Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Ambulances in fire stations
(Continued from page 1)
Heck, turning the corner from one decade to the
next wasn’t too painful. Yeah, the editor entered his
61st year of la dolce vita last week.
I don’t feel 61, whatever that means. Actually, Jan
keeps reminding me to act my age and quit pretending
I’m 17. Whatever that means.
How different can I be? I only weigh 35 pounds
more than when we married 40+ years ago.
And I wear different-style glasses than I used to; you
know, the Clark Kent model favored by that reporter
for a great metropolitan newspaper. Plus, I have a lot
less scalp protection.
Of course, I’ve got a few more scars. Ask anyone
who’s undergone open-chest surgery, or other such
operations, and we'll compare scars. That’s one aspect
of “growing older.” And I find myself telling the kids
what I ate for lunch or dinner. Good grief -- is that a
sign of a senior citizen or what?
Jan, who was out-of-town baby-sitting in Wash-
ington state with one of our grandchildren, phoned to
wish me “Happy Birthday!” That felt great. Good
friends Jack & Valerie Brown phoned and sang the
song to me. It brought a tear to one eye because my
late parents used to do the same.
Jack & Valerie also gave me a belly button brush
and some classic John Wayne Westerns on CD. Also
received a “burrday” card from Vicki, Matt and Nat
(Natalie) in San Diego County. Plus, 8-year-old
granddaughter Kimberly (the reason for Jan being ab-
sent) also sang “Happy Birthday” via the phone lines.
Her version was unique, as she incorporated several
“cha-chas” in the lyrics. It was cool.
At the office, other friends and co-workers wished
me well, and provided a balloon bouquet, and some
good, healthy lemon cookies.
Thought I had experienced all possible for the day
until the phone rang at home Thursday night, Jan. 20,
and nearly 2 1/2-year-old Natalie sang the birthday
song to me. That was a wonderful happening too.
Good, warm feelings that day.
My gift from Jan is a super-scanner that can pick
up transmissions from NASA, the FBI and secret
agents worldwide, plus the more local frequencies of
our emergency responders. Another good gift, along
with all the wishes for happiness.
I know that most people think the most-important
event of those Jan. 20s every four years is the presi-
dential inauguration, but I know better. To misquote
lyrics from a popular song of years ago: It’s my birth-
day and I’ll brag if I want to.
Gotta’ go. My super-scanner is picking up a trans-
mission from the latest Mars probe. Or it could be the
morning tone test for Illinois Valley Fire District.
Illinois Valley News
(Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary, including state-
ments made as fact, are strictly
those of the letter-writers.)
* * *
Typed, double-spaced let-
ters written solely to this news-
paper are considered for publi-
cation. Hand-written letters that
are double-spaced and legible
also can be considered.
Cards of thanks are not
accepted as letters.
* * *
‘Thanks,’ Republicans
From B.C. Marston
Cave Junction
I want the people in the
valley who signed up for
HUD 10 to 12 months ago
to know that there will be no
more funds. I know this be-
cause I looked it up online.
I looked up the state-
wide distribution of funds:
Josephine County got $0.
We can thank the Republi-
can-controlled government
by asking anyone we know,
who voted Republican,
“Why?”
One more thing. There
are more cuts coming in
HUD dollars. For this too
we can thank the Republi-
can party.
We also can thank the
Republicans for cuts in V.A.
funding, and blocking the
bill calling for the automatic
funding of the V.A.
We know who these
people are. They’re usually
affluent and don’t care who
their vote hurts. Shame on
the veterans who vote Re-
publican.
‘Act locally’
From Susanne Fahrnkopf
Cave Junction
I support sustainable
development in Illinois Val-
ley; not the profits of na-
tional timber companies,
which don’t employ locals.
I support the U.S. Forest
Service plan to upgrade the
facilities on the Illinois
River Wild & Scenic Corri-
dor. This will help protect
the area from vandalism and
abuse, while encouraging
people to respect and safely
visit our public lands.
The idea of the TJ How-
ell Memorial Drive; a scenic
loop drive up through the
Kalmiopsis to Babyfoot
Lake Botanical Area, and
Fiddler Mt. are important.
Since the injunction was
lifted on logging Fiddler Mt.
and other old-growth timber
sales, that area may be ecol-
ogically and scenically af-
fected, making future possi-
bilities for ecotourism less
likely.
We need to realize the
amazing resources we have
and start planning on this
kind of development, and
move away from being a
“timber-dependent” town.
Pulling tourism from
the 199 corridor will happen
if we promote these pro-
jects, as well as allowing
overnight camping at
“Forks” State Park, and
build other public camp-
grounds and RV parks.
Lately, it is encouraging
to see the economic boom of
small businesses in Cave
Junction and Kerby. We
need to keep encouraging
new business and green
companies to open here and
diversify our workforce.
Many new residents
have moved her for the in-
credible beauty and health
of the surrounding Klamath-
Siskiyou Bioregion. Many
will appreciate more recrea-
tion choices in our world-
class old-growth forests,
wild rivers and roadless ar-
eas dotted with serpentine
fens and endemic wildflow-
ers.
We need to protect
what’s left of our precious
public land, or the ancient
forests will disappear from
America forever. We are the
last stand. To have lost our
wilderness heritage will be
in unimaginable outcome.
We need to stop the
logging of any and all old-
growth forest reserves re-
gardless of disturbances
which are part of Nature’s
process.
Private land owners
need to manage their timber
with natural selection rather
than clear-cutting to finance
home construction.
We should act locally to
make this valley a place to
be proud of.
quick-response unit
equipped with an advanced
life -support unit,” he said.
“AMR would contrib-
ute the medical aspects, in-
cluding meds; the district
would donate the vehicle.”
The idea for the quick-
response unit is that it can
be used as back-up when all
available ambulances are
out on duty, and it can also
serve as a medical unit dur-
ing fire crises, as it can
reach more places than a
normal ambulance
Zabriskie is also co-
owner with his wife,
Wendy, of Z Coffee, a
drive-through coffee stand
in Cave Junction.
Married since 1984, the
Zabriskies have two young
children.
benefit because it’d be able
to utilize the AMR person-
nel in fire service, as well as
the emergency service part
of it, so basically the para-
medics involved would dou-
ble as firefighters,”
Zabriskie explained.
“This would form a
more cohesive relationship
between I.V. Fire and AMR,
and it’s one that would save
everyone money, mainly the
community,” Zabriskie
added.
Zabriskie, who has
worked in the community
since 1986, started volun-
teering for IVFD approxi-
mately six months ago.
“I’ve been working with
AMR and the fire district to
staff a brush truck as a
USFS looks at selling acreage
Comments on whether the U.S. Forest Service should
sell 9.02 acres of national forest land in Illinois Valley will
be accepted until Feb. 23.
The forest service proposes to sell the property in the
Page Creek watershed to the adjacent land owner.
The 9.02 acres are completely surrounded by private
property and not accessible to the public, said the forest
service. The private property is a series of patented mining
claims known locally as the Cowboy Mine.
Alcohol noted in fatal crashes
Jackson County, which led
the state last year with 28
traffic fatalities, 16 in-
volved alcohol. That repre-
sents 57.14 percent.
Curry County had six
fatalities with four alcohol-
involved or 66.67 percent.
Of 20 traffic fatalities
during 2004 in Josephine
County, alcohol was in-
volved in nine, represent-
ing 45 percent, said Ore-
gon Dept. of Transporta-
tion (ODOT).
It also reported that in
for the return of my violin
and musical equipment.
592-6004
No questions asked.
Munchkin munches snow
during a break
in the storm.
Call or email us and
come for a visit.
Joyce & Harry Abrams
592-6078
llamuz@forestedgefarm.com
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 67, No. 45
Staff: Kacy Clement, Becky Loudon,
Michelle Binker, Shane Welsh, Kina Perez
& Nina Holm.
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Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
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discretion of the publisher. Unpublished letters are neither
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POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to
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