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
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(Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be
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good taste, legible and not libelous. All letters must be
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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
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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