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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 2006)
Page 2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, January 4, 2006 Selma Center will raise the roof with Meyer grant There are many plots and such for “making money,” but it seems that such schemes often are not lawful. Or as one man lamented, “Everything I like is either fatten- ing, illegal or immoral.” Another man claimed that his uncle was doing great, making big money. Unfortunately, it was approximately a half-inch too big. Where is this going? Not sure, but it feels OK to keep typing. Some of us “Newsies” were talking recently about how to financially help Josephine County and the city of Cave Junction. One idea is to turn the whole county into an amusement park and charge admission. However, we were unable to devise the proper details, and who would serve as clowns, and so that idea (for now) will end on a somewhat unfinished note, similar to Rocky & Bullwinkle’s “Fractured Fairy Tales.” It’s always seemed to me that we could raise enough money to keep the county and other agencies afloat (no pun intended after last week’s deluge) if we simply asked everyone driving through Cave Junction to donate $1. We’d see thousand$ of bucks. However, it seems unlikely that those driving through would appreci- ate the fund-raiser. Could we sell them raffle tickets? Here’s another subject: A friend asked me awhile back if I had ever written a book. Well, yes and no. I’m sure that if all the stories I’ve written during the past 40 years were culled, compiled and sanitized, there would be enough for a book. Maybe. Would you buy a copy? Actually, as news editor, and then editor and pub- lisher of “Curry Coastal Pilot” in Brookings before lighting in Illinois Valley 20 years ago, I wrote a “Bob’s Corner” type of column. It was called “Compass Points.” And at one point, I assembled a number of those columns, and some I had written while in San Diego, and put them into a “bookette.” Sold a few copies. Still have some, some- where; don’t know where. You know, they’re in a box. Well, that’s enough for this week. I was going to humbly outline some of the stories and columns from my fantastic journalism career so far, but I’ve got a tickle in my throat and am going to go home and rest. But wait, I just recalled another happening, from last week: The Strange & Frustrating Case of the Missing Wallet. Jan had it on her desk at home by the PC, after ordering something. Not long after, the wallet “turned up missing.” There was a small amount of cash in it, but the most important items included her driver’s license, health insurance card, and a couple of major credit cards. We turned the house upside-down and inside-out. We even checked both cars, under the seats, in all pos- sible places, thinking (or at least, that was my idea) that somehow she had placed the wallet in one of the two vehicles and had forgotten about it. We checked the trash cans; all the drawers and closets in our house. Under the furniture. In clothing. In laundry. In the kitchen cabinets. About everywhere. We phoned the main credit card company and told it to place a “watch” on the card, just in case. Finally, using the Sherlock Holmes rule, I decided to check the mashed trash in the garage. Went through the bags, while holding my breath. Did not find the wallet. However, still following Holmes’ dictum, I decided to dump out each bag “just in case.” Fortunately (for me), unfortunately (for son Mike) he volunteered for the onerous task. Donning gas mask and CSI gloves, he painstakingly rummaged carefully through each bag. And he found the Missing Wallet! It was in the sec- ond-to-last bag. The wallet was wet and had garbage boogers, but all inside was intact. Hallelujah. So much for my X-ray vision. And that really is it for this week, except to say that probably cats “Charlie” and “Flint” are responsible for dumping the wallet into the home office trash can, which was emptied without anyone noticing the wallet. As Shakespeare noted, “All’s well that ends well.” And Jan has relocated the trash can, placing it under the desk so that items on the edge can’t be knocked in. In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't. - Blaise Pascal - 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 Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net or newsdesk@illinois-valley-news.com Volume 68, No. 42 Staff: Michelle Binker, Becky Loudon, Bryan Harley, Tabitha Jackson, Zina Booth. Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association DEADLINES: News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters 5 P.M. THURSDAY (Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be accepted until Noon, Friday 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 publishers’ 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 & NOTICES: All submissions must be hand delivered, faxed or e-mailed to us for publica- tion. Submissions must be resubmitted weekly if the item is to run 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 - $36 POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR 97523 An $8,212 grant has been awarded the Selma Community and Education Center by The Meyer Me- morial Trust Small Grants Program. The money will be used to buy roofing materials for the center’s new pole build- ing. “When the building is finished, we will have a so- lar energy demonstration project and a farmers market building,” said Marcy Sowa, chairman of the center’s board of directors. “The Energy Trust of Oregon has promised $35,000 to install a photovoltaic system on the roof of the building,” she added. “We are all very excited about saving money on our utility bill each month and moving our farmers market under the new structure this coming spring,” she said. “This is a very exciting pro- ject that the entire valley can be proud of.” Last summer a small farmers market was begun on the center parking lot. Coordinated completely by volunteers, the market al- lowed Illinois Valley grow- ers to sell their fresh fruits and vegetables without trav- eling to Grants Pass or other Southern Oregon markets. A Josephine County commissioners economic development grant of $10,000 helped buy materi- als for the complex, which includes a Rastra (insulated concrete forms) building to They like Cave Junction ‘just the way it is’ From Loren & Patricia Conner Cave Junction This is to respond to the letter from Mara Carnes in last week’s issue about Larry Osborn. We agree with Carnes very much about what Osborn said about Cave Junction. He said, “I don’t think anyone can argue that Cave Junction is not a very pretty place to live.” (Source: “Daily Cou- rier” 12/16/05.) Maybe Osborn should go back to California, where the burnt, brown hills are rollin’ and the gray concrete is flowin’. Just maybe our town needs to apologize to him for not being pretty. We know that it’s not neat and shiny like the big- ger towns, but if Osborn checks things out he will find that we like it just the way it is. While he’s looking about he will find that the majority of CJ people are getting very tired of devel- opers building stamped-out houses, raising the price of housing, sending our taxes out of sight, changing the housing rules and filling their pockets and then leav- ing town. Some people might think that CJ is not a very pretty place, but for the ones who live here for a while, it’s the most beautiful place around. We don’t want it spoiled it and made into another crowded town like in California. Like Carnes, we also have lived here for some time and love the small- town charm. We’ll take that charm any time over the crowded streets and the push-and-shove mentality. LBMS terrific overall because of team effort From Tawana Grabarz Cave Junction I must admit that the “Terrific Tawana” article (“Illinois Valley News,” Dec. 28, 2005) took me by surprise. I thought that my ser- vices were going to be listed among all the other Terrific opportunities provided at Lorna Byrne Middle School. I would like to give credit to the team with whom I work. If not for all involved, I could not do what I do: *The staff at LBMS, especially the office staffers who are patient with my tedious interruptions. *The Youth Services Team members who truly care for students and their families and work as a team. *The teachers who are flexible and creative. *The parents who en- trust me with their children. *My personal atten- dants -- Kathy, Cheryl and Jeannie -- who do all the behind-the-scenes work. *My husband for creat- ing and keeping a stable foundation in my life. *My family for their support, encouragement and sense of humor. *Support services that provide the adaptive tools and services that assist with my limitations. *Taxpayers, who fund the needed programs. *God, who orchestrates the whole process, empow- ers me every day, and makes it all worthwhile. You see, I am merely the smiling face in the pic- ture and one part of a Terri- fic process. James R. Gerhardt U.S. Army Pvt. James R. Gerhardt has graduated from One Station Unit Training (OSUT) at Fort Sill near Lawton, Okla. Gerhardt is the son of Tricia Gerhardt-Fultz, and stepson of Greg Fultz, of Cave Junction. He gradu- ated in June 2005 from Illi- nois Valley High School. The training included completion of basic military training and advanced indi- vidual training (AIT). During AIT, Gerhardt completed the field artillery fire support specialist ad- vanced individual training course. house instrumentation for the solar panels. The Illinois Valley Community Devel- opment Organization also donated money toward the innovative project. “The Meyer Memorial Trust grant ensures we will complete the building (including installation of the solar energy array) by June of 2006,” said Sowa. “The board of directors of the center is looking to local community and business leaders to help raise the final $3,700 needed for materials to finish the work required so that the roofing materials can be put in place.” Thus far, 1,000 volun- teer labor hours have been donated to get the building to its present state. More volunteers are needed to “raise the barn.” Citizens can help by contributing hours or money. Phone 415-1000 for more information. A grand opening celebration will be held in early spring. AFLAC vision view provided (News USA) - Having vision problems or impairments can be more costly than you think, even if you have health insurance. In a survey commissioned by the insurance company AFLAC, 40 percent of respondents said that they avoided or postponed vision care because of cost. The American Optometric Association said that traditional plans tend to give discounts on only the basics, eye exams for instance. AFLAC’s Vision Now plan has the same basic benefits, but extends the coverage to include serious eye conditions that re- quire surgery or other forms of treatment. It also offers benefits for the loss of sight. The Vision Now plan is only offered through employers. For more information phone 592-6262. Kerby Belt Lodge #18 3rd Annual All-You-Can-Eat $15 per person Saturday, Jan. 14 1 to 5 p.m. Bring your favorite crab cracker and a good appetite. And of course, no carry-outs or doggy bags. Salad, bread, & condiments served. Purchase tickets from: 1-Hour Photo, Family Tree Garden Center, Yanase Jewelers, & TC Computers Kerby Belt Building - 24311 Redwood Hwy., Kerby Tony, your friendly barber, has a new location with lots of parking behind the building. From now until January 31, Tony will deduct $2 from the cost of each service. Regular Cut: $11, NOW $9 with coupon Style Cut: $13, NOW $11 with coupon Tony’s Barber & Styling Shop New Address: 950 Rogue River Hwy., Grants Pass Phone: 471-0830 Open: Tues.-Fri. 7:45 to 4:45 Coupon expires January 31 The Kerby Transfer Station is open to help you... Hours: Mondays - Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information phone (800) 922-1025
