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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 2003)
Page 7 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, November 26, 2003 Hamilton picks Kent State University Home for the holidays: Evan Loock Multi-sport senior at IVHS earns a scholarship for her softball prowess returns after Operation Iraqi Freedom By STEVE FAIRCHILD Staff Writer Illinois Valley High School (IVHS) senior Kim Hamilton has signed a let- ter of intent to play softball for Kent State University. Kent State, a Division I school, is the second largest public university in Ohio. The school’s softball team finished with an overall record of 27-19 in its division in 2003. Hamilton said she was recruited by the school after competing during the summer on a Portland- based club softball team called Strictly Softball. She made her choice offi- cial Tuesday night, Nov. 18 with the support of her father Marshall Hamilton. (Her mother died when she was a toddler.) “My dad likes it a lot,” she said. “When I decided to sign he said ‘that’s a good decision.’” According to her con- tract, her scholarship will pay for 80 percent of her Kim Hamilton schooling each year, she said. She will be responsi- ble for an additional $4,000 per year. She will pursue grants and other scholarships to help cover the costs, she said. She plans on majoring in sports medicine. Hamilton moved to Illinois Valley when she was 5 years old from Santa Cruz, Calif. She has been playing softball since she was 6 years old. In addition to softball, she is on the basketball, volleyball and track teams at IVHS. Why did she choose to further a career in softball instead of other sports? “Softball just comes naturally to me,” she said. Her list of accomplish- ments at IVHS is long and includes All-State in soft- ball for two years as a util- ity player, First-Team All- Conference in track, Sec- ond-Team All-Conference in softball as pitcher and First-Team All-League in basketball and volleyball. She also set the record in javelin at IVHS and placed fifth in state for javelin. Hamilton, whose cu- mulative grade point aver- age as a junior was 3.83, will start at her new school in August. Until then she looks forward to a success- ful basketball season. The Cougars will be- gin their season at the Gold Beach Tournament on Dec. 5. “We have a lot of potential,” Hamilton said of her basketball team. “We don’t have the height again this year but we are definitely quick.” By STEVE FAIRCHILD Staff Writer Illinois Valley resi- dents Randy and Janis Loock and their family are planning on having an ex- tra special Thanksgiving this year. On Monday, Nov. 24., the Loock’s son, Evan, was scheduled to arrive at the Medford airport after serving five months in the United States Army in Iraq. A U.S. Army Special- ist, Evan Loock served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from April 28 to Septem- ber 10 as a member of Bandit Troop 1-1 Calvary Regiment in which he per- formed maintenance on tanks. He has been stationed in Budingen, Germany since leaving Iraq. He will be coming home for good having served his three years in the military. Janis said getting by was difficult for the family while her son was away at war. “My husband would get up every morning and put on the news,” she said of those tense days. “I couldn’t watch it. One per- son in his troop got killed.” Janis added that Evan wrote and phoned often to tell them about the condi- tions in Iraq, including fighting in 14-degree weather. Evan has been recom- mended for several awards due to his exceptional ser- vice in Iraq by his platoon sergeant. One recommendation states: “… SPC Loock’s true drive and determina- tion were instrumental in the platoons success against anti-coalition forces leading to the cap- ture of 22 enemy prisoners while responding to a con- voy ambush in southern Baghdad. His expertise and composure allowed him to conduct all military operations as safe as possi- ble and accident free…” Evan joined the Army with Nathan Watkins after their senior year at Illinois Valley High School. Watkins has been sta- tioned in Georgia after fighting in Kosovo. He is scheduled to come home in April. LEGAL NOTICE ODA addresses pesticide enforcement, fees The Oregon Dept. of Agriculture (ODA) adopted permanent rules that increase various pesti- cide license fees and ad- dress enforcement issues related to the pesticide use reporting system (PURS) following public hearings and testimony previously received. ODA also adopted a temporary rule and is pro- posing a permanent rule that reduces the pesticide product registration fee 1-541-476-2127 beginning in 2004. License fee increases have been adopted to help maintain ODA’s base pes- ticide regulatory program at current levels. Program activities in- clude pesticide product registration, user licensing, investigations, and en- forcement. License types with increased fees include commercial pesticide op- erator and applicator, com- mercial pesticide trainee, public pesticide applicator, public pesticide trainee, pesticide dealer, and pesti- cide consultant. ODA had not increased any of these license fees since 1982. Reflecting a lack of available funds to provide a fully developed pesticide use reporting system, ODA has adopted a rule stating that no enforcement action will be taken against those who fail to report their pes- ticide use for 2002, 2003, and any other year in which insufficient funds are available to provide a fully effective means for pesticide users to report. Although Oregon law still requires pesticide use reporting, no current sys- tem is available to file pes- ticide use reports with ODA. Meanwhile, ODA has adopted a temporary rule that reduces the fee for registering a pesticide product beginning in 2004. ODA has proposed a permanent rule to reflect the pesticide registration fee change and a public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 25 in Salem. Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Send comments to ODA, Pesti- cides Division, 635 Capitol St. N.E., Salem, OR 97301-2532. FAC to begin tree planting Forestry Action Com- mittee will meet on Thurs- day, Dec. 4 at 1 p.m. in the lower compound of the Illinois Valley Ranger Dis- trict building, 26568 Red- wood Hwy. The Tree-Planting Pro- ject has begun and is look- ing for volunteers. The public can attend the meeting. Phone 592- 4098 for more information. IT’S OUR 12th ANNIVERSARY! THE COMMUNITY’S 12th ANNUAL RIPARIAN TREE PLANTING PROJECT IS HERE! The Forestry Action Committee’s First Distribution Event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Dec.12 & 13. JUST AS BEFORE, OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE, ENHANCE, AND MAINTAIN the health of the waterways of the beautiful Illinois Valley THE FORESTRY ACTION COMMITTEE NEEDS HELP FROM LANDOWNERS - VOLUNTEERS - ANYONE INTERESTED We will need help from volunteers through various stages of the project for tree care, planting, crew coordination, and project activities. We are looking for planting sites along Illinois Valley rivers, streams, wetlands, and ponds. The Forestry Action Committee offers free riparian consultation and FREE TREE SEEDLINGS! (Native hardwoods and conifers will be available from December to March) Let’s continue our community’s tradition of success!’ For more information or to participate phone Joe Anderson or Wayne Fiztpatrick at 592-4098 GRANT FUNDING PROVIDED BY: Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) ‘Together we can do a lot’ ‘PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE PLANT TREES’