
(Continued on page 5)
By MEDFORD
‘MAIL TRIBUNE’
A local public hearing
regarding the future of the
domiciliary in White City
has been approved by the
Dept. of Veterans Affairs.
The gathering will be
held on Friday, Oct. 3 at 1
p.m. in the National Guard
Armory in Medford.
The VA is considering
terminating in-patient care
at the White City facility,
now known as the South-
ern Oregon Rehabilitation
Center and Clinics.
Earlier this month,
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden
(R-Ore.) requested that a
hearing be held in White
City to allow VA officials
to get a first-hand look at
the local facility. Moving a
hearing to the Rogue Val-
ley would also allow local
residents and veterans --
many of whom are elderly
and disabled -- a chance to
attend without making a
long drive, the Hood River
Republican said.
Walden has expressed
opposition to closing the
domiciliary, and has been
joined by Oregon’s two
U.S. senators, Ron Wyden,
a Democrat, and Republi-
can Gordon Smith.
The VA announced in
July that the facility is one
of 30 nationwide under
consideration for closure
or significant change in
services. The move is part
of an effort to improve
efficiency and service, of-
ficials said. The VA also
has a much smaller domi-
ciliary in Portland.
The White City facility
was added to the list in
part because a study two
years ago concluded that
the brick buildings would-
n't hold up well in an
earthquake, according to
VA officials.
There are slightly
more than 500 inpatients at
the domiciliary and more
than 8,000 outpatients. VA
officials say outpatient
care would not be reduced
but could be increased as a
result of the study.