Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, June 15, 2005
New administrative site
envisioned for I.V. Fire
Because many are unaware of my reputation as the
Mexican Trashman, a title bestowed on me by several friends in
our former haunts around San Diego County, I was going this
week to address my adventures in that realm. By the way, I was
not offended by the informal knighthood.
However, that topic will wait because another one slipped
in, coiled, and was ready to strike. So it will be the subject of
this week’s hydra-head exercises. The idea came to me for two
reasons: 1. This is graduating season for high schools. 2. Our
son, Michael, a new resident of Cave Junction with his daugh-
ter, Kimberly, attended his recent Brookings-Harbor High
School 20-year class reunion.
Michael’s class, unlike mine of 44 years ago, made predic-
tions about their classmates. One youth was tabbed as “most
likely to succeed.” And guess what? He showed up at the
reunion, and his occupation is: A. Vagrant. B. Retired gangster.
C. Pediatric brain surgeon. If you picked C you are correct.
Imagine that.
I have been unable to attend either of my class reunions.
The first was in 1981, two years after Jan and I and the kids
moved from Escondido, Calif. to Brookings, Ore. We had
neither the time nor dinero at the time to make the trip. The next
reunion for my class, from dear ol’ St. Augustine High School in
San Diego, was in 2001. I wanted to attend, but due to various
circumstances -- all of which were my own fault -- I was unable
to attend that one either.
Of course, the burning question is why anyone would want
to “reunite” with the former dunderheads, weirdos, bullies and
lunatics who comprised that class. Good question. Maybe I’m a
masochist; or maybe I simply have an innate curiosity about
how all those guys (“Saints” is a school for boys) turned out.
One classmate was always in trouble. More than once, an
unmarked police car would be at our school, and this student
would be called out of class. He had sticky fingers, I think, or
what some cops call the “10-finger discount.” And guess what?
He became a sheriff’s deputy, put in his 25 years and retired
with pension at the tender age of 46. I should be so lucky?
It’s not easy keeping track of many of my former off-
balance deskmates (I’m referring here to the desks) because
they (the students, not the desks) were from Mexico, Baja Cali-
fornia. We had quite a contingent who drove daily across the
border to attend classes. And they always got “B” grades in
Spanish class. I never could figure out that one.
I think that the reason I’ve wanted to attend a reunion is
because I just want to see how everybody turned out. How do
they look? What are they doing? Are they retired? Etc. I think it
would be extremely interesting. Naturally, some people say,
“Who cares!?” I can’t explain it; it’s the way I feel.
Although my class made no predictions, its members did
confer a title on me. I was known during my junior and senior
years as “The Snack Bar King” because for those two years I
was one of three students who worked in the school snack bar,
which was run by Canteen Service. The title accompanies my
photo in the 1961 annual.
Working in the snack bar is worth a whole column by itself.
Maybe. OK, so being called the Mexican Trashman and the
Snack Bar King doesn’t make me royalty. It’s OK, considering
what I could have been called.
Sunday, June 19
8 a.m . t o noon
ALL- YOU- CAN- EAT
* Adu lt s- $ 5
* Ch ildr e n u n de r 1 1 - $ 3 .0 0
PUBLI C W ELCOM E
* W a ffle s * Pa n ca k e s * Biscu it s & Gr a vy
* H a m * Sa u sa ge * Eggs * Ju ice * Coffe e
* Te a or M ilk
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 68, No. 13
Staff: Kacy Clement, Michelle Binker,
Becky Loudon, Bryan Harley, Nina Holm Consulting.
Advertising Design Consultant: Wonder Dog Graphics
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES:
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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 - $36
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to
P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR 97523
* * *
Forestland query
From Fred Krauss
Selma
Should Josephine
County be in the business of
owning and managing for-
estland?
Josephine County man-
ages more than 30,000 acres
of forestland with an annual
budget of approximately
$1,000,000. This requires a
full-time staff equivalent of
six to seven people. The
annual harvest level for the
county forests appears to
average about 3,000 mbf
per year.
In reviewing public in-
formation regarding the
budget, it appears that reve-
nues received are approxi-
mately the same as ex-
penses, and therefore the
lands are managed on close
to a “break-even basis.”
In analyzing this data
and considering the difficul-
ties the county is continually
facing with funding, it
seems to me that managing
on a break-even basis does
not make a lot of sense
when there might be better
alternatives.
For some reason, Jack-
son County does not have a
forestry department, and
elected to resell private
lands which it obtained
through foreclosure for de-
linquent taxes. Evidently,
Jackson officials decided
early on that it was not in
their best interest to own and
manage forestland.
It seems to me that the
best way for Josephine
county to reap substantial
economic benefit from their
forest land would be to sell
that land; put the money in
the “bank;” and use the
yearly interest to help fund
the county budget. With this
scenario, the county could
return the land back to the
tax rolls, and potentially
generate, from the proceeds,
several million dollars of
interest each year to help
balance the budget.
If the county pursued
such a program, it would be
important that it consider
breaking the ownership
down into a number of
smaller packages rather than
selling the entire 30,000
acres as one offering. This
would increase the number
of viable bidders, allow
mixing higher and lower
quality tracts, and maximize
the return on the total
30,000 acres.
By not having the sales
packages too small, it would
help maintain the integrity
of the parcels as forestland
and by not having them too
large would help realize full
market value. To be fair to
the public and prospective
purchasers and realize top
dollar, all packages would
need to be sold on a com-
petitive, sealed bid basis.
Those who concur that
this suggestion has merit and
should be researched further
can write or call their county
commissioners. We ought to
all get together and get this
land back on the tax roll.
‘Guilty as charged’
From William Schneider
Cave Junction
I have read, and still
read, with great dismay of
the continuing genocide
(finally called) in Africa’s
Sudan. After Hitler and right
after Rwanda, a continuing
holocaust of unimaginable
evil is occurring south of Iraq.
According to an article
in the May 23 “National
Review,” the regime of
President Field Marshal
Umar Hassan Ahmad al
Bashir has murdered and
displaced millions, not to
mention the continuous rape
and murder of children in
front of their parents.
This is happening now.
Today. As we eat, sleep, and
be merry in our self-
righteous War on Terrorism.
Saddam’s crimes hardly
compare to what takes place
in Africa’s Sudan.
What puzzles me is that
we know who are the perpe-
trators. We know where
they live and what they do.
We even discuss policy with
these murderous sons of b.
How in the name of
God in Heaven are these
people allowed to walk on
this Earth unchecked by the
nations continuously while
we search for politically
correct ways of dealing with
these monsters? I am con-
vinced by this contradiction
that our motives in Iraq are
not humanitarian.
Far more terror is hap-
pening to the south. What is
our War on Terror but self-
serving, if these atrocities
are allowed to continue. Is it
racism, greed or stupidity
that runs our nation’s poli-
cies?
Perhaps all of the
above. Shame on our presi-
dent and all who could help,
but who do not, to bring an
immediate halt to the holo-
caust in Africa.
Like the Germans
watching Hitler, we, the
world, share the guilt of that
which is not made right once
it is known to be wrong.
at Pottsville
Saturday, June 18, 9 to 5
Sunday, June 19, 9 to 4
Parade of Power
Charlie West Valley Country Band
Food Booths - Wagon Rides
Tractor Pulls at 2:30
Skills of Yesteryear events & exhibits
1929, 5 HP Sattley raffle
Flea Market both days
For information phone (541) 479-2981
50/50 POKER RUN
Frida y J une 2 4 t h 2 0 0 5
J ubile e Pa rk , Ca ve J unc t ion
Ope n t o e ve ryone 1 8 ye a rs or olde r
Drive a Ca r, Ride a Bik e or Fly a Pla ne
$ 1 0 pe r e nt ry - M ult iple Ent rie s Allow e d
Re gist ra t ion be gins a t 1 1 a m
All e nt rie s m ust be in by 3 pm
The starting and ending point is Jubilee Park. All
drivers must return to the park to turn in your hand
and collect your prize. This is a self guided tour. We
will provide you with the locations of the stops to
get your cards/stamps.
Food & Beverages Available
For More Info: 592-6391
DI N N ER AN D DAN CE
Frida y J une 2 4 t h
Live Band, Circle of Stone
Featuring Music
of the 50’s 60’s 70’s & 80’s
Dinner at 5:30 pm: Tickets must be purchased in
advance and include dance. Choice of BBQ Tri Tip or
BBQ Chicken Breast $15 or 2 for $25
Dance 7 to 11 pm: Tickets for dance only may be
purchased at the door for $5 per person
Advance Tickets Available At:
Book Exchange, Tender Treasures and Home Valley Bank
Hosted by the:
Men & Women of the
Cave Junction Lions Club
For More Info: 592-6391
Visit us on-line: http://cjlions.cavenet.com
Wise men talk because they have something to say;
fools, because they have to say something.
- Plato -
Just when you thought it couldn’t be
more Beautiful… You See The Price!
Solid Oak
In a page 1 story in the
June 8 issue about a crash
involving a school bus and a
pickup truck, it was reported
that,” “His only passenger
was listed as … ” apparently
in connection with possible
injuries during the collision.
That is correct as far as
it goes, but initial informa-
tion provided for the story
did not indicate that there
was a total of 31 students
aboard. None were reported
injured.
“Illinois Valley News”
appreciates those who tele-
phoned to help set the re-
cord straight.
Queen
Bed
only
438
$
Dresser
w/mirror
426
$
Nightstand
168
$
So many styles- all ready to deliver tonight!
Bedroom Collections • Futons • Bunk Beds • Sleepers
x161723-5/20
(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. Generally, one letter per person per month at publish-
ers’ discretion. Letters are used at the discretion of the publishers. Unpublished letters
are neither acknowledged nor returned. A prepaid charge may be levied if a letter is
inordinately long in the publishers’ opinion.
POLICY ON “HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE,” DISPLAY & CLASSIFIED ADS &
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(Editor’s Note: Views
and commentary, including
statements made as fact, are
strictly those of the letter-
writers.)
* * *
Typed, double-spaced
letters written solely to this
newspaper are considered for
publication. Hand-written
letters that are double-spaced
and legible also can be con-
sidered.
Cards of thanks are not
accepted as letters.
zone change for the site to
the city of Cave Junction.
The council will consider
the matter presently.
The new administrative
HQ would be built after the
old, dilapidated station is
razed. The new facility
would be funded by extend-
ing an IVFD loan for the
two newest fire trucks,
which are the first-run rigs
for Cave Junction and
Selma stations, as their costs
will be paid off in 2007, said
the chief.
He currently is looking
for preliminary funding.
The district HQ now is
housed in the former Fire
Mt. Gems facility a short
distance south of Cave Junc-
tion. The arrangement is
through the courtesy of Stu-
art and Chris Freedman.
Preliminary planning is
under way for a new admin-
istrative center for Illinois
Valley Fire District (IVFD).
The new structure,
which “will not cost the tax-
payers a dime,” said Chief
Harry Rich, would be erected
on the current site of the for-
mer Station 1 on Caves Hwy.
in Cave Junction.
A new fire station is
nearing completion on prop-
erty next door. In a related
matter it was noted that a
well vault for the station was
installed by Clouser Drill-
ing, which discounted its
price by $500, so that IVFD
will pay $1,750 instead of
$2,250, Rich said.
In another related mat-
ter, IVFD Monday night,
June 13 submitted an appli-
cation for annexation and
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Open 7 Days
891 NE D Street
Grants Pass
780 NW Garden Valley Blvd.
Roseburg
Corner of Court & McAndrews
Next to Staples
Next to Joann Fabric
772-0282
474-1060
677-9001
1165 Court Street
Medford