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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, April 2, 2008
CJ’s Art Walk will feature
Bittersweet Canyon author
(Editor’s Note: Laur-
ence A. Cushing will be sign-
ing his novel, Bittersweet
Canyon, at the Book Ex-
change and Tea Cozy in
Cave Junction’s Western
Plaza during Second Friday
Art Walk - Friday, April 11,
from 5 to 8 p.m.)
* * *
For anyone with an inter-
est in history, genealogy or a
candid, colorful story, Bitter-
sweet Canyon is a must-read.
In his first novel, Grants Pass
author and retired judge Laur-
ence A. Cushing weaves a
multigeneration tale of
family, life, and the brutal
challenges faced by Oregon
pioneers.
Cushing’s narrative style
is remarkably reflective of the
times he describes. The
thoughts and actions of a
World War II U.S. Navy lieu-
tenant commander are power-
ful and contemporary. Yet,
when Cushing reaches further
back in time to rural Ireland,
the reader can vividly imag-
Ag boosts state
Oregon’s agriculture
industry is directly and indi-
rectly linked to $25.8 billion
in sales of goods and services,
accounting for 10.6 percent of
the statewide total, according
to a report just released by
Oregon State University at
Corvallis.
The report is the first
since 2000 to assess agricul-
ture’s economic ripple effect
on the state. It found that Ore-
gon’s agriculture industry
directly or indirectly sup-
ported 214,511 full- or part-
time jobs, making up 10.1
percent of total positions.
IVHS Activities Calendar
Brought to you by the folks at
592-3556
Cave Jct.
469-7545
Brookings
471-7487
Grants Pass
773-7487
Medford
THURSDAY, APRIL 3
* Track Co-ed @ Rogue River
Tri Meet
* Smile to RCC 8:15 a.m.
* Apire to OSU 11:30 a.m.
* Freestyle Wrestling
3:30 p.m. (wrestling room)
SATURDAY, APRIL 5
* Track Co-ed @ Medford
Relays
* Girls Golf Fundraiser @ The
Senior Center 7:45 a.m.
serving breakfast
* Girls Softball vs Philomath
Varsity: 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
* Boys Baseball vs Philomath
Varsity: 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
* Honor Society Fundraiser
Stand Up Comedy @ Taylor’s
MONDAY, APRIL 7
* Academic Masters
Preliminary Contest 6:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, APRIL 8
*JV Boys Golf to Dutcher Crk
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
* Freestyle Wrestling
3:30 p.m. (wrestling room)
* Girls Softball @ Hidden Vly
Varsity: 4:30 p.m.
* Boys Baseball vs Hidden Vly
Varsity: 4:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
* Fish Watch to Glendale
8 a.m.
ine the landscape or a life of
poverty there, as the writing
almost takes on a brogue.
Likewise, the author
catches the tenor of the immi-
grant experience in teeming
cities like Boston and Chi-
cago. When his characters
make their way across country
to take up ranching in Oregon,
his narrative develops a
down-to-earth quality that tells
the story of courageous, un-
pretentious people struggling
-- and coping -- with life and
its pains.
Cushing looks at those
pains frankly. He writes of
poverty, sexuality, isolation,
exploitation and the struggle
to survive.
In a nonjudgmental man-
ner, he recounts people’s
methods of dealing (and not
dealing) with these chal-
lenges. Found within these
absorbing pages are the saga
of influential relatives cover-
ing-up the gang rape of a so-
cially inept teen-age girl, re-
sulting in her suicide; the
cross-generation conse-
quences for a family after
disowning a young pregnant
daughter. Also included is the
inherited history of what to-
day might be diagnosed as
clinical depression or bipolar
disorder, but what then was
an agonizing family “curse.”
Cushing portrays people
willing -- in fact, eager -- to
exert power over family
members and neighbors alike;
including land grabs and fore-
closures.
Bittersweet Canyon is a
morality tale. A tribute to the
amazing resilience of the hu-
man spirit, the book rein-
forces the belief that good
does, indeed, win over evil in
the end. It is also a powerful
love story. Bittersweet Can-
yon is an exciting, compelling
and unique opportunity to
experience Oregon history. I
highly recommend it.
-Olivia Taylor-Young
The Just Love Quartet,
including three I.V. resi-
dents, performed uplifting
and jazzy arrangements of
sacred music Sunday,
March 30 at Immanuel
United Methodist Church in
Cave Junction. Tim Wal-
lace plays saxophone, flute
and piano and joins in on
vocals. Songwriter Elisa-
beth (Libby) Goines plays
guitar and piano, and har-
monizes with Michelle Le
Compte. Le Comte plays
guitar and lends her voice
to the performance.
Grants Pass resident, John
Trujillo, plays electric bass.
(Photo submitted)
Kristy Lee no ‘idle’ threat
Kristy Lee Cook’s
American Idol performance
on Tuesday, March 25 at last
satisfied the critical judge
Simon Cowell, which had the
young singer from Selma
beaming.
God Bless the USA was
described as the most clever
song choice Cowell had heard
in years. He added that it
“was her best performance by
a mile and that was going to
keep her in the competition.”
Judge Paula Abdul
called it “a very poignant and
respectful song” and noted
that Cook’s voice is sounding
much stronger.
The show included Larry
& Carlene Cook reminiscing
how Kristy started singing
when she was 2, as the TV
screen panned to a video of
the little girl singing her fa-
ther/daughter song, Kristy.
“We used to travel quite
a bit, and Kristy would al-
ways sing in the car,” said her
dad. “She wouldn’t stop, and
the other kids would tell her
to shut up, and I said, let her
sing -- someday she may be
something.”
Kristy laughed and ad-
mitted that, “I definitely got
on their nerves, but I don’t
annoy them now, which is
good. They’re going to have
to keep begging me to sing if
they want to hear me now. I
turned the tables on them.”
Kristy captured the hearts
of America with her patriotic
song, as she is now in the top
nine contestants in season
seven of American Idol.
-Zina Booth
Saturday, April 5th
1 - 4 p.m.
FREE Make & Take
When you know you are doing
your very best within the circumstances
of your existence, applaud yourself.
- Rusty Berkus -
in Illinois Valley, which will be the goal of a
Forestry Action Committee
The monthly meeting will be held Thurs- free hike on Saturday, April 5.
day, April 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Cave Junction at
Parents are encouraged to bring children 10
the Butler Bldg. in the lower compound of the and older. Instructional flower identification bro-
forest service complex.
chures prepared by Siskiyou Project ecologist
Public participation is welcome at all meet- Rich Nawa will be given to all children attend-
ings, held on first Thursdays. For more informa- ing.
tion phone 592-4098.
This easy 2-mile hike is on flat ground.
Hikers are to meet at 1 p.m. at the west end of
American Legion
Ray’s Food Place parking lot in Selma.
Auxiliary Unit 28
A fund-raising dinner to benefit sponsor-
Rogue Valley Rose Society
ship of Grants Pass students to Girls State will
Plants and assorted garden items will be
be held Friday, April 4 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at available on Saturday, April 19 from 9 a.m. to
the American Legion Hall in Grants Pass, 206 noon at the American Legion Hall, 206 N.W. F
S.W. F St.
St., in Grants Pass.
The menu will consist of
pork roast, mashed potatoes
and gravy, vegetables, salad, Now Serving Mexican Breakfast
and homemade dessert.
The public can attend.
Featuring: Huevos Rancheros,
There will be drawings and
Chorizo, Breakfast Burritos
prizes.
Siskiyou Project
Sundays & Mondays
Spring has sprung in S.W.
beginning at 8:30
Oregon, and there are few local
places offering a better chance
to experience the abundance of
131 N. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction
wildflowers than Mike’s Gulch
Come see our llama felt hats
and other things at
The Guild Gallery
In the RCC Belt Building
Shop River Rock
in Grants Pass, or
At the Farm 592-6078
White works for spring and winter .
1st Anniversary Party
Raffles
Refreshments
Mention this ad
for
335 S. Redwood Hwy.
25% OFF
Next to Michelle’s
one item