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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (May 21, 2008)
Page 2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Stories and photos about guys and their cars could fill this newspaper for at least a year, especially with reminisc- ing about “The First Car.” I don’t like to think about my first car because it was a bomb. At least, it smoked like one that had exploded. It was The Car I Had To Have because when I turned 16 years old, California DMV decreed that I was eligible to drive by myself. My Dad didn’t think it was a good idea for me to use his car instead of me letting him use it for his job. I had been driving with a learner’s permit for six months prior. My first car was ‘52 Ford in which someone inex- plicably had installed a ‘54 Olds V-8 and three-speed automatic trans- mission. Unfortu- nately, the job had been done haphazardly. There were jag- ged edges, The Editor, (with hair) and his ‘55 Buick loose connections and lots of smoke. But dear ol’ Dad put out 500 of his hard- earned bucks for my first car. It was a fast machine. And I had three moving violations during the first four months I drove it to prove that. Eventually we got rid of the smokin’ thing, and Dad gave me his ‘55 Buick. This was around 1960, when he bought a new Chrysler. The Buick, a Special model with three portholes and a V-8, had something like 125,000 hard miles on it when he turned it over to me. But I was OK with that because it didn’t smoke. And I had no more repair bills because of too much Olds torque on a Ford axle. I also saved money on reclaimed oil which I poured into the engine, which seemed to swallow it and quickly spit it out. Another advantage was that the radio in the Buick worked all the time instead of sporadically. The Buick was living proof that unleaded gasoline worked fine. Dad, a pharmaceutical salesman whose pri- mary territory was Tijuana and Ensenada in Mexico, Baja California, bought 90 percent of his fuel from Pemex (Petróleos Mexicanos). The Buick ran fine with unleaded in its veins. Of course, when I became a teen-age cruiser, I used U.S. fuel that was leaded. Didn’t seem to make any difference in performance or mileage. Arggh. I just remembered that premium gasoline in my days cost like 30-cents per gallon; regular was a quarter. Once I got a hold of the blue-and-white machine with Rivera style body, I popped off the hubcaps and painted the rims black. Then I had overloads put on the rear to give “my car” a rakish look. I also painted the front wheel wells white, which was awfully corny, but I liked it. I “customized” it by removing the Buick “propeller” from the middle of the Marilyn Monroe front bumper, and put three small chrome things there. To use a phrase from those days, it was bitchin’. Or crazy, man! Oh, yeah, and I had dual exhausts with glass-pac muf- flers installed. You know how we teens liked the resulting roar and rapping. We were way cool. So I cruised San Diego County, stopping at various popular drive-in eateries. Some out there might remember the Oscar’s drive-in chain that was all over the place, or Louie’s Round-Up in Chula Vista. Lived on black coffee, french fries and onion rings, although sometimes I splurged on double-cheeseburgers and vanilla milk shakes. Or grilled fish sandwiches with heart of lettuce salad. Way cool. Now I’m driving a bit more sedately. Had to give up the fries and burgers, although I’m still cool. But that’s because I’ve lost most of the hair on my head. Concrete Remodel New Construction 592-6609 CCB 174891 By ED FEULNER ened by someone with a (Editor’s Note: Views The Heritage Foundation deadly weapon. and commentary, including “What could possibly go wrong?” And there are times statements made as fact, are That’s what members of Congress probably thought when they when no deputies are on duty, strictly those of the letter- began shoveling bigger subsidies at ethanol producers. Now, with so a call-out would take writers.) food riots erupting in some parts of the world, we have our answer -- awhile. * * * a lot. I applaud Mayor Tony Other factors -- a weak dollar, high energy costs, low crop yields Paulson and Sheriff Gil Typed, double-spaced in places such as Australia -- have played a role in this crisis. But Gilbertson for taking the letters written solely to this diverting food to fuel is clearly a contributor, and it exacerbates the “bull” by the horns and tell- newspaper are considered situation. ing it like it is. We have to be for publication. Hand- How serious is the problem? According to U.N. Secretary- ready to defend ourselves, not written letters that are dou- General Ban Ki-Moon, without emergency intervention, “We risk in a Wild West no-holds- ble-spaced and legible also again the specter of widespread hunger, malnutrition and social un- barred way, but in a reason- can be considered. “Thank rest on an unprecedented scale.” The world needs more food -- espe- able, legal way. you” submissions are not cially corn, large amounts of which are being used for fuel. Hopefully the meeting accepted as letters. People, of course, consume corn, and it’s in nearly every proc- about gun-use laws will be * * * essed food we buy. Livestock, too, feed on corn. Some chickens eat scheduled soon so that we 40 pounds of it in a matter of weeks. So a jump in the price drives up will have not only an armed Armed population prices in just about every aisle of supermarkets. Not surprisingly, the population, but one that is From Kimball Schell U.N. found that the market prices of cereals, dairy produce, meat, educated. Cave Junction sugar and oils rose 57 percent from March 2007 to March 2008. Although there are some There should be enough corn to go around. who feel that an armed popu- Assisted suicide? “Producers plan to plant 86 million acres of corn this year,” lation is a bit off the wall, it From Fred Krauss USDA reported in March. “While 7.6 million acres less than 2007, seems an appropriate measure Selma this would still be the second-largest area since 1949.” because the lack of deputies. Assisted suicide is legal But too little of that corn is used as food. A quarter of American In case of a threat to life, in Oregon with a prescription corn is turned into ethanol, and that amount is set to rise. Last year it’s possible that the nearest from a doctor. the federal government mandated that ethanol production grow five- official help could be miles I am wondering: If a per- fold by 2022. away. There could be a 30-to- son gets a prescription from a Sensibly, some lawmakers are moving to suspend that law, or 40-minute delay, and even if doctor to hire someone to even repeal it and the subsidies altogether. We can’t afford to keep a deputy is in the valley, it shoot them, would this be burning so much corn while people go hungry. could take 10 or 15 minutes considered legal suicide? The food crisis should surprise no one. When 25 percent of a to reach a scene. That’s for- Do any readers have an staple crop is taken off the table, shortages result. Just last year, two ever if you’re being threat- answer to this question? economics professors predicted the current food shortages. “By putting pressure on global supplies of edible crops, the illinois-valley-news.com surge in ethanol production will translate into higher prices for both processed and staple foods around the world,” wrote C. Ford Runge and Benjamin Senauer in Foreign Affairs. “Biofuels have tied oil and food prices together in ways that Grand Re-Opening Celebration could profoundly upset the relationships between food producers, Saturday, May 31, 9-6 consumers, and nations in the years ahead, with potentially devastat- Live Music by “Uncle John’s Band” 3-6 ing implications for both global poverty and food security,” the pair Food ~ Raffles ~ Door Prizes ~ Lots of Sales Racks wrote. Worse, at least one prominent scientist worries that ethanol pro- duction could hurt the environment it’s supposed to protect. “Biofuel from corn doesn’t seem very beneficial when you con- sider its full environmental costs,” according to Dr. William Laurance, a scientist with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Insti- tute. The $11 billion a year American taxpayers spend to subsidize corn producers “is having some surprising global consequences,” he says. That includes Amazon forests being clear-cut so that farmers can plant soybeans. Salon & Boutique Unfortunately the cornfield isn’t the only place where federal 131 Redwood Hwy. Cave Junction policy is causing troubles. Our country also is experiencing a short- 541-592-2510 tropicalisle@frontiernet.net age of wheat, partly because many wheat farmers have switched to corn, and partly because Wash- ington pays them -- whether they grow wheat or not. 5IF#SBOE:PV5SVTU During 1996 lawmakers passed “legislation allowing wheat growers for the first time to switch to other crops and still collect government subsidies. The result is that farmers re- ceived federal wheat payments FS 55 R last year on 15 million acres TRIMMER more than were planted,” re- ported The Washington Post. $ 95 Corn is the answer to our FS 45 TRIMMER food problems, not our fuel t7FSTBUJMF TUSBJHIU $ 95 problems. The World Bank TIBGUUSJNNFS estimates that the amount of t'PSDPOTVNFSPSMJHIU t-JHIUXFJHIU SFMJBCMF corn needed to fill the fuel tank EVUZQSPGFTTJPOBMVTF DPOTVNFSUSJNNFS of an SUV is enough to feed t'FBUVSFT5BQ"DUJPO ™ t$BOVTFOZMPOMJOFPS one person for a year. That’s a MJOF"650$65 ® IFBE 45*)-1PMZ$VU ™ IFBE tradeoff the world no longer t#JLF)BOEMFWFSTJPO can afford. BWBJMBCMF$239.95 Tropical Island Tans In a Full Line of Trimmers! GREAT 7"-6& 139 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 239 95 Sponsored by SISKIYOU COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER FS 90 R TRIMMER AVAILABLE DAILY *Cheese burger, hamburger, turkey & cheese sandwich, Chef or Mandarin chicken salad, cheese or pepperoni pizza, nachos. THURSDAY, MAY 22 *Daily Favorites Pasta with Marinara/meat sauce, beef & bean burrito, chicken burger, Hawaiian pizza, ham & cheese sand- wich, garden salad. FRIDAY, MAY 23 *Daily Favorites Nacho supreme, corn dog, hot dog, Polish dog, spicy chicken burger, fishwich, supreme or taco pizza, Italian sandwich, chicken Caesar salad. MONDAY, MAY 26 MEMORIAL DAY No Classes TUESDAY, MAY 27 *Daily Favorites Chicken fajitas, Rib-B-que sandwich, chicken burger, supreme pizza, roast beef & cheese sandwich, garden salad. WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 *Daily Favorites Taco salad, chicken or beef rice bowls, spicy chicken bur- ger, taco pizza, veggie sandwich, antipasto salad. 299 95 $ t4PMJEESJWFTIBGU PGGFSTFOEVTFSNPSF ýFYJCJMJUZJOUSJNNJOH BQQMJDBUJPOT t'FBUVSFTQBUFOUFE MPXFNJTTJPOTFOHJOF t#JLF)BOEMFWFSTJPO BWBJMBCMF$329.95 FS 130 R TRIMMER 399 95 $ t/FXDMBTTPGIFBWZEVUZ QSPGFTTJPOBMUSJNNFS t'FBUVSFTWFSZHPPEQPXFS UPXFJHIUSBUJPBOERVJDL TNPPUIBDDFMFSBUJPO t*ODMVEFTQSPWFO "650$65 ® DVUUJOHIFBE BOEMPXFSWJCSBUJPOGPS DPNGPSUBCMFPQFSBUJPO t#JLF)BOEMFNPEFM BWBJMBCMF$429.95 FINANCING FOR 90 DAYS ON STIHL PRODUCTS. APPLY TODAY! *Offer valid 3/15/08 - 6/30/08. Subject to credit approval. Minimum purchase of $149.00 required. See your participating dealer for rates and other terms. STIHL – 8,000 SERVICING DEALERS NATIONWIDE $PVOUPOVTGPS'SFF4FU6Qt3FMJBCMF"EWJDFt*O4UPSF1BSUTt5SBJOFE4FSWJDF5FDIOJDJBOT 4/8 DEADLINES: News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters $ 179 95 $ 592-4111 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 71, No. 10 Staff: Michelle Binker, Zina Booth, Brenda Encinas, Millie Watkins, and Sandy Gladish Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association MODEL AVAILABLE MODEL AVAILABLE - IVHS School Menu - 25647 Redwood Hwy Illinois Valley News 199 stihlusa.com Dave’s Outdoor Power Equipment 287 Hamilton Ave. Cave Junction 541-592-3416 davesope.com "MMQSJDFTBSF4/8431BUQBSUJDJQBUJOH EFBMFSTXIJMFTVQQMJFTMBTUª45*)-
