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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 2003)
Page 2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, November 5, 2003 No sooner did I return home a week ago last Tuesday night at around midnight, when there were grape juice stains on the ceiling and a broken lamp on the floor. Yes, it’s another cat tale. One more true experience to put in my catalogue, this one because of “Gracie.” I had gotten home after covering the Cave Junction City Council meeting, and writing last issue’s “Bob’s Cor- ner” and some other drivel. Being thirsty I got myself a glass of grape juice and put it on my nightstand with some books. I had just settled into bed and was reading one of the books (I think the title is “Anger”) when Wham, Bam, Ala Kazam! The lamp was on the floor with the shade knocked off. The bulb exploded on impact. The books were dumped into a huge state of disarray, and there was a large grape juice stain on the carpet next to my side of the bed. Plus there were grape juice stains on one wall for a good 10 feet, plus stains on the ceiling: 11 feet up. I have no idea how such splashing occurred; you'd have to ask “Gracie.” As near as we can figure, the stupi ... er, energetic cat, leaped from the headboard onto the nightstand, resulting in a tremendous domino effect involving books, lamp and grape juice. “Bubba” the cat climbed to a ledge from his carpeted cat crow's nest and was trying to “catch” the spots. I guess he thought they were bugs. As for me, I got a sponge and wiped the walls. Then I got a ladder and cleaned the ceiling. Next I blotted and cleaned the carpet as best as I could. The stain is hardly noticeable now. Unless you know what happened. Unbelievable. Anyone want a cat? Moving away from cats (which is what I'd like to do) the recent major wildfire that destroyed so many homes and took lives in my hometown San Diego County stirred many memories. Not only did I recall our own Biscuit Fire last year, but a similar, less destructive wildfire I covered in San Diego in the mid- to late-'60s. It also began in the Julian-Ramona area and burned for several days. The sky was orange and red during the days, and a creepy glowing shade at night. We lived in Rattlesnake Canyon in Poway at the time. California Division (now department) of Forestry came by and told us to get our vehicles facing out, and to load them with essentials. We'd have less than 15 minutes to get out if the signal came, we were told. Pretty scary stuff. In covering the fire, smoke was so thick sometimes that I literally couldn't see more than a car length ahead. I remember firefighters with neon red eyes, their faces streaked with soot. Wow. Glad that’s over. Attending wildfires is not high on my list of social events. Friends and family in San Diego, including those in Carlsbad and Mission Hills, told us that because of the re- cent disastrous blazes there are lots of ashes on their houses and in their swimming pools. We’re prayerfully glad they were spared, and we are saddened at the huge losses of life and property there and other parts of Southern California. ‘Killing the Messenger’ From JoAnne Stone Kerby I am writing on behalf of Marilyn Theodorff. I would encourage whole- heartedly that any and all charges pending against her be dropped immedi- ately. Marilyn has devoted 30 years to the welfare of our companion animals. To charge her with animal cruelty is like arresting Mother Teresa for practic- ing medicine without a license or shutting down a homeless shelter because the building is not to code. Marilyn is not the en- emy. Nor are hungry peo- ple or homeless animals. Don’t seek to imprison those who attempt to cor- rect the ills of our culture. Yes, the problem of animal overpopulation is huge. Whose fault is that? The fault belongs to an uneducated, throw away culture and those who don’t spay and neuter pets. Marilyn has been try- ing for 30 years to correct the problem. What will the animals do without her? Euthanasia is not a solu- tion. Nor is expecting someone else to take care of it, for instance, veteri- narians. Most vets I know have done well over the quota of good Samaritan work. Why is it glamorous and chic to “save the whales” and endangered wildlife? Who saves the starving kittens that are dropped at the animal shel- ter each day? Marilyn does with money from her own pocket. Marilyn is an unsung hero to me. The conditions at the shelter may not be perfect. The problem of pet overpopulation is far from under control. Marilyn has brought awareness through her struggle. Let’s not kill the messenger. ‘To the polls’ From Robert Rey- nolds Berkeley, Calif. Sixteen- year-olds should be allowed to vote. We’re at least as well in- formed as most of the adults I know, and if we can be sent to prison at 16, then we ought to be able to vote. No one can represent a 16-year-old as well a 16- year- old. We go to school and experience budget cuts and know that our schools could be doing a lot better job of preparing us for life, and yet the adults don’t seem all that motivated to do anything about it. People my age and younger are being pun- ished like adults, being on death row and being thrown into adult prisons. If teen-agers are punished like adults, we should also have the same rights as adults. Some critics argue that 16-year-olds would vote the way their parents vote. This same argument was made when women wanted the vote. People said that women would vote the way their husbands vote. Has this turned out to be the case? Even if that was a le- gitimate point, it should not deny people the right to vote. You cannot deny someone the right to vote just because you fear they might vote a certain way. When black people de- manded the vote, the argu- ment was made the at blacks were not smart enough to vote. This argu- ment was based on racial stereotyping and social Darwinism. In answer to the argu- ment that we’re not smart enough to vote, I suggest that it’s lunacy to give the vote to the adult equivalent of the cartoon character Helen Pesterfield Helen Pesterfield of Cave Junction is the Illi- nois Valley Artists Inc. October and November Featured Artist. After a two-year ab- sence, Helen and her hus- band, Martin, have re- turned to Illinois Valley. Having spent the ma- jority of the last two years in a small RV, Helen said she found it necessary to re-invent her hobby of oil and acrylic painting. “I knew there was an answer to the ‘not so prac- tical’ large canvases,” she said. So painting miniature canvases became a hobby within a hobby. Helen said she enjoys the challenge of miniatures and says a 4 inch by 4 inch painting often takes as long to com- plete as a larger one. Martin is an active member of the Brookings Coast Guard Auxiliary. Helen and Martin are often in Brookings enjoying their sailboat. “Fun to sleep on,” Helen said. “But sailing is ‘Mardi’s’ hobby. I stay ashore and paint my minia- tures.” Helen’s miniature paintings are on display at Klamath First Bank in Cave Junction through the end of November. The I.V. Artists invite interested persons to visit them at the RCC Belt Building in Kerby, have a cup of coffee, and watch them at work. The group meets on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Various projects in- clude watercolors, oil and acrylic paintings, duck de- coy carving, gourd art, scratchart and occasional soapstone carvings. For more information phone Sandy at 592-3949. Parent / Teacher Conferences Thursday, November 6 8 a.m. - Noon 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Friday, November 7 8 a.m. - Noon (Continued on page 4) Please contact Linda Kent at 592-2163 to arrange an appointment. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. 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. 33 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 A statement attributed in the Oct. 22 issue to Jeff Gavlik, interim fire chief for Illinois Valley Fire District, is disputed by Gavlik. The statement in the page one article read, “Under regulations, all (district personnel) should wear a uniform. I feel it is appropriate for her to look” more like a district employee than she does in civilian dress. (Referring to Beth Beards, adminis- trative assistant.) Gavlik said that the statement actually was Senior Nutrition Menu Sponsored by 592-3562 (541) 592-2126, 474-5440 Meals are served in the CJ County Bldg. FRIDAY, NOV. 7 *Turkey tetrazzini, green peas & onions, steamed carrots, herb roll, blueberry crisp MONDAY, NOV. 10 *Baked ham with mustard sauce, green beans, winter squash, whole wheat roll, frosted marble cake WEDNESDAY, NOV. 12 *Chicken a la king, whipped potatoes, brussel sprouts, honey bran bread, lemon pudding made by Director Larrick Jones, and that he (Gavlik) feels exactly the opposite to the statement, as long as civilian attire is appropri- ate. * * * In a Wednesday, Oct. 29 story about the Illinois Valley Safe House Alli- ance Kim Kemper’s name was spelled incorrectly. Lorna Byrne Middle School 2003
