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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, December 3, 2003
Several years ago we attended a newspaper trade show
in Portland, and couldn’t find a parking place within a cou-
ple of light years from the location. And now apparently,
those seeking a parking spot in Downtown Portland have
overflowed all the way to Seattle -- because it’s not easy to
find a slot there either.
Still, we recently had fun with family members, as for-
tunately we had brought hiking boots, a canteen of water
and a GPS. We drove around the Downtown Seattle area
seeking street parking, but finally – as we were running
low on fuel – opted for a parking lot. Still, we were lucky,
having to pay “only” six bucks for all-day parking.
We were able to navigate the area around Pike Place
Market with little difficulty. (That’s what my parents used
to call me.) Anyway, the crowds weren’t quite wall-to-wall
as during summers – only elbow-to-elbow. The widespread
market is a great place to visit, what with all the colorful,
eclectic displays of produce, toys, baked goods, T-shirts
and other clothing, fresh fish and the like. Not to mention
the sidewalk entertainers and the Downtown Seattle Home-
less Brigade. Interesting people. We saw several of them
purchasing $3.50 lattes, so I guess times aren’t too rough
for some. I found fresh-baked pumpkin cookies and was as
happy as a clam. I still haven’t figured why clams are
happy, but …
Anyway, it was fortuitous that we had decided to visit
our son and his family in Covington, not too far from Seat-
tle, at the same time that our daughter and her daughter in
San Diego planned to visit them. So there we were: five
adults and two munchkins, the latter being 1+ and 8+, shar-
ing Mike, Christy and Kimberly’s home in familial togeth-
erness. We were honored to be given Mike and Christy’s
room; they slept on couches in the living room. Great kids.
Vicki and Natalie slept in the guest room.
We had our dogs, “Bingo” and “Rocky” with us, al-
lowing them to sleep in their own guest room, otherwise
known as our van. It has a propane heater, so the cold
Washington nights didn’t freeze them. During the day we
would let them run around the backyard, although they
would have preferred being inside with us and the family
dog, “Snoopy,” a beagle mix capable of jumping several
feet in the air when excited. I used to be able to do that, but
my knees can’t handle it anymore.
All told, we had a fine visit, including a good lunch at
one of the upstairs eateries at the Pike Place mart. A high-
light of that meal was Mikey spilling a glass of Sprite on
me, as the table tilted in my direction. He thought it was
amazingly humorous, seeing his ol’ dad jump up, grabbing
my camera away from the tsunami of Sprite. Boy, some
people’s sense of humor … I can’t imagine where he got it.
On Veteran’s Day we drove through a national ceme-
tery near Mike and Christy’s home. It was impressive and
a bit of an emotional wrench, seeing the numerous white
crosses and granite tombstones of those who’ve died in
U.S. military service. Flags lined the drives, and small
knots of mourners stood at various locations. We said a
silent prayer in honor of the fallen.
Our drive back to Cave Junction was uneventful,
thanks first to Mike and Christy leading us to an Interstate
5 on-ramp. I get lost, confused, baffled and bewildered in
busy metropolitan areas. At this point that’s anything lar-
ger than Illinois Valley.
Everyone was glad to get home, including our dogs,
although they enjoyed exploring various highway rest
stops. Not my idea of a good time, but doggies have their
own ideas.
No one can make you feel without your consent.
- Eleanor Roosevelt -
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. 37
Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild,
Chris Robertson, Steve Fairchild, Becky Loudon
& Kacy Clemons
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
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***
‘Another alternative’
From Christopher
Sabionski
Cave Junction
I am writing to share
my views and some facts
regarding Forest Supervi-
sor Scott Conroy’s pro-
posal for the Biscuit Fire
“recovery.”
Conroy wants to log
519 million board feet
from 29,000 acres (12,000
of which are in the
Kalmio psis Roadless
Area). Forest ecosystems
depend on rotting, dead
trees for nutrients for re-
growth and habitat and
food for birds.
Forests don’t need
man’s help in fire recovery
because fires are a natural
part of the forest ecosys-
tem, except when fire is
suppressed by man for
decades.
Fires clear away un-
derbrush and small diame-
ter trees. Ashes put nutri-
ents in the ground and en-
courage the growth of
mushrooms, which further
break down rotten wood.
If Conroy removes
these dead trees how does
he propose to replace the
loss of topsoil? Will he be
trucking it in himself?
Many plant and tree spe-
cies require fires before
they will produce seed,
including Knob Cone Pine.
Forests don’t need
man to replant after a fire.
Most seeds are not burned
by fires and germinate
when conditions are right.
Conroy’s plan to reforest
after logging the dead trees
is a recipe for disaster.
U.S. Forest Service
(USFS) reforestation plans
usually provide for the
planting of very few spe-
cies of trees and all of the
same size and age. Forests
are most fire resistant
when there is a diversity of
species and size.
Old-growth trees are
very fire resistant and
“farmed” forests consisting
of uniform-sized trees and
species go up in flames.
Repeated reforestation is
costly and further stresses
the ecosystem.
This “recovery” plan
would destroy any possi-
bility of healthy tourism.
Who wants to visit a for-
est filled with stumps, and
one species of tree neatly
planted in rows? USFS
reforestation usually in-
volves heavy herbicide
use, supposedly to prevent
the spread of noxious
weeds, brought in by the
forest service.
According
to
ECONorthwest in Eugene,
salvage logging costs
$100,000 per million board
feet. I don’t want my tax
money used to subsidize
another environmental dis-
aster. And I don’t want to
go hiking in a farmed for-
est saturated with herbi-
cides.
This proposal would
be the largest logging pro-
ject in modern times, and
if approved would be a
blueprint for future eco-
logical exploitation. Be-
cause of its size, it would
further depress regional
log prices, hurting private
timberland owners.
Conroy stated that res-
toration of the Biscuit Fire
is his No. 1 priority. If this
is true, then he should
leave the forest alone and
let nature take care of it-
self.
We have a duty to en-
sure the Earth’s survival. If
we continue to abuse it
where will we get our oxy-
gen and clean water? For-
ests are for all life, present
and future. I find it uncon-
scionable that many peo-
ple, including our own
elected officials, would
sacrifice our planet by ex-
ploiting the ecological im-
pact of a natural phenome-
non: Yes, fire.
Many people feel it is
our heritage to log the
Earth into submission.
There are many atrocities
in our American heritage
that have become out-
lawed, and rightfully so,
including slavery, the
abuse of Native Americans
and unequal women’s
rights, to name a few.
Many people are fed
up and angry. We don’t
see any hope in the future,
voting processes are ques-
tionable, our ecosystems
are rapidly vanishing, and
speaking out against the
government can mark one
as a suspected terrorist.
My generation will
make a change and will
hold the government and
its corporations account-
able for their crimes and
extortions. I encourage
everyone, including Con-
roy, to study how native
tribes prescribed fire and
helped to preserve the
natural cycles of the forest.
The USFS’s proposal
for the Biscuit area should
be canceled and all restora-
tion should be turned over
to reputable, private resto-
ration projects that don’t
have ulterior motives and
agendas.
Conroy wants to limit
the public input period to a
meager 45 days, and dur-
ing the holiday season
when most people are dis-
tracted and very busy.
Considering the ecological
impact of his proposal, that
is unacceptable.
We need to let Conroy
know that our comments
should be heeded, and not
discarded if the forest ser-
vice doesn’t like what it
hears.
We pay our govern-
ment officials and if they
are not living up to the de-
mands of responsible peo-
ple then we need to find
ourselves competent re-
(Continued on page 3)
HELPFUL HANDS - With smiles on their faces, mem-
bers of the Illinois Valley High School equestrian team
assist shoppers at Shop Smart Food Warehouse on
Tuesday, Nov. 25 by bagging their groceries. The tips
the students earned on the job will go to the team.
(Photo by Steve Fairchild)
The Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce is
hoping for dry weather to kick off a peaceful
holiday season with the I.V. Holiday Parade on
Saturday, Dec. 6 at 3 p.m.
***
Parade participants will begin lining up at 2
p.m. at Evergreen Elementary School. The theme
for the parade this year is “Peace on Earth.”
To participate in the parade phone the
chamber at 592-3326.