Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Just so you know from the start, this is another col-
umn about someone dying. But it’s OK because I’ve
never mentioned him before, and it’s unlikely that you
ever knew he existed.
I knew he existed because he was a teacher and
vice principal at dear ol’ St. Augustine High School in
San Diego. His name was John Glynn, preceded by
“Father,” as he was a Catholic priest from the Order of
St. Augustine. I especially knew that he existed because
for some unexplainable reason, he and I crossed paths
way too often, mostly because as vice principal he was
in charge of discipline.
Humm, let’s review. Smart-mouth student with odd
sense of humor placed in fairly strict Catholic boys
school. Add to the mix that the student often spaced-out
(day-dreamt) resulting in his missing (not hearing) direc-
tions, instructions, admonitions and other assorted words
of wisdom and instruction. Enter Father Glynn, who, I
must admit, I called “Father Glenn” all through high
school. It was not insolence on my part; I just couldn’t
hear the difference between Glynn and Glenn.
The reverend in his black attire and looped belt was
not real tall physically. I recall him as approximately 5-6
or 5-7. But because of his fiery blue eyes, Irish temper
and Big Dog attitude, he seemed much taller. Plus he
had the power to dock your quarterly 100 points, as did
all teachers at “Saints.” If you dropped below 85 points
during a quarter, writing “codes” was required. A code
consisted of perhaps the preamble to the Constitution;
one hand-written copy for each point below 85. Talk
about writer’s cramp.
We could be docked with “greenies,” as the small
forms were called, for infractions including being late for
class, open carrying of cigarettes, being out of order in
class -- you get the idea. If you amassed a max of five
points in one class, you were sent out of the class to the
VP’s office, and had to attend “Jug,” which meant staying
after school and doing homework.
I had Father Glynn for only one class, and it had to
be geometry. I am geometrically challenged. He did his
best to teach the subject, but I recall that the best compli-
ment he could give me was that I drew nice circles. I es-
caped the class with a “D,” which was typical of all my
math grades. Well, I did gain a few “C’s” here and there.
“A’s” in English, of course.
Anyway, I liked Father Glynn because although he
seemed mean, he really wasn’t: He was simply trying to
save us from ourselves. He kept a watchful eye out so
that if one were headed for trouble, he’d strive to counsel
you.
Father Glynn died late last year, although my alumni
newsletter only recently related the passing. He served
at “Saints” 19 years (1940-‘59) after taking his first vows
in 1932 and being ordained in 1939. He was a tough
cookie, as the saying goes.
It was a pleasure to be acquainted, “greenies” not-
withstanding.
Chili Feed
all-you-can-eat!
Three kinds of chili
including vegetarian
plus homemade breads,
salads, & desserts
$7 50
Selma Center
Saturday, April 14th
6:30 p.m.
Illinois Valley News
www.illinois-valley-news.com
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and published by
Robert R. (AKA Bob or El Jefe), Editor and Jan Rodriguez
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 70, No. 4
Staff: Michelle Binker, Zina Booth, Josiah Dean, Scott Jorgensen
Millie Watkins, and Tina Grow
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City OK’s
developers’
requests
(Continued from page 1)
Miller made a motion to
accept Osborn’s request,
and councilor Dan Fiske
seconded it. The council
then voted 4-0 to approve
the motion, with Lynne At-
teberry abstaining.
The council also agreed
to honor a request by John
Chmelir, who represents
Willow Development Con-
sultants LLC and Illinois
Valley Development LLC.
In an April 4 letter to
the city, Chmelir asked for
approval for second phase
of Laurel Pines subdivision.
Sewer lines are com-
plete for all 48 residential
and three commercial lots,
Chmelir wrote, and storm
sewer and waterline work
are nearly complete. Curb,
gutter, paving and sidewalks
have yet to be finished due
to winter weather condi-
tions.
He said he wants to be
able to place model homes
on the property so the build-
ers can have their products
ready for market at the end
of the summer.
“The whole desire here
is to move the process
along,” Chmelir said.
“We’re not trying to get out
of doing anything.”
Chmelir said he would
still have to go through the
usual processes with the city
and county before the plat
could be finalized, and that a
performance bond has been
offered for any infrastruc-
ture work that has not been
completed. No certificates
of occupancy can be issued
until that work is finished,
Chmelir said.
But Mayor Tony Paul-
son said that the county never
tells the city when those cer-
tificates are issued, which has
been a problem in the past.
If sidewalks are in-
stalled according to the ini-
tial agreement with the city,
Chmelir said, they would
have to be re-done later on
in the process.
Chmelir said paving
would take place in the next
two months, and the model
homes would be ready in
August or September.
Paulson said that the
longest the city let a subdivi-
sion go without sidewalks
was the six-month extension
granted to the Belleau
Woods subdivision, located
off of Burgundy Lane.
Miller made a motion to
accept Chmelir’s request,
but under the conditions that
the infrastructure is accepted
by the city, the performance
bond is filed and the side-
walks are completed within
12 months of the final plat.
Fiske seconded the motion,
which passed 4-1. Paulson
cast the dissenting vote.
Cave Junction
Wednesday, April 11
Rain, thunderstorms
& snow; springtime!
High--53, Low--38.
Thursday, April 12
Cloudy w/chance of
showers in evening
High--55, Low--35.
Friday, April 13
Chance of rain but
mostly clouds
High--55, Low--40.
Saturday, April 14
Partly sunny but
probability of rain
High--58, Low--38.
Sunday, April 15
Rain possible
High--58, Low--40.
(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.
* * *
Thank our parents
for providing ‘drugs’
From Alice Schaffer
Cave Junction
This was sent to me by
someone else (the author is
unknown) and I thought
others would appreciate it:
Someone at a store in
our town read that a
methamphetamine lab had
been found in an old farm-
house in the adjoining
county, and he asked me a
rhetorical question, “Why
didn’t we have a drug prob-
lem when you and I were
growing up?”
I replied that I had a
drug problem when I was
young, as did most of
my friends.
I was drug to church on
Sunday morning. I was drug
to church for weddings and
funerals. I was drug to
family reunions and com-
munity socials no matter the
weather.
I was drug by my ears
when I was disrespectful to
adults. I also was drug to the
woodshed when I disobeyed
my parents, told a lie,
brought home a bad report
card, did not speak with
respect, spoke ill of the
teacher or the preacher, or if
I didn’t put forth my best
effort in everything that was
asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen
sink to have my mouth
washed out with soap if I
uttered a profane four-letter
word. I was drug out to pull
weeds in mom’s garden and
flower beds, and cockleburs
out of dad’s fields.
I was drug to the homes
of family, friends, and
neighbors to help some poor
soul who had no one to mow
the yard, repair a
clothesline, or chop fire-
wood. If my mother ever
knew that I took a single
dime as a tip for this kind-
ness, she would have drug
me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in
my veins -- they affect my
behavior in everything I do,
say, and think. They are
stronger than cocaine, crack,
or heroin. And if today’s
children had this kind of
drug problem, America
would be a better place.
Say you saw it in the
‘Noose’
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in O’Brien by Cheryl
& Harry Johnson.
*Fri., March 30: 72-35
*Sat., March 31: 62-43
*Sun., April 1: 60-39
*Mon., April 2: 62-28
*Tue., April 3: 71-38
*Wed., April 4: 74-46
*Thur., April 5: 84-38
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in Cave Junction at
Mountain Wind Farm.
*Fri., March 30: 75-33
*Sat., March 31: 69-42
*Sun., April 1: 61-34
*Mon., April 2: 61-26
*Tue., April 3: 73-38
*Wed., April 4: 77-41
*Thur., April 5: 82-36
Monday, April 16
Odds favor rain
High--55, Low--33.
Tuesday, April 17
Partly sunny
High--59, Low--33
illinois-valley-news.com
They recommend
Neighborhood Watch
From Robert B. Engle
and Rod Walker
It seems that the major
topic in town is the com-
ment of our Josephine
County Sheriff that he does
not have enough deputies to
patrol Cave Junction. Fur-
ther comments, from others,
such as our citizens may
have to arm themselves for
protection because deputies
will only respond to calls for
help when the situation
could be life threatening.
One sarcastic comment we
heard was the council
should post a sign inviting
criminals into our city and
invited to help themselves as
nothing will happen to them.
However, it seems that the
Grants Pass newspaper has
already told criminals that in
their articles.
A one man police force
is only a little better than
nothing. If the man worked
40 hours a week, that still
leaves 128 hours without
local protection every week.
I was the coordinator
for Neighborhood Watch in
a part of Cumberland
County Tennessee. We were
often told that tornados do
not hit in that part of Ten-
nessee but one did and
killed four of our neighbors
and did millions of dollars in
damage. As a result, our
chapter took on the chal-
lenge of buying a system of
warning sirens. The phone
company donated power
poles and donations were
raised at a time when the
city council said they did not
have the money.
The public can and will
help until the Oregon legis-
lature finally has the politi-
cal guts to find a permanent
solution to our statewide
fiscal problems. We would
like to suggest that the coun-
cil ask the sheriff to donate a
surplus vehicle with their
Sheriff and Volunteer signs
in place and include two-
way communication equip-
ment. If the radio equipment
was not available, volun-
teers could use cell phones.
Our local Neighborhood
Watch chairman has said
that he would ask for volun-
teers to provide drivers and
essentially improve commu-
nications with the Sheriff’s
department for all of the
Cave Junction area. We
should also ask that other
neighborhoods purchase the
Neighborhood Watch signs
and participate in the pro-
gram. It works!
The Sheriff has already
said that he will do what he
can to help this situation.
The public should be aware
that the Neighborhood
Watch members do not
carry firearms. They call for
help when help is needed.
Perhaps a special public
meeting could be held to
invite public participation in
this time of need.
Friday, April 13, 9-4
Saturday, April 14, 9-3
I.V. S ENIOR C ENTER
520 E. River St., Cave Junction
592-6888
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Indian Crafts ° Woodwork ° Baby Clothes
H OMEMADE B AKE S ALE
S NACK B AR
11-2
Coffee ° Taylor Dogs ° Hamburgers
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