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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, December 19, 2007
As Christmas Day nears, a memory stirs about a man
named Ted, a friend of ours who loved the meaning of Christ-
mas. He also was dying of leukemia.
Being ill did not slow him down much at first. He stayed ac-
tive in his church and around his home shop. Also, Ted had a
great sense of humor. He was one of those men who actually
had a twinkle in his eyes. And they especially twinkled when he
told jokes.
He enjoyed lots of funny stories. Some of them were what
you might say were “slightly off-color” or “blue.” Didn’t stop Ted,
even though his wife would chide him about his anecdotes. He
was known in his church for telling such jokes too, and no one
minded.
Ted was not a big man physically. He stood maybe 5-6 and
weighed perhaps 130 pounds soaking wet. As the leukemia pro-
gressed, he began to lose what weight he had. Still didn’t slow
him down much because he was huge in courage and character.
Especially around Christmas.
He thoroughly enjoyed playing Santa Claus. He came to our
home several times on Christmas Eve. He would don a traditional
Santa suit, and whiten his beard, which was black shot with gray. As
his wife was a cosmetologist, he had some help in that area.
We’d be in our living room, and there’d be the sound of
sleigh bells. We’d open the front door, and there would be a
hugely grinning Ted … I mean, cheerful St. Nick. He carried a big
sack over one shoulder, and would distribute gifts to our three
children. They always enjoyed his visits. He was so exuberant
that he radiated a spirit you could feel.
Came one Christmas, and Santa Ted was late. He eventu-
ally showed up, looking pale and wan. But still cheerful with his
wide grin, and with a funny story and gifts. His wife told us later
that he struggled mightily that night to become Santa. Everything
was becoming a struggle because of his illness.
But that Christmas Eve, despite his aches and pain he was
in as fine a form as he could be. He didn’t want to let our kids
down, or any other kids he would visit that night. He had a ten-
derness and a feeling for the part. It was the last time he made
his appearance as St. Nicholas.
He died some months later. We were saddened. But when-
ever I want to feel the happiness of the true Christmas spirit --
giving and sharing for others no matter what -- all I need do is
remember Ted, a right jolly old elf.
Hey, I think I just heard some sleigh bells ...
Tropical Island Tans
Salon & Boutique
JoAnn Scroggins, Owner
Hair by Renee
Nails by Kris
541-592-2510
131 Redwood Hwy.
Cave Junction
tropicalisle@frontiernet.net
Cave Junction
Wednesday, Dec. 19
Cloudiness with rain
and snow
High--44 Low--33
Thursday, Dec. 20
Snow flurries with rain
showers
High--42 Low--29
Friday, Dec. 21
Morning rain & snow
then clearing
High--44 Low--30
Saturday, Dec. 22
Chance of sun though
mostly cloudy
High--41 Low--35
Sunday, Dec. 23
Returning risk of rain
High--42 Low--39
Monday, Dec. 24
Some sunshine w/
night luster of mid-day
High--39 Low--37
Tuesday, Dec. 25
Cloudy with rain later
High--44 Low--36
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in O’Brien
by Cheryl & Harry Johnson.
*Fri.,
Dec. 7: 46, 34
*Sat.,
Dec. 8: 41, 33 0.01
*Sun.,
Dec. 9: 41, 30
*Mon., Dec. 10: 40, 27
*Tue., Dec. 11: 39, 24
*Wed., Dec. 12: 42, 27
*Thurs., Dec. 13: 42, 28
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall,
recorded in Cave Junction at
Illinois River Farm.
*Fri.,
Dec. 7: 47, 34 0.01
*Sat.,
Dec. 8: 44, 30 0.04
*Sun.,
Dec. 9: 42, 29 0.01
*Mon., Dec. 10: 42, 28
*Tue., Dec. 11: 43, 23 0.01
*Wed., Dec. 12: 48, 28
*Thurs., Dec. 13: 46, 25
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.
* * *
Recalling Tom Green
From Jen Berubee
Grants Pass
I knew Tom Green and
Tim Waddell and feel sick-
ened and as though I have
lost two friends of my family.
My heart goes out to every-
one affected by this tragedy.
My understanding is that
Tom Green was attacked prior
to Monday, Dec. 10. He was,
I have heard, told not to con-
tact the police “unless it was
an emergency.” Well, I guess
the sheriff’s office got its
emergency, didn’t it?
I understand hands are
tied and funds are low, but I
stand by my conviction
that “something can always
be done.” What will it take to
get a police presence in Cave
Junction?
In the years my family
has lived in Illinois Valley,
my sister’s business has been
robbed, my brother’s truck
was burned, my mother’s
truck was stolen and aban-
doned, and now a dear citizen
of this community is dead.
The sheriff’s office was
warned that Tom Green was
not safe, and did nothing. Is
Sheriff Gilbertson paying
attention now?
I cannot imagine Cave
Junction without Tom Green
walking around, asking,
“How are you this beautiful
day?” I can’t believe that a
young man, who was close
to my family, was capable of
such horror. I can’t believe
that two lives are wasted in
one moment.
We should all take a mo-
ment and let the ones we love
know we love them. And then
we need to demand action
from the sheriff’s office.
‘Tasteless reporting’
From Mary Guerra and
Arianna Guerra
Cave Junction
The coverage of the bru-
tal murder of Tom Green in
Illinois Valley News was
shocking. We didn’t person-
ally know Tom Green, but
had been graced by his
kindness by a friendly
“Hello” in town or a wave as
we drove by.
We thought he was the
friendliest person in town.
We was saddened by the loss
of his life when I saw his pic-
ture in the Courier, and real-
ized that he was “the friendly
man” who had waved at us
for years.
Then to actually be taken
to the scene of the crime by
I.V. News and to see Tom
lying on the street and read
the graphic details of his
death sickened us and our
family. Instead we would
rather have seen a nice pic-
ture of him to honor his life,
and we are sure we are not
the only ones.
This article in I.V. News
was not in good taste. We ask
I.V. News to stop this kind of
tasteless reporting.
Using community resources
From Guenter Ambron
Cave Junction
In Ken Stern’s Dec. 12
letter to the editor (Big Busi-
ness as usual), he asked if
there is someone who will
stand with us? Jill and I will,
and we have other friends
also who can help.
We were at two meetings
Wednesday, Dec. 12; the one
at the county building with the
commissioners about the I.V.
Airport and that evening at the
Selma Center regarding
BLM’s proposed Western
Oregon Plan Revision pre-
sented by Klamath Siskiyou
Wildlands and members of
our community.
I would really like to
share some of that informa-
tion, but I’m sure we’ll have
some wonderful coverage of
it in this issue.
I believe Barlow Rock
and these issues have much in
common. For example: 1. An
extensive amount of public
disregard, and lack of and
misinformation presented by
agencies and companies.
2. Extensive catering to
big business via political
pressure and unsavory meth-
ods. Red T-shirts reading
“Tax-em Toler coming to
your home soon,” were worn
by members of a real estate
company, and land develop-
ers. They looked quite child-
ish, and I kind of felt sorry for
them. 3. A consistent effort to
keep people divided among
themselves on important is-
sues concerning the welfare
of the their community and
economy. 4. Frequent short-
sightedness and exceptional
wastefulness of dollars and
resources.
What we can do is real-
ize that we have a great com-
munity in our valley, with
plenty of courage, will power
and wisdom. We can invoke
it; contact each other; and
meet as democratic-spirited
people can. My number is
592-2408. I have some edu-
cational and community-
oriented resources to share.
We are fortunate to have
a great paper that serves the
community and that isn’t tied
up with big media. A special
thanks to Bob and everyone
working at I.V. News.
‘Truth a good thing’
From Gloria & Bob Ziller
O’Brien
We are grateful to the
media, in general, for giving
fair exposure to the following
issues and to continue to shed
appropriate light on the real
perpetrators of the problem or
problems.
We are writing in re-
sponse to Robert Haber’s
Dec. 11 letter, and in support
of Olivia Taylor-Young and
Kirk Taylor.
We have had the pleas-
ure of getting to know them
all, and find them all of the
highest moral standards and
intellect. They are using their
time, energy and resources to
bear light on an unfortunate
set of circumstances at Cedar-
Brook Estates in Cave Junc-
tion. We feel that this situa-
tion affects many who live in
their community, and it is our
opinion that this collectively
puts them all at future risk of
potential structural deficien-
cies as well as personal health
problems.
Their situation is only the
tip of the iceberg, as it seems
problems like this are all too
common here in our Illinois
Valley. As for us, we always
are advocates for the truth.
We find it hard to compre-
hend that some in this com-
munity perceive Olivia and
Kirk as the problem: Nothing
could be further from the
truth.
It would make so much
more sense to be thankful for
their efforts to expose the
truth, and for their commu-
nity and neighbors to jump on
the bandwagon with them,
demanding that all these
problems be brought to light
and rectified.
I.V. Airport representation
From Cheryl Johnson
O’Brien
I attended the meeting on
Wednesday, Dec. 12 in Cave
Junction regarding the upgrad-
ing/downgrading of Illinois
Valley Airport. Afterward I
spoke with Commissioners
Jim Raffenburg and Dave
Toler.
I am writing to reinforce
my verbal comments to both
commissioners, and to share
my written comment with
Commissioner Dwight Ellis.
I’m imploring them to
appoint an I.V. Airport Board
to be a locus of discussion for
all matters pertaining to the
airport. It is unbelievable to
me that decisions are being
made concerning the airport
in our valley without over-
sight or input from a body of
knowledgeable/interested
people from the valley.
My suggestion is that
they appoint a five-member
board comprised of a repre-
sentative of the Siskiyou
Smokejumper Base; a pilot
who utilizes the airport regu-
larly (better if they could get
someone who currently stores
their plane at the airport); and
an ecological/environmental
representative.
Also, an I.V. business
owner; and a citizen-at-large
without ties of any kind to
any of the other four groups. I
know that there has been a
Illinois Valley News
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Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post Office as Official Newspaper for
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321 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523
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Volume 70, No. 40
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significant amount of infight-
ing and conflict with Alex
Grossi, county airports man-
ager. Whatever the reason,
allowing him (and only him)
to unilaterally decide (or rec-
ommend to the commission-
ers) the direction of our air-
port without input is uncon-
scionable.
If last week’s meeting
was “polite” then I would
hate to see what happens if
Alex is allowed to continue in
his autocratic manner.
I appreciate the commis-
sioners for having the meet-
ing in CJ. I certainly hope that
this is not the only manner in
which public will be allowed
to have a say in the future
development (or not) of our
valley resources. If that is the
case, then our commissioners
will be ignoring the knowl-
edge and good intentions of
valley residents who would
willingly volunteer their time
to be involved in the process.
Gravel and ‘Welcome’ signs
From D. Wallis
Cave Junction
Residents of the entire
Illinois Valley would do
themselves, the land and fu-
ture generations a great jus-
tice by demanding that a
meeting be held in Cave
Junction, and attend it, re-
garding Barlow Sand &
Gravel’s request to start ag-
gregate mining off Holland
Loop on what is now agricul-
tural land.
Mayor Tony Paulson has
agreed to the use of city hall
for such a meeting.
The damage to the land,
runoff, dust, and noise and air
pollutions from equipment
and gravel trucks is astound-
ing. I know, as I have lived
near such an operation. What
was, and is now agricultural
land, will not only be raided
and laid to rest, but become
an eyesore as well.
Roads traveled by these
heavy trucks are constantly
dusty and require regular re-
surfacing. This valley does
not need gravel trucks ruining
and polluting Hwy. 199 in
either direction.
Referencing the letters to
the editor from Marilyn Ar-
nold (Dec. 12) and the Wood-
wards (Nov. 28), I am in total
agreement regarding the
“Welcome to the Illinois Val-
ley” signs at the south and
north ends of the valley.
With all the talent, en-
ergy, kindness and generosity
in this valley, I see no reason
why the current signs cannot
be replaced by something
such as our natural valley
river rock and wood. We
have plenty of both resources.
Rich, rustic and simple would
naturally be conveyed to
every passerby.
I am willing to voluntar-
ily head a committee to get
this effort off the ground and
moving forward. I can be
reached at 592-6868.
(Continued on page 3)
3rd Annual Bridgeview Church
Community Christmas Dinner
FREE Food
FREE Gifts for Children É FREE Drawing for Prizes
Lots of FUN
Tuesday, Dec. 25, 1 to 5 p.m.
5181 Holland Loop Road, Cave Junction
Need a ride? We’ll pick you up.
To arrange a ride or for more information call 592-3923