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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, October 3, 2007
National Newspaper Week is designated for next week:
Monday, Oct. 7 through Saturday, Oct. 13. And I know that for
the masses that ranks with National Wine Bottle Week and
National Kiss A Toad Week.
But those of us in the Fourth Estate, well, we kind of like
the recognition. It doesn’t put more cash in our tills or bigger
numbers on payroll checks, but it’s nice to be recognized in any
fashion other than irate phone calls and vitriolic letters that of-
ten are anonymous.
Novelist Jeffrey Archer in his work, The Fourth Estate,
made this observation: “In May 1789, Louis XVI summoned to
Versailles a full meeting of the Estate General. The First Estate
consisted of 300 clergy. The Second Estate, 300 nobles. The
Third Estate, 600 commoners. Some years later, after the
French Revolution, Edmund Burke, looking up at the Press
Gallery of the House of Commons, said, ‘Yonder sits the Fourth
Estate, and they are more important than them all’.”
I know that some in the media have inflated egos and take
themselves way too seriously. (I differentiate between the me-
dia -- encompassing radio, TV and newspapers -- and the
press, which to me is comprised only of newspapers). Chauvin-
istic, I know, but after some 44 years in the press, what can I
say? Anyway, it’s not that we don’t take our work seriously; it’s
ourselves we make fun of.
This is not the first time, and it will not be the last, that I will
say: Anyone who has not worked at a newspaper will not un-
derstand the how and why of what we do. So we do not try to
explain to or argue with those who disagree with us on matters
of content or placement. We listen, and take the commentary in
stride; working to note it sincerely and keep it in mind for future
reference.
If we are guilty of actual errors, we print corrections. It’s a
fascinating endeavor, putting out a newspaper. You ought to try
it. Oh, and Happy National Newspaper Week to all.
* * * * * *
(Editor’s Note: The following is by Steve Haynes, a N.W. Kan-
sas newspaper publisher and president of the National Newspa-
per Association).
The front pages of our nation’s newspapers are more col-
orful and compelling than ever. From the smallest weekly to the
largest city daily, action shots reach out to draw in readers.
We try our best to help you stay informed, even as you
blog, GPS and phone-video your way through the world.
But while there’s plenty of interesting news in the front, I
find the back of the paper even more important. The public
notices in most newspapers appear in the classified section. In
some states, that is because state law considers them classi-
fied ads. In others, it’s simply tradition. They’ve been there all
our lives. Lewis and Clark used public notices. Most state con-
stitutions were drawn up with the help of public notices.
Now they are so much part of our tradition that we some-
times forget them. They are part of the three-legged stool of
democracy: open public meetings, public records, and public
notices. They let us know about tax increases, zoning changes
and property foreclosures -- when they are allowed to work.
Washington state Gov. Christine Gregoire drew attention
to these notices this year when she signed a bill requiring her
governments -- state and local -- to resume using public notices
to inform citizens. The law she signed is a reaction to a state
Supreme Court decision involving the owners of a small busi-
ness whose property in south Tacoma was condemned to
make way for a train depot parking lot. The public notice pro-
vided by the transit authority was posted solely on its own Web-
site. There it announced condemnation of private property. The
property owners never saw the notice. They sued, but the
Washington Supreme Court said notice on an obscure Website
was enough.
The Legislature thought otherwise. It now requires notices
to be mailed to property owners -- and a notice to be put back
into the newspaper, where people will see it. As the state of
Washington has acknowledged, people have a right to know.
And notices are meant to be noticed.
Newspaper notices also help get people back together
with something they have lost -- unclaimed property.
In most states, an unclaimed property fund exists in the
state treasury for assets in long-forgotten bank accounts, un-
collected insurance claims and personal property, all belonging
to someone who has not yet found it or laid claim to it. Not sur-
prisingly, some state governments happily sit on these assets.
In the days of more vigorous newspaper notices, readers could
pore over interesting catalogs of unfound heirs and uncashed
checks -- and let their friends know of an unfound bounty. To-
day, in many states, notice of these funds has shrunk to a
Website page buried in a state computer.
A federal judge in California has stepped into that state’s
hoarding of these rich deposits. He stopped the state from con-
tinuing to rake in the contents of abandoned lockboxes and the
like. He demanded a better effort by the state to find rightful
owners. (The list of unclaimed property in that case included a
Medal of Honor and Navy Cross awarded to a World War II
hero buried in Arlington National Cemetery.)
One big problem with California’s program is the lack of
newspaper lists of the property. The public’s right to know is
served when we can see for ourselves what is going on. Other
states should pay attention to this lesson of government ac-
countability: a government Website doesn’t do the job.
The Internet is going to be an important channel for deliv-
ery of newspaper information. It also will help newspapers pro-
vide broader public notice. But the Internet must not become a
tool of secrecy for governments.
Washington’s governor and Legislature understand this
principle. The California judge knows visible public notice is
important. Newspapers provide public notices week after week
where people can see them, not locked away on some ob-
scure Website.
That’s why so many readers are like me. We read news-
papers from back to front.
illinois-valley-news.com
(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.
Lost girl searchers
bring heartfelt note
From Joe & Rikki Larese
Cave Junction
We appreciate the peo-
ple of Cave Junction for
coming together as a com-
munity in the search for our
daughter, Candessa, 5, on
Monday, Sept. 24.
We have lived here two
years, and have thought of
moving. But after the sup-
port we received from so
many people that we had
never met, and those we’ve
known since moving here,
we will never leave Cave
Junction. It is a wonderful
town, and the people are just
as great.
We feel more grateful
than words can describe.
‘What is this world
coming to?’
From Sonny Moore
Cave Junction
Wednesday, Sept. 26
marked “See You At The
Pole,” a day where students
gather around flag poles to
pray for their schools, teach-
ers, students, local and na-
tional governments. Several
students of faith distributed
the following note to the
teachers and staff of Lorna
Byrne Middle School:
“While you were pre-
paring for the day and the
lesson plan we took the time
to pray for you! May God
bless you for your dedica-
tion and commitment to our
education and may you see
the fruits of your labor even
when it seems to be an im-
possible task … ‘The Lord
lift His countenance upon
you and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26)’.”
The note was not met
favorably by some of the
staff. In fact, some were
offended. One was quoted
as saying, “This is wrong ...
this is illegal.”
What is this world com-
ing to?
We are amid a national
government that can’t fix
our educational problems,
and a state legislator who
puts education on the bot-
tom of their list of priorities.
Teachers complain of over-
crowded classrooms and not
enough resources to get the
job done. In most schools
there is an atmosphere on
the border of chaos, hate
crimes committed in the
hallways, students cussing
out their teachers for the
homework they did not
complete.
Students are dying right
before our eyes because of
poor choices; and all the
while, a total lack of respect,
self-control and basic hu-
man decency toward one
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in O’Brien
by Cheryl & Harry Johnson.
*Fri.,
Sept. 21: 83 - 46
*Sat., Sept: 22: 73 - 46
*Sun., Sept. 23: 68 - 44
*Mon., Sept. 24: 75 - 35
*Tue., Sept. 25: 77 - 36
*Wed., Sept. 26: 84 - 40
*Thurs., Sept. 27: 80 - 44
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in Cave Junction at
Natural Designs Farm.
*Fri.,
Sept. 21: 84 - 39
*Sat., Sept: 22: 80 - 40
*Sun., Sept. 23: 70 - 42
*Mon., Sept. 24: 75 - 32
*Tue., Sept. 25: 78 - 31
*Wed., Sept. 26: 86 - 35
*Thurs., Sept. 27: 86 - 36
another. Have we been so
conditioned to the ugliness
and curses of our day that
we look a gift horse in the
mouth?
What is this world com-
ing to?
I personally would like
to go on public record in
favor of the students of faith
for taking time out of their
day and putting others be-
fore themselves. They are
part of the solution instead
of the problems. In a world
that seems so bent on the
negative, I welcome any
blessing I can get.
All students of faith
will find that great is their
reward.
Rebuttal to Wally Aiken
by JCSO volunteer
From Charles MacNeil
Cave Junction
Untruths, let us count
the ways. We will wait for
Wally Aiken (IIllinois
Valley News Letter to the
Editor, Sept. 19) to remove
his shoes.
First, I am not a deputy
sheriff; I am a volunteer for
the sheriff. I do not wear a
gun, carry handcuffs, or get
paid. We buy our own uni-
forms, coats, shoes and hats.
If Aiken grows some, we
will be happy for him to join
us, or the CJ Citizens Patrol.
Aiken was breaking the
law by parking across
handicap stripes and parking
space. It was at 3 in the af-
ternoon, and he was
unloading (I suppose) band
equipment. There were
other spaces to park (not
handicap). And man has
invented a device called a
dolly; he might try to figure
out how to use one to move
his equipment.
He suggested that I
should be in Baghdad issu-
ing citations for littering. On
9/11 I tried with many other
vets, but was turned down
because of my age. I am 62.
I am a proud Vietnam vet,
with three Bronze Stars and
other medals. In 1966 and
‘67 I did not see Aiken, but
if he was there, thank God
he made it home.
Across the street at Ster-
ling bank, people were get-
ting money out of the ATM
for lunch (at Nacho
Mama’s) where he was
blocking the handicap
space. Now they will never
eat there because of the con-
duct of him and his friends
conduct. They are proud
parents of a son in Iraq, so
Aiken and his voiceless
friends should remove their
feet before yelling.
Toler seems to write off
forest industry, she feels
From Jennifer Phillippi
Rough & Ready
Lumber Co.
Cave Junction
I was astonished to see
Josephine County Commis-
sioner Dave Toler’s recent
guest opinion coming out
against the Bureau of Land
Management’s preferred
forest harvest plan.
With less than one year
of the timber safety net re-
maining, we face the loss of
funding for law enforcement,
libraries, health care and
public works. We count on
our commissioners to look
out for our county’s eco-
nomic and social well being,
and the BLM preferred Al-
ternative 2 provides a much-
needed opportunity to stabi-
lize our county.
Toler’s position on the
place of timber harvest in
our county’s economy is
markedly at odds with three
other prominent voices
heard recently.
Grants Pass Daily Cou-
rier editor Dennis Roler did
an excellent job describing
the need for a diversified
local economy. Roler, in
agreement with Toler,
points to health care and
service jobs as important
components of a robust
economy. But where the
two diverge is in the role
forestry should play in creat-
ing economic resiliency.
Roler points out the
need to protect existing jobs
in the forest sector and
hopefully add to them. He
notes that given the vast
forest tracts in the county,
the forest industry can, and
should still, contribute sig-
nificantly.
Harvard Business
School’s Dr. Michael Porter
corroborates the view Roler
holds. Porter told the 2006
Oregon Business Leadership
Summit that Oregon’s com-
petitive advantage for eco-
nomic growth in the global
economy is its potential to
combine unique strengths in
abundant natural resources
with capabilities in high-
technology, higher educa-
tion, and its tradition of
strict environmental stan-
dards. Porter believes that it
is a mistake, for example, to
think of forestry and high-
tech as separate or compet-
ing clusters.
The third voice endors-
ing forestry’s place in Ore-
gon’s economy is that of
Gov. Kulongoski. In a re-
cent letter to several eastern
Oregon counties, the gover-
nor offers support relevant
enough to warrant substan-
tial inclusion here. He says:
“News reports of mill
closures in Harney, Grant
and Wallowa counties are
deeply troubling to me …
any Oregonian who values
the diversity and independ-
ent spirit of our state should
be equally troubled. The
wood products industry has
been and continues to be a
major industry in Oregon
and we must do more to
ensure that the raw material
with which we have been
naturally blessed continues
to be harvested, in a predict-
able, competitively priced,
sustainable and ecologically
sensitive fashion.”
In conveying his dis-
tress at the loss of 200 jobs
in a region of 22,000 people,
the governor describes the
often-overlooked contribu-
tions of rural counties, a
subject close to my heart:
“The social fabric and
health of rural Oregon com-
munities must be protected,
and I am committed to
(Continued on page 3)
We make one-of-a-kind llama felt
hats for men & women
Have You Tried One On?
COME SEE THEM
Fawn & cream marble Fedora
with wide brim & leather band
At the S.O.G. Gallery in Kerby
At Shop River Rock in
Grants Pass
Illinois Valley News
Cave Junction
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Some clouds with
rain late
High--64 Low--40
Thursday, Oct. 4
Cloudy, cooler &
chance of rain
High--58, Low--37.
Friday, Oct. 5
More sun & warming
High--64, Low--33
Saturday, Oct. 6
Proliferation of
sunshine
High--72, Low--40
Sunday, Oct. 7
Some sun
High--74, Low--39
Monday, Oct. 8
Morning clouds and
afternoon rain
High--69, Low--39
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Returning sun,
evening showers
High--65, Low--37
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
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