Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Well, we’re in trouble again. Our amazing ball of fur
and fire, black-and-white minicat Charlie Kaplan, has
learned to open drawers and cabinet doors. This means
that in the early morning (like between 2:30 and 5 a.m.)
the sounds of banging, thrashing around and stuff being
pulled out of said drawers and cabinets interrupts our rest.
Or we are treated to the intriguing, sometimes dis-
concerting noise of those cabinets and drawers being
slammed shut. He also likes to knock over water
glasses, usually with liquid in them. And sometimes he
tries to damage me by knocking items off the head-
board, like lamps and glass knick-knacks. Makes for an
interesting course in Sleeping With Sound-Effects. Plus,
I might have to wear a helmet to bed.
We already installed child-proof latches on some of
our cabinet doors because Bubba the Huge Mostly Sia-
mese used to sleep in our pots and pans. Or he’d pull
out towels and sheets from one storage site.
At our abode we are never without some sort of fe-
line companionship, especially in bed, because they all
enjoy sleeping with us. They each have their special
spots. Charlie the Destroyer, when not exploring and
knocking stuff over or pulling it out, likes to lie between
us; Rocky the Vicious Pomeranian has a claim on one
side of the foot of the bed; Maui the Marauding Peace-
keeper often lies on Jan’s side of the bed or atop her;
and Flint Eastwood claims the locale just below my feet.
As for Bubba the Sumo King, he prefers the top of
my head or whichever of my hips is up. At 16-plus
pounds, I can always tell when he’s present. Especially
because he has a tendency to put most of his weight on
one spot. A tender one. Besides that, he frequently,
from two to four times per sleep phase (mine), insists
that I pet him or scratch his face and behind his Batman
radar ears. If I do not, he raps me somewhat gently,
most of the time, with one of his furry catcher’s mitts.
He’ll keep it up until I comply. Then he engages his odd
little purring.
Oh, and Bingo, our terrier/shepherd/whatever mix
doggie, sleeps in another room. He’s kind of antisocial
when it comes to the other animals. But he’s so jealous
of me hugging Jan that if he’s a witness he’ll start bark-
ing and jumping, demanding that he also be hugged.
I guess you could say at our house that it’s reigning
cats and dogs.
Cats are a mysterious kind of folk. There is more
passing in their minds than we are aware of.
- Sir Walter Scott -
Rachel Goodman, L.M.T.
Pain - Stress - Injuries - Deep Massage
Gentle CranioSacral Therapy
Mon. - Fri. by appt. - Senior Discounts
I.V. Medical Center
315A Caves Hwy., right on the highway.
592-6947
I.V. Senior Center
520 E. River St. 592-6888
Friday & Saturday, April 7 & 8
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Candy, Dolls, Minerals, Candles, Beadwork,
Indian Crafts, Woodwork, Baby Clothes
Homemade
Bake Sale
Snack Bar
11 to 2
Come join the fun!
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. 1
Staff: Michelle Binker, Becky Loudon,
Bryan Harley, Tabitha Jackson, Zina Booth.
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES:
News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters
(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.
‘Thank you’ submissions
are not accepted as letters.
* * *
All-church banner
promoters comment
From Lyn Berry
Cave Junction
The next all-church con-
gregation is coming up Sun-
day, April 9 at Community
Bible Church at 6 p.m. (see
display ad elsewhere in this
issue of “I.V. News”).
The application, com-
plete with proposed text and
layout of the next banner was
submitted March 6. The pro-
posed text is:
“All church congregation
gathering
“Once and for all” a mu-
sical presentation in celebra-
tion of the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ.
“Community Bible
Church 4-9-06 at 6 p.m.
“ ‘...we have been for-
given and made clean by Je-
sus Christ dying for us once
and for all.’ (Hebrews 10:10
Living)”
The mayor approved all
the above text, except the
Scripture quote: “...we have
been forgiven and made clean
by Jesus Christ dying for us
once and for all” -- even
though Hebrews 10:10 is the
Biblical basis of the title of
the special musical presenta-
tion (which, by the way, I
highly recommend for believ-
ers and unbelievers, alike).
Since my husband and I
have complied with every
regulation in the printed
“banner instructions” handed
us by city hall personnel
when we applied, we asked
(on March 7 after being de-
nied by phone call from the
mayor) for a copy of the
newly revised rules. We were
told these are not yet avail-
able. We will continue to ask.
The banner needs to be
installed March 24 in order to
be up for two weeks prior to
the event (as allowed in the
rules we have been given). Of
course, the banner company
needs some time to manufac-
ture and ship the banner.
I thank God for those
believers who have encour-
aged us that they agree with
having the Word of God and
the Name of Jesus Christ
lifted up in our town.
around it are not only historic,
but are rare and extremely
unique in North America.
These buildings were con-
structed for a specific purpose
and are unequalled anywhere.
Experts appointed by the
governor of Oregon approved
it as State Historic Treasure
because it represents an ex-
tremely significant story in
U.S. history. This means that
this base could become a one-
of-a-kind attraction to help
boost tourism in this valley,
which would help improve
the local economy.
There is no other com-
munity on the West Coast
that has this unique heritage
story. This attraction advan-
tage should be saved so that
we could capture some of the
national tourism market.
There is proven economic
potential here. We have a
million tourists who drive
down Redwood Hwy. every
year. Most are not stopping in
Illinois Valley.
Other communities on
the West Coast are taking
advantage of the economics
of tourism. We have not been
able to do this, and we could.
Ignoring the economic poten-
tial here would be foolish.
Buildings at the smoke-
jumper base should not be
torn down or removed. There
is a park-like setting around
those buildings. Trees should
not be cut in this setting. This
base is a national treasure.
This base virtually eliminated
catastrophic fires for 39 years.
While the base was open,
we had no Biscuit Fire, no
Longwood Complex Fire, no
Mendenhall Fire, and no Sil-
ver Creek Fire. Remember
that the Biscuit Fire was the
most expensive fire in U.S.
history. Siskiyou smokejum-
pers would have suppressed
those fires easily and at very
little cost.
Smokejumpers are a
highly efficient, cost-effective
fire-fighting unit. It probably
would have cost the govern-
ment approximately $20,000
for Siskiyou smokejumpers to
put out all of them. Estimates
on just suppression of the
Biscuit Fire alone are more
than $160 million.
Suppression costs do not
include timber loss and other
losses. In 1981 the Siskiyou
Smokejumper Base was
closed, supposedly to save
money.
People should write let-
ters to the Josephine County
commissioners and express to
them that this base is a treas-
ure and should not be torn
down. The commissioners
have not announced a plan to
preserve this historic site or
have a museum. The park-
like setting around the base
should be protected.
This smokejumper base
is nationally and internation-
ally significant. The state of
Oregon understands its heri-
tage potential. There is no
other base like this in the
world. This base should be
made into a museum so that
others can visit and can share
in this great story.
The base represents a
proud moment in Josephine
County history.
Salvage logging studies,
‘last old-growth’ notes
From Lynne Vanderlinden
Cave Junction
In response to Tim Nor-
man’s March 15 rebuttal to
my letter regarding the verac-
ity of salvage logging studies,
I’d like to make it clear that I
an not an enemy of the envi-
ronment, and that I abhor
many past logging practices.
What I am is a realist
with a basic understanding of
what Norman opened the
door to: natural progression.
I am not so stupid as to
suppose that our forests
didn’t burn and blow down
2,000 years ago with no hu-
man intervention; it was natu-
ral and necessary. Yes, there
were people here, but not
many, and they could pack up
and move at the first whiff of
smoke. That option is no
longer available.
For better or worse, our
distant ancestors (including
Norman’s) did a bang-up job
of going forth and multiplying
and migrating to America to
continue the process. And I
guess that it all went downhill
from there.
Whatever the Native
Americans still believe, many
seem to have naturally pro-
gressed, albeit unwillingly,
right along with the rest of us.
They too live in wooden
homes, drive cars, utilize
computers and slot machines,
use toilet paper and even run
their own logging operations
and oil fields.
To quote Norman, “the
circle of life.”
I think that he might have
missed a couple of my points.
The “moonscape” to which I
referred was Mt. St. Helens,
and no, I don’t wish to see
more. I also didn’t argue the
merits of salvage logging
studies.
Doonesbury quipped a
couple of weeks ago,
“Situational science is about
respecting both sides of a
scientific argument, not just
the one supported by sci-
ence.”
He thinks that people (for
example, loggers?) are intelli-
gent enough to find another
way to earn a living that isn’t
destroying our planet. In that
case, why don’t the enviros
focus their time, money and
attention to creating those
jobs?
And while they’re at it,
how about figuring out some
viable alternative sources of
(Continued on page 3)
Our County Needs a Sheriff
with Fresh, New Ideas...
I am that
Person.
H undreds of people are signing
on to our campaign roster because
all over Josephine County citizens
are saying they’re feeling less
safe, alienated from community
input, and ready for a fresh
new change in our law
enforcement standards...
Former smokejumper
base a real treasure
From Gary Buck
Cave Junction
The Siskiyou Smokejum-
per Base at the Illinois Valley
Airport has been approved
by the State Historic Preser-
vation Office as a State His-
toric Site.
It has been nominated for
placement on the National
Register of Historic Places.
The reason it has re-
ceived these nominations is
that this smokejumper base
and the park-like setting
I want to know your ideas as
well... so call or email me at
955-4697
gilforsheriff@qwest.com
GET TO KNOW GIL :
• 1975 to 1991 Patrol Officer, Bomb Squad,
Tactical Team, Recovery Diver, and Jailer for the
Waterloo, Iowa Police Department.
• 1992-2005 National & International Law
Enforcement Instructor
• 1996-2004 US Dept. of State in Kosovo & Bosnia
• Josephine County Sheriff Office Search and
Rescue Dive Team
• Executive Board of Directors Friends
of the K-9, Josephine County
• 2005 Iraq Advisor & Hurricane Katrina
Tactical Team
Pregnant…
Scared
You have questions,
we can help
find the answers.
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POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to
P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR 97523
Pregnancy Center
Mon.-Fri., 9-5
www.pregnancycenteriv.org
592-6058
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Treasurer, Diann Rhodes-Gilbertson
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I Will Listen & Together
We Will See Change.