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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2009)
Page 2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, April 1, 2009 Some out there will not believe this, but I’m actually going to write about something I’ve not touched on before. That’s right, this is a never-before-told story. Ready? Here goes. Once upon a time in a far distant galaxy ... No, that’s not it. How about, I was born in a log cabin and had to chop wood when I was only 3 ... Nah, that’s been done. All right, here’s the real tale: It was a brisk morning with a bright sun, and the mountain air was clear and crisp. It was a fine time for a walk, so off I went from a bed-and- breakfast inn located in a Northern California small town. There’s nothing like striding vigorously to keep the ol’ ticker in shape, and to see the sights you’ve not seen be- fore. Besides, being in a strange town (strange in that it’s all new to you) can be an eye-opener. And such locales often offer many good opportunities for photography. Sunlight filtering through the pines, firs and occasional oaks in the vicinity gave me a good feeling. It’s a quiet set- tlement with a “downtown” consisting of approximately six blocks on two streets containing a mix of commercial and residential uses. Some newer structures stand amid the more venerable buildings, a few looking as though they date to the 1800s. Either that or I’ve seen too many black- and-white movies. There’s also a completely residential neighborhood, so I had plenty of walkin’ room. At any rate, there I was, meandering at a good pace and feeling like a happy tourist, when I encountered a fel- low walker. He was older than I by several years, but he was a fast walker and a good talker. We fell into step to- gether at a corner, said “Hello” and “Good morning,” and exchanged names. His name was Walter, and he had lived in the town for many years. As we walked he pointed out various buildings: a for- mer church, where he and his late wife were wed, but she died a few years ago after 52 years of marriage; he noted a large structure he said was originally a bakery that be- came a breakfast hut that became a pizza parlor, and now the place is closed. Windows are broken, and the porch is falling down. Our walk continued, sometimes on the sides of asphalt streets with weeds coming up through the cracks, and sometimes on concrete sidewalks with sparkly stuff. Walter noted the city hall, a tiny building open three days a week; a couple of new motels; two greasy spoon cafes; a sort-of ritzy restaurant that offers steak and pizza; and several rustic barn-like buildings. In fact, a couple of them actually are used as barns, although Walter said it’s not like it used to be when horses and carriages were in the majority. Eventually we neared one end of town with a knoll which had a white-painted split-level structure as its princi- pal feature. Walter said it housed the town medical clinic, and that it once served as the medical facility for all the loggers who used to work in the area. He was going to have his blood pressure checked, and to see if some heart medication had come in. We shook hands, and split company as comrade marchers. I hope Walter is doing well; he struck me as a man of honor with a head for history. Attention Golfers! Illinois Valley Golf Course is OPEN for Business With an all-volunteer workforce, the course is looking great! Support your local golf course and GOLF ALL DAY for $10 $10 green fee valid through April 30. 592-3151 Illinois Valley News www.illinois-valley-news.com An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-publishers: Bob & Jan Rodriguez Editor-in-Chief: Michelle Binker 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 P.O. Box 1370 USPS 258-820 Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330 Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net or newsdesk@illinois-valley-news.com Volume 72, No. 3 Staff: Zina Booth, Brenda Encinas, Scott Jorgensen and Millie Watkins Advertising sales: Kenny Hix Website design and maintenance by Ashgrove Visual Arts Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter- writers.) * * * Typed, double-spaced letters are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double- spaced and legible also can be considered. “Thank you” submissions are not ac- cepted as letters. Dangerous crosswalk From Lloyd Franklin Cave Junction I live at Hopeful Rancho on Takilma Road, and I have a complaint for the Cave Junction City Council or whoever, before something drastic happens. I do volunteer work at the Illinois Valley Senior Center Thrift Shop in Down- town CJ three days a week. Many times I use the cross- walk, where you would think people would stop, but they don’t. I have nearly been hit several times, along with the workers who help me. I would like to see a cau- tion light or stop light put in the drainage by the crosswalk by Taylor’s Country Store and the thrift shop. The reason I am com- plaining is I would like very much to see something done before someone gets killed. Susan Chapp Forestry Action Committee (FAC) Cave Junction FAC’s volunteer weed group is making plans to start the obnoxious weed pull col- lective for the spring. As you might know, there are several invasive plants running wild through our valley, and you may have heard that some folks are doing something about it. The star thistle was our main target last year. We will be monitoring the four sites we cleared, hunting up new ones and continuing our pol- icy of educating land holders to keep this particularly inva- sive plant from spreading. During this season when the ground is damp, we urge land owners to pull some of the broom plants that seem to be everywhere. They pull up so easily when they are young. Medium ones can be lifted with the dig of a shovel. For the bigger ones, a weed wrench can be borrowed from FAC. The damp ground makes it possible to get the roots. Broom, an evergreen, is the green of fir. It has tiny leaves, but mostly all stems. It grows to 5 feet and more. People used to make brooms out of it and a bunch of it all together looks like a witch’s broom. In the spring it has pretty yellow or orange pea flowers. The pods look like pea pods, but are thinner and turn brown in the fall. It has a lot of volatile oil so as brush it burns quick and hot and can be a fire danger. Left undisturbed it spreads and becomes very thick, tak- ing over. This time of year and into early spring, when the ground is wet, is a good time to pull this plant. Knapweed is all browned stems and seeds now standing 2 to 3 feet tall. The new green leaves are close to the ground. Digging them now is easier than when they get big. Get- ting a few out on a nice day when the gardening bug has bitten you helps keep them in check. They can become a terrible problem if you don’t stop them. We aren’t experts at all this. We are interested in any- one who wants to share what they are doing in this field. We will be planning and or- ganizing to start pulling again and need people to help. It’s not hard work and it’s very healthy. We go out one morning a week when the weather is fair and work to- gether a few hours pulling invasive plants. For more information phone 592-4098. Airport lease resolved From Jack McCornack Cave Junction I hope I didn’t sound like a smart aleck last week when I said, “I may just send them a check for the full amount they demanded.” It’s not as though refusing to pay our rent at the airport is an option. The option was, the county commissioners had offered to credit my company (McSquared Design) with the money we’d spent on the building to date, but it was only 600 bucks or so total. “A dollar here and 20-cents there,” to quote Airports Manager Alex Grossi. Our reduced rent was contingent on the county’s satisfaction, and my only contention (well, other than why had it taken Josephine County 15 months to discover it was unsatisfied) was: If I use a dollar’s worth of caulk to stop a $100 leak, how satisfied is the county? The answer is, a dollar’s worth, which was a bit of a surprise to me. I knew when I signed the lease that Josephine County could set the “satisfaction” bar where it saw fit, and I knew Grossi finds me unsat- isfying in many respects, and I feel my retroactive rent of $1,786 is going to a good home (the Josephine County coffers). Also, I’m confident that the county will spend it wisely. The $80 a month rent increase is a bargain, now that we’re released from the obli- gation to do the building maintenance. It was costing McSquared more than that in materials and labor, anyway. Also, I understand the county’s quandary: how does one value volunteer labor? Should McSquared be cred- ited for work accomplished by a crew whose only reward was lunch and the satisfaction of a job well done? When we spend a hundred bucks on hamburgers, should that count toward our mainte- nance budget? Well, appar- ently not, but that in no way diminishes our appreciation for the many people who vol- unteered, or worked for a reduced rate, to help us keep this historic building on its feet. I agree with the county legal counsel, Steve Rich, who observed that, “There’s been woefully little done to restore that building.” But I think it reflects the previous 18 years of county neglect (and we were paying full price for rent during the last five of those let-it-rot years) more than the latest 22 months. And though we’re returning the building to the county in better shape than we found it, it still needs a lot of help. On the bright side, since our lease issue was settled (yes, we paid the money and our check cleared), the com- missioners have approved an offer from the National Smokejumpers Association to send a crew this summer to give the building a major renovation. They will donate their time, and will be work- ing with donated materials, and though the retroactive rent thing took a big bite out of the money McSquared had committed to them, we’ll be doing what we can. I hope everyone who supports the preservation of our airport and its history will help wel- come the smokejumpers back to the valley, and will appre- ciate how they’re choosing to spend their summer vacation. As for Grossi, I have no hard feelings regarding the retroactive rent raise. We have our differences (mostly about safety issues, a few about maintenance) but I rec- ognize that he’s the boss out here, and if I’d wanted him to go easier on me personally, I could have quit telling him how to do his job (and occa- sionally doing it for him) years ago. He has quite a lot to deal with, managing two county airports (here and Merlin) and the many airport tenants and users who dis- agree with him about this or that, and managing the mil- lions of dollars available from FAA grants. I wouldn’t do his job for triple what his prede- cessor at I.V. Airport was paid. Wants recognition From Debbie Wilson, NT & IDNT Licensed Nail Technician Cave Junction It is a shame that our local newspaper does not seem to have the time to at least mention all of the volun- teers who contributed their profession, time and money to the great kids during Ca- reer Day at Lorna Byrne Mid- dle School. This is the second year I have been asked to present my profession as a possible career, and the second time that our local paper has de- cided it not important to men- tion. I had such a wonderful time with the enthusiastic bunch. I took half of my work day off and presented a career in nail technology open to men and women. Pedicures and manicures. A profession necessary in our society for health, hygiene and appearance. A profession necessary to earn a license for. I told about licensed schools, curriculum, scholar- ships, grants and student loans. I presented a viewing of procedures, literature and magazines and creative arts and possibilities. I also had raffles for free manicures to enable encour- agement of caring for ones self and looking good. I also handed out 20 percent off cards for services to those who participated in hopes to again encourage doing some- thing healthful for them- selves. I answered many questions from the students. My profession and skills are based on helping others and is important. I wish our local newspaper would see it that way as well by at least a mention. I appreciate Lorna Byrne for believing that my profes- sion is important and for let- ting me work with some really great kids. 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 publisher’s discretion. Letters are used at the discretion of the publisher. Unpublished letters are neither acknowledged nor returned. A prepaid charge may be levied if a letter is inordinately long in the publisher’s 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. The Valley’s Tax Experts Has Joined Forces With... 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 illinois-valley-news.com The Nation’s Tax Experts Same Great Preparers & Same Great Service! 204 W. Lister St. Cave Junction, OR 541-592-3667 Say you saw it in the I.V. News
