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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (May 30, 2007)
Page 2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, May 30, 2007 It never takes long for me to figure out why we like Cave Junction and its environs compared to other locales. Espe- cially when we are forced (so to speak) to leave the valley and drive to and through some of those other places with their innu- merable cars, trucks, buses and motorcy- cles clogging the road- ways. Lots of grumpy drivers too. Such was the case recently when we had to drive through Grants Pass (reminds us of why we left Escondido, Calif. in 1979), and then to White City via Central Point. We managed to avoid entering the Main Medford Madness. Our goal was to pick up the color covers for the Valley Visitor that was in last week’s issue. We have extra copies, and they are being placed around various areas of S.W. Ore- gon and Extreme Northern California. Once the covers were safely inside our all-the-time all-wheel-drive vehicle, we headed for Bend via Shady Cove, Prospect, Union Creek and on past Diamond Lake to Hwy. 97: the Highway of Hellacious Head-On Collisions, which we avoided. Jan and I arrived in Bend early in the eve- ning and found the press crew at the Bend Bulletin hard at work. Our Valley Visitor cov- ers were unloaded, and we were told to come back in the morning after the next day to pick up the finished product, which we did, and cheerfully loaded 10,000 copies, which miraculously and magically barely fit in our car, and which made me remember what it’s like to drive a truck when a heavy load in the rear changes your steering and braking, and that’s a really long sentence, but bear with me. In-between delivering the covers and picking up the fin- ished guide, we took in some of the area’s attractions. They include, for my money, Crossings, The Riverhouse Resort restaurant, which has great food and excellent service. OK, so I splurged and had prime rib fit for a king. Or least an El Jefe. But about other attractions: We enjoyed the volcanic stuff a lot, even taking a hike to reach Benham Falls, which actually looked like rapids to me. It was an interesting walk, especially when it comes to world-class mosquitoes. To see the various post-eruption sights, we did a lot of walking, which felt good. Until the next morning. We viewed a caldera, and took a few steps inside a giant lava tube. As I am afraid of the dark, and didn’t want to rent a kerosene lantern any- way, we just took in the entrance and the first 20 yards or so. It was nice and cool inside. We were going to go through the High De- sert Museum, but it was already after 3 when we arrived, and I didn’t feel like spending 12 bucks each for the short time we would have had before hav- ing to leave. Besides, we hadn’t had lunch yet. All in all, it was an enjoyable trip. Still, the vehicular traffic in places including Bend is not to my liking, al- though we thought that the roundabouts used in some parts of the city, instead of signalized intersections, work well. Guess I’ve become somewhat of a country boy, what with living in Illinois Valley. So pass me a hunk of that cornbread with molasses, and I’ll pick my teeth with a length of straw from the nearest bale. Then I’ll enjoy a leisurely drive in our lovely and generally light-traffic valley. (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. * * * Still time for Bush to become effective From Wally Hardie Selma The American presi- dency. The leader of the free world and the bully pulpit. This office has produced some of the greatest leaders the world has seen. The presi- dency can, and has guided America through the most turbulent of times and the most prosperous imaginable. Our founders had not only the concept of the Con- stitution, but the leadership to bring it fruition, and to even conceive the idea of some- thing called the Bill of Rights, an idea few countries have. A government with three distinct bodies to balance the whole, all for the benefit of the American people. The dedication by the men who have occupied this office is well written. I cannot think of a single president who has not contributed to the betterment of America. President Bush still has time to rectify his dismal re- cord and bring it up-to-date. Still time for his contribution. We have millions of children without any medical insur- ance. We have millions of Americans who each and every day must choose be- tween food and their meds to stay alive -- and this in the richest country in the world. At this moment, Presi- dent Bush’s legacy is one of dismal and abject failure. This can change, but he must somehow and some way find the desire and inclination to change. President Bush is in free fall to be remembered as Following are the high-and- low temperatures, and rainfall, recorded in O’Brien by Cheryl & Harry Johnson. *Fri., May 18: 76-43 *Sat., May 19: 69-47 *Sun., May 20: 64-44 *Mon., May 21: 70-39 *Tue., May 22: 74-42 *Wed., May 23: 88-41 *Thurs., May 24: 89-48 Following are the high-and- low temperatures, and rainfall, recorded in Cave Junction at Mountain Wind Farm. *Fri., May 18: 77-39 *Sat., May 19: 71-52 *Sun., May 20: 67-42 *Mon., May 21: 67-35 *Tue., May 22: 72-41 *Wed., May 23: 84-38 *Thurs., May 24: 88-44 the worst and most ineffec- tive president in the history of the United States. Money, money, money: Who’s got the money? From Josephine Couron Cave Junction If you have been reading newspaper articles, you will have noted that our esteemed Commissioner Raffenburg and Commissioner Toler, and our new sheriff, have been spending time in Salem trying to get the state Legislature to set aside the vote of the peo- ple that protects our property from arbitrary taxation so that they can again tax our prop- erty without a vote. The logic is simple: If you own land, you must have money, and if you have money they want to spend it. This brings a number of questions including: Who do these elected people repre- sent, themselves or us? If we don’t have any patrol depu- ties, why do we need a highly paid sheriff and undersheriff? When the people voted “No” on the levy, what part of “No” don’t they understand? When I add the monies I pay on my tax bill each year, I get a figure far in excess of the 58-cents they claim I pay. Why is that? What did the county spend those millions of O&C dollars on? And why? The bottom-line question is, Why are we paying these guys big-time salaries while they are spending their time in Salem trying to figure out some way to force us to give them more money? Looks to her like SNF ‘cooked the books’ From Dorothea Hover- Kramer Cave Junction Scott Conroy’s piece on “Truth among the casualties of the Biscuit Fire,” circulated among many newspapers and printed in the “Illinois Valley News” May 16, opens old wounds and is a reminder that the forest service promoted unnecessary logging includ- ing 17 acres of “accidental logging” at the Babyfoot trail- head of rare old-growth Brewer spruce trees. While Conroy, supervi- sor of the Rogue River/ Siskiyou National Forest (SNF) claims that the agency made a profit, the Government Accountability Office reported in 2006 that the forest service actually lost $2 million and that many Biscuit sales went at rock-bottom prices to single bidders. It appears that the agency cooked the books by mixing money-losing helicopter tim- ber sales in remote areas with easily accessible roadside “hazard” sales -- with mini- mal environmental review. Logging was promoted as necessary for “rehabilitating” burned for- ests yet studies (D.A. Della- sala, National Center for Con- servation Science & Policy, Ashland; G. Nagle, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.) showed it harmed regenera- tion and raised future fire risks by leaving logging slash on the ground. Had the agency listened to reason and sound science, instead of pro- moting unrealistic logging levels, the public would have been less disturbed. Unfortunately, public trust has eroded and we are faced with logged hillsides now scarred by heavy logging damage along botanical areas, roadless areas and old-growth reserves. Clouser Drilling lauded for good works From Glenn Woodbury Medford I grew up in O’Brien and gradu- ated from Illinois Valley High School, but my roots are deep in Illinois Val- ley, as my grandfa- ther in June 1910 settled the property that my dad lives on in O’Brien. I have pur- chased from my dad another 15-acre piece that also was owned by my grandfather in 1910 di- rectly behind O’Brien Coun- try Store. I plan on retiring there in five to 10 years. S OURDOUGH C HAPTER Presents their Annual Poker Ride at Lake Selmac Horse Camp, Saturday, June 9. Sign-in starts at 9 a.m. First rider out at 10, last one at 11. Entry fee is $10 / $8 BCH members (includes lunch, poker hand, & raffle ticket) DEADLINES: News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters 5 P.M. THURSDAYS (Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be accepted until Noon, Fridays 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 publication. Submissions must be resubmitted weekly if the item is to run more than one week. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One year in Josephine County - $22.80 One year in Jackson and Douglas counties - $26.40 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 Cave Junction Wednesday, May 30 Sunny with some clouds High--90 Low--48. Thursday, May 31 Mostly sunny and pleasant High--92, Low--50. Friday, June 1 Some clouds and sunny High--88, Low--50. Saturday, June 2 See above High--92, Low--51. Sunday, June 3 Sunny with afternoon wind High--83, Low--46. Monday, June 4 Afternoon gusts with sunshine High--78, Low--40. Tuesday, June 5 Breezy and clearing High--76, Low--39. An article in the May 23 issue stated that the Josephine County Assessor’s Office was budgeted at $1 million more than last year. But ac- cording to Assessor Michael Schneyder, the department’s budget is more than $1 mil- lion and is higher than last year’s, but not by $1 million. museum doors open. Kevin proceeded to drill the well, and with the equip- ment supplied by Power and (Continued on page 3) B ACK C OUNTRY H ORSEMEN 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. 11 Staff: Michelle Binker, Zina Booth, Josiah Dean, Scott Jorgensen Millie Watkins, and Tina Grow Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association I am writing because my father (Bill Woodbury) is a volunteer at Kerbyville Mu- seum. While I was having Clouser Drilling (the owner is Kevin Gill) drill a well on my property in O’Brien, dad asked me what a new well would cost the museum, as its well had run dry. Kevin said that he would donate it, but that the cost would be around $7,000 if they had to pay for it. I then told my dad that my company, Power and Control Inc., would donate the submersible pump and all the accessories to link the well to the museum. My dad was ecstatic. He couldn’t be- lieve they could have such good fortune, as the volun- teers struggle just to keep the From Hwy. 199 (Redwood Hwy.) take Lakeshore Dr. past Lake Selmac Resort. Turn right on McMullen Creek Rd. then follow the signs to the camp. Come early to unload and prepare your horse. Plenty of parking and warm-up space available. Contact Dick Butler at 541-597-4383 Thank You to all who helped make our new playground possible! Krauss Kraft, Grants Pass - Three playground systems David Gilmore Construction I.V. Building Supply Ted Roberts Pastor Jeremy Nehf Ron Masters Dan Hertler Deborah Rugg Aric Hector Chris Arnold Ruth Raymond Pat Alison Diane Gilmore And all the students who worked to help make their playground a reality. Your efforts were a real blessing. Community Bible Church & Community Christian Academy
