Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, June 23, 2004
“Mother of ‘Bubba’ Returns.” Sound like the title
to a “B” movie?
Actually it’s a description of a happening around
our little rancho. Yes, “Maui” the mostly Siamese cat
has returned. I can tell just from looking at some of
our furniture. If wooden table and chair legs aren’t
shredded by her dainty claws, then she’s shed enough
hair on a chair or couch cushion to make another cat.
Dainty claws, by the by, is my way of describing re-
tractable razor-sharp curved bayonets with fur.
As for “Bubba,” the nearly 16-pound, impossibly
beautiful feline and son of “Maui,” he’s still trying to
figure out how to deal with his mom. They both want
to be in charge. But it’s beginning to look as though
they’re willing to negotiate. At least, “Maui” has quit
growling like a saber-tooth tiger every time her son
gets within 3 feet.
The little mother (“Maui”) came home because
the family we gave her to really needs a kitten they
can bond with. See, “Maui” was rescued by Jan a cou-
ple years back. She was extremely pregnant (the cat,
not my wife), and living by her wits outside without a
home (the cat, not my wife). Jan was able to convince
her, by grabbing one leg and refusing to let go, that
she would be better off coming home with us.
Our dogs, “Rocky” the tiny, clipped-close Pom-
eranian, and “Bingo,” the medium-sized terrier-
shepherd mix, are pretty much OK with the new-
comer. Although “Rocky” gets beat up gently occa-
sionally when “Bubba” gets frustrated at not being
able to be playful with his grumpy mother. The Pom
is smaller than the cat, but he will growl menacingly.
Eventually.
“Bingo” avoids cats, and they do the same. Except
when he wags his tail. Then “Bubba” thinks it’s a
great toy and keeps batting it until “Bingo” gets dis-
gusted and moves away. “Maui” spends a lot of time
hiding in our pots-and-pans cupboard. So we always
wash stuff before cooking because who wants cat
prints in their food?
Our outside cats, “Gracie” and “One-Eye,” have a
staring-and-glaring contest going with “Maui” and
“Bubba.” They seem to spend a lot of time eyeball-to-
eyeball on either side of our dining room doors, which
are mostly glass.
So we’re one big, sappy … I mean, happy family.
Pass the dog chow and the kitty food, please. Dinner
for six is served.
In the Wednesday,
June 16 issue of “Illinois
Valley News:”
*In the 2004-2005
“Valley Visitor” inserted
in the issue, the dates for
the annual Blackberry Fes-
tival in Cave Junction were
listed as tentative, but ac-
cording to a festival
spokesperson the Aug. 14-
15 dates are correct.
*A page 7 article in-
correctly said a trophy sad-
dle won by Carol Craw-
ford was donated to Ker-
byville Museum. The sad-
dle actually was loaned to
the museum by her par-
ents.
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. 14
Staff: Cindy Newton, Chris Robertson,
Michelle Binker, Shane Welsh,
Becky Loudon & Kacy Clement
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.
POLICY ON “HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE”, DISPLAY & CLAS-
SIFIED ADS & NOTICES: All submissions must be hand delivered,
faxed or e-mailed to us for publication. Submissions must be re-
submitted each week if the item is to run for more than one week.
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
(Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary expressed in let-
ters to the editor are strictly
those of the letter-writers.
* * *
Typed, double-spaced
letters are acceptable for con-
sideration. Handwritten letters
that are double-spaced and
highly legible also can be con-
sidered for publication.
Cards of thanks are not
accepted as letters.)
* * *
On Social Security
From Libby Goines
Cave Junction
Perhaps we are asking
the wrong questions during
election years.
Our senators and con-
gressmen do not pay into
Social Security and, of
course, they do not collect
from it.
You see, Social Secu-
rity benefits were not suit-
able for persons of their
rare elevation in society.
They felt they should have
a special plan for them-
selves. So, many years ago
they voted in their own
benefit plan.
In more recent years,
no one in Congress has felt
the need to change it. After
all, it is a great plan.
For all practical pur-
poses, their plan works like
this:
When they retire, they
continue to draw the same
pay until they die. Except
it may increase from time
to time for cost-of-living
adjustments. For example,
former Sen. Byrd and Con-
gressman White and their
wives may expect to draw
$7,800,000 with their
wives drawing $275,000
during the last years of
their lives. This is calcu-
lated on an average life
span for each of those two
dignitaries.
Younger dignitaries,
who retire at an early age,
will receive much more
during the rest of their
lives. Their cost for this
excellent plan is $0.00;
nada, zilch.
This “little” perk they
voted for themselves is
free to them. You and I
pick up the tab. The funds
for this fine retirement
plan came directly from
the general fund.
From our own Social
Security plan, which you
and I pay (or have paid)
into, - every payday until
we retire (which amount is
matched by our employer)
- we can expect to get an
average of $1,000 per
month after retirement.
Or, in other words, we
would have to collect our
average $1,000 monthly
benefits for 68 years and
one month to equal Sen.
Bill Bradley’s benefits.
Social Security could
be very good if only one
small change were made.
That change would be
to jerk the Golden Fleece
Retirement Plan from un-
der the senators and con-
gressmen. Put them into
the Social Security plan
with the rest of us, then sit
back and watch how fast
they would fix it.
If enough people re-
ceive this, maybe a seed of
awareness will be planted
and maybe good changes
will evolve.
ourselves against fire.
I recently learned that
the Bush Administration is
planning to spend millions
of dollars to log the forests
around Illinois Valley; but
is unwilling to fund the
protection of our homes
and communities.
The proposed logging
in the Biscuit Fire area is
going to lose the govern-
ment (aka us taxpayers) a
million plus dollars. And
for what? So the CEOs of
Roseburg Lumber can fill
their pockets.
Meanwhile, the areas
around our communities
remain a fuel-loaded fire
hazard. I am disgusted that
the priorities of our gov-
ernment rest in subsidizing
the corporations and not in
protecting our communi-
ties from a threat far
greater than any terrorist
group: wildfire.
I say hire a crew of
woods workers to thin the
forest between our towns
and forests with that
money. Let’s provide local
people with jobs and pro-
tect our homes. Let’s leave
the areas in the backcoun-
try alone.
We should all let our
representatives hear loud
and clear that we expect
them to make community
protection their first prior-
ity, and not making the
CEOs richer, if they expect
to return to Washington
next year.
Biscuit view
From Carol Reed
Selma
The forest service’s
plan to salvage the Biscuit
Fire area will cause irre-
versible harm to sensitive
soils, water, fish and wild-
life. Any jobs created
would be short-term and
199/LAKESHORE CRASH - One motorcyclist suffered a
broken leg in a 4:20 p.m. collision with another cycle,
as they maneuvered to avoid a swerving pickup truck
with a blown tire on Saturday, June 19 on Redwood
Hwy. near Lakeshore Drive. Illinois Valley firefighters,
American Medical Response medics, and Josephine
County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded.
Registration at gate …………..8 to 11 a.m.
CJ Lions Club Breakfast …….8 to 11 a.m.
Show & Shine …………………Noon to 4 p.m.
CJ Lions Club Lunch ………..11:30 - until
Raffle Drawings ………………Throughout the day
Trophies & Awards …………..3 p.m.
(Continued on page 3)
Sun. Surf. Save.
Frontier
DSL
Maximum Speed Internet
FREE
For the summer
SURF’S UP. Surf the Web faster with Frontier DSL — our fastest Internet connection.
You can surf and talk at the same time, over the same phone line.
CATCH THE WAVE. Our new wireless home networking options let you surf inside
or out – cable free. Instant message friends, share vacation photos, buy summer concert
tickets – right from your own backyard.
Losing our biscuits
SMART SUMMER SAVINGS. Now get 2 months of Frontier DSL Maximum
From Sophia Springer
Cave Junction
Since the Biscuit Fire,
we residents of Illinois
Valley think about fire
every day.
We’ve learned a lot
about fire since that sum-
mer, including that fire is a
part of life in the West,
like floods along the Mis-
sissippi and earthquakes in
California. We have to
take measures to protect
Speed Internet FREE when you order it with a value package. Plus, you’ll save
year-round on all your phone and Internet services. Only from Frontier – your
local phone company.
THIS IS HOT. CALL 1-866-257-9079. Summer’s gone before you know it, so call
today and get FREE activation and surf for FREE all summer.
© 2004 Citizens Communications Company. Offer limited to new residential DSL customers when ordered with Frontier Choices SM , expires 7/30/04,
and cannot be combined with any other offer. For free months and free activation offer, term commitment is required. If service is not maintained
for the length of the term, your account will be charged the full value of the offer plus applicable taxes and surcharges. You must choose FrontierNet
as your ISP to qualify for this FrontierNet promotional offer. DSL service subject to availability, technical line qualification, and Frontier's Acceptable
Use Policy. Applicable taxes and surcharges will be billed. DSL installation options vary and charges may apply. Some restrictions and other charges
may apply.
FrontierOnline.com