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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, August 5, 2009
This was the week that you were going to hear about a
book I just finished. Written by Michael Perry, the title is
Population: 485. The subtitle is, Meeting Your Neighbors
One Siren at a Time.
It is a fine work, full of humor and pathos, keen insights
and wonderful descriptions and common sense philoso-
phy. But I’m not going to write about it until next issue.
This week you are going to be regaled with more infor-
mation than you need about a recent family visit. Yes, our
daughter, Vicki, and girls Natalie and Ella, 6 and 4, came
to Illinois Valley for a 10-day visit. We had great times.
They arrived at
Rogue Valley Medford
International Airport
(big name, that), and
we went from there to
the Medford Railroad
Park. Even though the
visiting trio, who live in
San Diego County, had
arisen quite early that
morning, they weren’t
tired. Yet.
So off we went to
one of my favorite
spots, as I am a long-
time railroad aficionado
(nut). They rode one of
the miniature trains
twice; I only went once,
as I wanted to take
photos of them on the train. From there we went to a res-
taurant for a late lunch, and then home to Cave Junction.
Actually, a lot of the visit is blurry because, well be-
cause we’re out of shape for keeping up with our baby
daughter (she turned 41 in May), and the grandbabies.
They like to be active. But I know that we had good out-
ings, because. Just because.
For example, we’ve lived in Oregon almost 30 years,
but because of their visit, I took my first Rogue River raft
trip with them and our son, Mike, and granddaughter, Kim.
It was a wet and wild outing. Fun too. We went to Oregon
Caves National Monument, a spot I hadn’t visited for a few
years. It was a
good tour,
quite enjoy-
able.
We had
many meals
together; Vicki
cooked for us.
We went on a
long walk in-
volving Jubilee
Park, the track off N. Old Stage Road, and that wine street
area in the Hanby Lane neighborhood. We went to one of
the Illinois Valley Chamber Concerts in the Park. In fact,
Natalie drew the winning ticket, and the woman who col-
lected the cash gave her three bucks. That was nice.
Ella collected many treasures: rocks, sticks and bottle
caps. She and her sister colored many pictures for us. We
watched the Sponge Bob Square Pants movie for the 89th
time. They went to a movie in Grass Pants while I had a
medical appointment. And they swam in Illinois River near
the green bridge out Eight Dollar Mtn. Road.
We went to McCaleb Ranch Scout Camp out Illinois
River Road. Quite a trip that, but beautiful scenery.
And all too soon, our guests had to return home, as
their husband/daddy unreasonably wanted them back. We
reluctantly took them to the Medford airport. Now we can
hardly wait ‘til they return in December.
(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.
Chickens: Why not?
From Linda Schluter Tedder
Cave Junction
In reading about the issue
of people being able to have
chickens on their properties,
it’s very interesting.
These are hard times, and
for some to be able to raise
chickens for food is a great
idea. Why not, if you have
the right-sized lot, make the
accommodations for at least
five chickens? I mean, if you
are living on at least an acre.
why not?
There must be rules set
and abided by. This is not an
easy venture. Fact is, many
people would think twice
before starting their own
“Chicken Little Emporium.”
Yes, they have issues with
chickens in Los Angeles,
cock fights for instance, al-
though that won’t be a real
issue in Cave Junction.
But the arrogance of
someone saying, “If you want
chickens move to the coun-
try,” “the status quo has been
set and no reason to change
it.” Makes ya’ want to go out
and start pricing coops. There
are many people in this valley
who are educated enough to
be able to teach how to raise
and care for chickens. It’s
quite an endeavor. Not one to
be taken on in a whim. Like
child rearing -- let’s not get
started on that one.
I patrol the streets of
Cave Junction, and what is a
real issue is not “chickens,”
but the urban junkyards some
people have for property.
Junk cars, broken toys, old
strollers, trash cans that never
get taken in, almost Third
World looking.
People should be able to
use their properties for how
they see fit to take care of
themselves and their families,
and a few chickens for food is
a good idea. But you need to
know what you’re doing.
will not allow the defendants
or their counsel to inform the
jurors of their true power.
In 1780, John Jay, first
Chief Justice of the U.S. Su-
preme Court, wrote, “The
jury has the right to judge
both the law as well as the
fact in controversy.”
“The jury has the power
to bring a verdict in the teeth
of both law and fact.” (Oliver
Wendell Holmes U.S. Su-
preme Court Justice, 1902).
“...In all criminal cases
whatever, the jury shall have
the right to determine the law,
and the facts under the direc-
tion of the court as to the
law ...” (Article 1, sec. 16,
Oregon State Constitution).
We have also lost our
right to a jury of our peers
and our right to counsel of
our choice; two rights speci-
fied in the U.S. Constitution.
The tragedy: There is no
one to file a grievance with.
Only agencies run by attor-
neys or judges.
Our federal government
is rewarding corporations
whose greed and insatiable
thirst for wealth (at the peo-
ples’ expense) has led to their
insolvency. Their claim: It is
the only way to save the
American and international
economy. Our states and the
people are losing their sover-
eignty. The people, including
me, have no hope in stopping
the destruction of America.
We have failed at being vigi-
lant. We will eventually lose
our liberty.
Eroding our rights
From George Lee McElroy
Cave Junction
It seems that my letter
about losing our right to
travel in our automobiles and
being forced to surrender this
right for a licensed privilege
has unleashed some dark
forces against me. The foun-
dation of my beliefs has to do
with the loss of rights.
I was recently in court and
witnessed another right we the
people have lost. The judge, on
two separate occasions in-
structed the jury: “The jury will
judge by the law as I define it to
them even if they do not agree
with it;” and “The jury must
follow the law whether they
agree with it or not.”
Our founding forefathers,
knowing that self-serving peo-
ple would enter government
and institute laws oppressive
to those God-given rights re-
tained by the people, provided
juries with authority to judge
the law as well as the facts.
At the time of the adop-
tion of the Constitution, the
jury’s role as defense against
political oppression was un-
questioned in American juris-
prudence. Today the courts
Poetry at the
Oregon Caves Chateau
From Lyn Berry
Cave Junction
Our community has a
great opportunity that it
seems many are missing. I’m
speaking of the appearance
(free of charge) each
Wednesday evening this sum-
mer, as part of the Caves
Chateau anniversary celebra-
tion, of local David Hodges.
He has a wonderful talent of
reciting/reading poetry. He
makes the words come alive!
I’m sure many of you
would really enjoy this but do
not know it is happening,
even though there have been
a few short mentions of it in
the paper.
So I’m writing this to
thank David for sharing his
talent with us and to thank the
Chateau for offering this. (It’s
a lot better than any of the TV
shows!) I sure hope many
will participate in the weeks
to come.
Pool an asset
From Celine Martens
Cave Junction
It breaks my heart to see
that our beautiful swimming
pool facility and parking lot is
in such a state of affairs.
I moved to this town nine
years ago to teach swimming
in that pool. For four sum-
mers in a row I devoted my
life to be the best instructor I
could be. I have attended pool
committee meetings, both
formal and informal, to get a
consensus on what the atti-
tude is toward our facility.
When my children at-
tended public grade school,
part of the physical education
curriculum required every
child to learn to swim in the
small-town, covered, indoor
pool. The YMCA pool and
our pool are the same design
and size. At last I understood
that our pool was under the
care of the YMCA.
Our pool provided jobs
for our youth, important skills
for young children. As I
watch the swimmers on Sat-
urday morning on NBC,
(Continued on page 3)
16th Annual
Over 100 Artisans
Fine Arts & Crafts
Aug. 15 & 16, 2009 • 10 am-5 pm
On the Boardwalk
Port of Brookings Harbor, Oregon
E Admission • Parking • Shuttle
FRE Demonstrations • Entertainment
Children’s Art Corner
874010
541-469-7120 • www.artfestcoast.com
Named “Best Fine Arts Festival” in 2006 & 2008
Oregon Festival & Events Association
NO PETS IN FESTIVAL AREA
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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
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Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net or newsdesk@illinois-valley-news.com
Volume 72, No. 21
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