Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Forthwith and herewith some random, disordered
thoughts from the feverish brow of your editor, based on
his recent airline flights to mostly sunny Southern Cali-
fornia on secret missions for an entity that cannot be
revealed at this time or I will be the victim of spontane-
ous combustion. Something like that.
Most airlines are still announcing “preboarding.”
How is it possible to get in (not “on”) an airplane before
you get on? By the way, if you got “on” an airplane, you
probably would be blown off as the thing taxied.
Also, it amuses me to hear the pilots announce that
you’re free to get up and move about the cabin. How?
The aisle is like 2.5 feet wide, and there’s a beverage
cart at one end or the other. How much moving about is
possible? Is there part of the aircraft I don’t know about,
like a bowling alley or dance hall? Should I try to open
the main cabin door and see what happens?
There are so many people now with those hands-
free cell phones that at airports one would think he was
surrounded by crowds of folks talking to themselves.
Can’t get used to it; it looks weird.
And those cell phone users! Typical conversations:
“Hi. Yeah. Fine. So how’s it going? We just landed.
What’s up? OK. Great. OK. See you.” Or there are the
radical folks, who speak loudly: “Hey, Jim, did you get
the money? Great!! OK, so you got the money!! OK, you
can sign my name. You have my authorization. It’s a
done deal. Great!!! OK.” Or, “OK, so we’re not going to
Atlanta? What about Seattle? OK, sounds good. Terrific.
That’s great! Yeah, we just landed. Great. See you
soon!” And so on, ad infinitum.
Some of the pilots are mostly silent, which I appreci-
ate. But there are some who want to tell you about every
mountain, lake and landmark below, most of which you
can’t see because you’re on the wrong side of the air-
plane. I know, this sounds so picky, but sometimes we
get that way. Sorry.
I’ll be much better next week. OK. See ya’! Great!!
(Editor’s Note: Views
and commentary, includ-
ing 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 considered.
‘Thank you’ submis-
sions are not accepted as
letters.
* * *
Toler abilities, fairness
reasons for her support
From Cilicia Philemon
Cave Junction
I am writing in support
of Dave Toler for county
commissioner, as I have
known him for many years,
and have always been im-
pressed with his abilities and
his fairness.
He is concerned about
his community, and he is
always working hard to
make improvements. He is
very knowledgeable and
competent.
I am quite pleased to
finally have a candidate to
vote for that I believe in.
Candidate Fasching
‘will handle business’
From Ken LeGaux
Selma
Linda Sallman
128 S. Redwood Hwy.
Cave Junction OR 97523
541-592-4541
Across from Select Market on Redwood Hwy.
Open Mondays - Fridays, 9 to 5
Auto - Home - Life - Commercial
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100’s of
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to move.
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in...
Major Liquidation!
Everything must go!
891 NE ‘D’ Street
Grants Pass
up t o
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474-1127
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 69, No. 6
Staff: Michelle Binker, Becky Loudon,
Bryan Harley, Tabitha Jackson, Zina Booth.
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
During a recent forum
with the sheriff candidates,
Brian Anderson should have
known of the excessive cost
to taxpayers due to exces-
sive overtime by the depu-
ties. I feel that there is poor
service as undersheriff, and
that the lack of coverage in
the county is unacceptable.
Gilbertson boasts of
years of experience, but has
only 16 years in Iowa when
he quit and went to work for
Dyn Corp. He says he was a
chief of police, but was
working in Bosnia being
paid $100,000+/- per year
tax free. Who cares about
Bosnia experience?
We are talking about
the USA. And what admin-
istrative experience does he
have? County business is a
huge business.
Don Fasching is the
candidate to support for
sheriff. A sheriff that will
take care of business. He has
law enforcement experience,
administration experience
and a squeaky-clean back-
ground.
Check him out. Join the
LeGauxs, Millers and
friends on the Fasching
Boat. We don’t have much
time, and he is the best can-
didate since Bill Brandt was
sheriff.
“Economic gain for
who? Jobs, jobs, jobs’
From Guenter Ambron
Cave Junction
What is DeFazio up to
opposing HR 4200 “Forest
Emergency Recovery and
Think you
might be
pregnant?
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Research Act” -- a response
to Jennifer Gaskill’s
(Springfield) letter to editor
4/12/06 titled, “DeFazio
chided for ‘no’ vote.”
The article cites the loss
of 14,000 timber-related
jobs. I dare to imagine how
much more wild land timber
corporate lumber company
giants would feel the need to
fall in order to maintain this
many employees. On just
the other track perhaps we
can support having two cars
for every family in China, of
course made in America
with all inexhaustible
American resources.
Currently I believe the
overland U.S. fire-fighting
industry is about 3.5 billion
a year. With enough back-
burning perhaps we can at
least double this amount
posthaste. Jobs, jobs, jobs,
more and more spending.
I work as a carpenter
here in Illinois Valley. I
have family and friends who
are and have worked in the
“Timber Industry.” I say
“have” because many of
them were injured, layed off
(moving from place to
place), or just couldn’t see
themselves staying with a
trade that is unsustainable in
its current condition with
such contradictive valued
employers (not to cast a
shadow on companies that
are working on ethically
sensible and sustainable
methods.)
It is on the leaders of the
timber industry itself, the
lobbyists, the system, and
the politicians that buy in.
Very little vision is em-
ployed except in maximiz-
ing profits. And who gets it?
Not you and I, those of us
who do the grunt and trade
work to earn the billions so
the average shareholder can
maintain at least a 15,000-
square-foot home for their
1.5 children.
And I’d like to add how
many of our timber workers
get good living wages, com-
pensation, insurance, bene-
fits and enjoy long-term
local employment. I know
some have done well, but
my impression is that the
majority have been really
squeezed.
Of course, don’t bite the
hand that feeds us, but what
are we really being fed?
DeFazio has good rea-
son to vote “no” on HR
4200. Just on the basis of
economics alone. Rep. Wal-
den worked real hard to lis-
ten to a lot of people in
drafting the legislation, but
the end result is deafening
and a virtual free-for-all for
industrial giants, not to men-
tion the tax burden it will
levy on the people.
Anyway, I’d like to hear
from more timber and lum-
ber workers.
People of Oregon
‘fortunate with DeFazio’
From Crystal Griffin
Cave Junction
I am writing about the
letter dated April 12 from
Jennifer Gaskill from
Springfield about Peter De-
Fazio and the salvage log-
ging bill that Greg Walden
has sponsored.
We are fortunate to
have DeFazio looking out
for the people of Oregon.
He is not against salvage
logging, but is for protec-
tions against violations we
have seen by the timber in-
dustry. Our representative
has kept in touch with his
constituents.
At
www.defazio.house.gov,
you can find out exactly
what he is doing for the peo-
ple of Oregon.
Gaskill says in her last
paragraph that Oregon has
lost 14,000 timber-related
jobs since Peter DeFazio has
been in office, but that is
misleading. The timber in-
dustry should take a closer
look at its own logging prac-
tices in regard to the decline
in access to Oregon’s valu-
able resource.
I am talking about the
timber companies that are
from out of the area. The
policies of Rough & Ready
Lumber Co. took into ac-
count preservation for the
future with careful long-
range planning.
I saved a copy of the
“Daily Triplicate” in Cres-
cent City dated Sept. 18,
2002. A front-page article
reads, “July 14th, A Califor-
nia Department of Forestry
helicopter crew spots the
Sour Biscuit Fire in a re-
mote and roadless section of
forest. About 100 acres is
burning and the crew asks
Oregon officials if they
should attempt to extinguish
the blaze. Oregon fire offi-
cials deny the request, say-
ing they don’t believe the
helicopter can have an im-
pact.”
I’ll leave that for the
readers to ponder.
Oh, and a P.S., DeFazio
voted against going to war
with Iraq.
Cessa Vichi called asset
for county library
From Mara Carnes
Cave Junction
After reading George
Long’s scathing letter
(Continued on page 3)
ILLINOIS VALLEY
VOLUNTEER
RECRUITMENT FAIR
,
“Volunteers are one of America’s most valuable assets”
Saturday, April 29th, 10 to 2
in the County Bldg.
102 S. Redwood Hwy.,
Cave Junction
Door Prizes
at each
agency’s
booth
Learn about the
variety of volunteer
opportunities
available
Meet representatives
of I.V. community
organizations
Participating Organizations
Simply Legal ~ Siskiyou Field Institute
Rogue Community College ~ I.V. Arts Council
BLM ~ Oregon Caves National Monument
Rogue River State Parks ~ Kerbyville Museum
C.J. Chamber of Commerce ~ I.V. Family Coalition
Selma Community & Education Center ~ S.M.A.R.T.
Sponsored by
The Illinois Valley Family Coalition