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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2008)
Page 2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, January 16, 2008 It is time to address an issue that concerns much of the population. It is a matter of grave concern. I am speaking, of course, about Vending Machine Abuse, or VMA as it is known by many. I first encountered VMA as a young guy working for Canteen Service in San Diego. It was (and still is) diffi- cult to imagine why someone would cause severe dam- age to an innocent vending machine, costing hundreds of dollars, because (1) the desired product failed to ap- pear after the buyer deposited his 10-cents (now 50- cents or more), (2) the wrong product fell into the slot, or (3) someone just felt like inflicting a major smash on a hunk of metal, plastic and glass that did not belong to them. The buyer was out only a dime, and one could always obtain a refund when the serviceman next made his rounds. Then there was the situation at Camp Pendleton where three candy machines at one location were con- tinually broken into. Persons unknown apparently were using rifle butts to smash the glass display fronts and remove the candy bars. Then they were able to infiltrate the innards of the machine, bust the shelves, and drop even more goodies. All without spending a dime. An arrangement was worked out with the camp pro- vost marshal. He coordinated with the medical office, and a certain substance was injected into the display items of the machines. Not long after, two men showed up at sick call with bad cramps. And the opposite condi- tion. Mystery solved. No more VMA there. Some might also have heard about irate persons grabbing the tops of beverage vending machines, espe- cially those that offer cans or bottles. Each piece of equip- ment weighs approximately 700 pounds. So it’s not a real good idea to yard on the top and get it off balance so as to make your beverage come down. Instead, the whole de- vice could come down. On you. Could be painful. When I worked in Brookings at the Curry Coastal Pilot, one of the most-constant expenses involved news- paper vending machines. People would steal them; break them open; take all the money (two bucks or so in quarters). Then they’d either smash the machine into handy chunks, or chuck the whole thing into the nearest river. I still can’t figure why anyone would commit VMA. OK-OK, it’s frustrating to “lose” some change. Espe- cially when you will shortly die without consuming a candy bar or gulping a soft drink. And who can handle the awful situation of desperately needing a cup of cof- fee, only to discover that no cup emerged, and your cof- fee is merrily coming out of the spout and down the drain. It’s enough to make a grown person cry. Especially when the vending company employees discover that you scratched some nasty words into the paint, or damaged the base by kicking it, or broke the plastic door. Then they cry. VMA must be abolished. Cave Junction Wednesday, Jan. 16 Mostly sunny, chilly at night High--50 Low--18 Thursday, Jan. 17 Sunny with clouds later High--45 Low--22 Friday, Jan. 18 Sunny High--48 Low--25 Saturday, Jan. 19 Continued clear and cold High--49 Low--25 Sunday, Jan. 20 Clod w/ bright sunshine High--48 Low--26 Monday, Jan. 21 Cloudy w/some sun High--51 Low--35 Tuesday, Jan. 22 Sunny w/ some clouds High--50 Low--34 Following are the high-and- low temperatures, and rainfall, recorded in O’Brien by Cheryl & Harry Johnson. *Fri., Jan. 4: 47 - 36 2.60 *Sat., Jan. 5: 38 - 35 1.02 *Sun., Jan. 6: 35 - 34 0.40 *Mon., Jan. 7: 40 - 33 0.51 *Tue., Jan. 8: 45 - 34 1.81 *Wed., Jan. 9: 40 - 35 0.79 *Thurs., Jan. 10: 51 - 39 0.55 Following are the high-and- low temperatures, and rainfall, recorded in Cave Junction at Illinois River Farm. *Fri., Jan. 4: 50 - 37 2.10 *Sat., Jan. 5: 38 - 32 0.98 *Sun., Jan. 6: 35 - 32 0.54 *Mon., Jan. 7: 39 - 29 0.44 *Tue., Jan. 8: 46 - 33 0.94 *Wed., Jan. 9: 40 - 34 0.53 *Thurs., Jan. 10: 54 - 38 0.18 illinois-valley-news.com 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. 44 Staff: Michelle Binker, Zina Booth, Josiah “Dirty Rat” Dean, Millie Watkins, and Tina Grow Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association 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. Gener- ally, 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 (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. * * * Horsemen not Backwoods From Terri Sullivan O’Brien I’ve been a member of Back Country Horsemen of America for years. As I ride a mule I’ve been called many things, but never a Backwoods Horse- men. BCH is an organization active in trying to preserve and maintain riding trails throughout the United States. Even through I’ve only been a member of the Sour- dough Chapter for a year, I’ve been impressed by the hard work that this local chapter of only 75 members has accom- plished. Work includes set- ting up the barn display at Kerbyville Museum; main- taining and preserving the horse camp at Sam Brown Campground; helping to re- build the horse corrals with a horse club in Crescent City; and showing up in force for a U.S. Forest Service public hearing on campground clo- sures. While I was pleased to see the article about our group on the front page of Illinois Valley News (Dec. 26, 2007) I wish that the newspaper would have called us: The Sourdough Chapter of Back Country Horsemen of Oregon, an Affiliate of Back Country Horsemen of America. Standing tall (and wet) From Dorothea Hover-Kramer Cave Junction As reported by radio and TV media, the peaceful rally held Tuesday, Jan. 8 in front of BLM’s Medford district office was well attended by more than 100 people despite blinding rain showers. For an hour, citizens ex- pressed their many concerns about the proposed Western Oregon Plan Revision (WOPR) with speeches, songs, and the handing over hundreds of petition signa- tures. Throughout, the atten- dees held the moral high ground with their willing hearts and umbrellas. Not so for BLM. Al- though an official, associate district manager, Mary Smel- cer, was present, those attend- ing were generally viewed with suspicion and disdain. Despite pounding rain, the building was locked, allowing no access even to a restroom. The tour bus with one group, and which had an available restroom, was relegated to park at a considerable distance from the gathering. Some attendees seeking shelter under the open breeze- way between buildings were summarily evicted; this in- cluded a representative of the press (Illinois Valley News). A yellow band was then placed around the breezeway to prevent any further entry. Of course, BLM security and Medford Police stood dry under the breezeway shelter. The right to assemble, especially when a public comment period is ending, in this case Friday, Jan.11, is a part of American democracy. Policies that affect all of us as neighbors of BLM should indeed be extensively re- viewed, studied and dis- cussed. One might wonder if BLM suspects that its propos- als are unpopular and there- fore seeks to insulate itself by use of power. One wonders if there is deep dysfunction af- fecting this public, tax- supported agency. It is my hope that future rallies can be met with more compassion for the men, women and children standing tall for democracy in torren- tial rain. I.V. Airport parameters From Ray H. Brewer Cave Junction I have read a letter or two decrying the forthcoming advent of 747s to the former Siskiyou Smokejumper Base at Illinois Airport with some amusement. I had a career with the FAA and worked in the N.W. Regional Office as an electri- cal/general engineer, and was the FAA manager of a com- mercial airport that couldn’t handle 747s (Boise, Idaho) because of runway height and length restrictions. With that in mind, it would be ludicrous to imagine taking a 4,800- foot asphalt runway (I.V.) and changing it to one 8,000 feet long with several-foot thick high-strength concrete plus a much greater width. Not to mention the apron area required for an airplane that size and the infrastructure to service it. How about the upgrade in lighting and elec- tronic landing systems? All of this for an unneeded use. I guess someone with the many millions of dollars re- quired could waste the money, but I doubt if the FAA Airport Division could justify the waste of resources when there are upgrades else- where that could really bene- fit someone. O&C and recession From Don J. Smith Cave Junction O&C is a bust; prepare for a severe recession. As I see it, BLM’s plan will not pass muster when it inevitably comes before a judge. BLM wants to increase logging under the Oregon & California Act to generate tax revenues. There are many reasons why I don’t think this plan will overcome a legal challenge. The most obvious is that protections for endangered species like salmon and for habitat like old-growth forests cover areas far beyond that of the O&C Act. And the laws to restore these species and forests apply to all these ar- eas, including O&C land. To apply different standards to O&C land that are weaker than for the larger protected areas simply isn’t legal. My hunch is that this will have turned out to have been a waste of time that succeeded only in dividing people. Proponents of O&C rules over national laws think that by pushing the issue they can get more logging and more taxes. They are not paying attention to economic reali- ties. Wholesale lumber prices are now half what they were a year ago. There simply is little market demand for lum- ber. That’s why area saw- mills are lengthening their temporary winter closures, and one should expect more closures in the future, some permanent. Demand for more log- ging doesn’t exist because the housing construction bust has taken hold and will continue for years. Way too many houses have been built, and housing prices will have to drop considerably to reduce the glut. Many are hoping that economic development in the valley can turn to tourism and recreation to replace resource extraction. They argue that while our nation is going into an economic slowdown, this is just a part of the business cycle and things will rebound, bringing in money to the val- ley from the leisure industry, if we only prepare for it. I’m afraid they are mis- taken. Our nation is likely going into a severe and long reces- sion. This is no typical busi- ness cycle. Not only are hous- ing foreclosures reaching a level not seen since the Great Depression, but credit card and auto loan delinquencies are rising. Commercial real estate is starting to slam against the wall, leaving one wondering what building speculators like Larry Osborn were thinking when starting a massive building project north of town at a time when the bust is just now beginning (Continued on page 3) Give your child the for future success! 2 pre-school openings for children 4 years & older 8:30 - Noon, 5 days per week. Christ-centered, loving, structured environment $125 per month includes tuition & curriculum 592-3896 Community Christian Academy, Est. 1974 Community Bible Church 113 S. Caves Ave., CJ The perfect weather for a llama felt hat… Snow Rain Wind (Sun’s OK too, if you can find any.) A variety of styles for men and women Come see a selection At the Ranch 592-6078 or The Guild Gallery at the Kerby Belt Building 592-5019 Due to the inability to get permits to produce aggregates in the Illinois Valley, we will be forced to import rock from sources elsewhere in Josephine and Jackson Counties. Our price for aggregate materials will have to increase to meet the cost. The price is per ton. CURRENT PRICE Road Base and Site Development Material $ 8 50 (crushed ¾ -0 and similar products) NEW PRICE $13 25 When we are able to secure aggregate sources in Illinois Valley, we will reduce our prices to prior levels. Call 592-3610 for prices on all other materials.
