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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 2013)
Page A-2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, August 28, 2013 the jail in the newly rented beds by the Grants Pass Public Safety Department (GPPSD) was a man caught stealing food. All the burglars who are running rampant through our neighborhoods must have taken off to the coast to avoid all the smoke. While not arresting meth and heroin dealers selling in broad day- By DAN MANCUSO, light, including one working out of a Publisher once green now white unlicensed util- ity pick-up truck that has been report- ed multiple times, three police officers had more important things to do. Many of you may have noticed that I’ve What was so important you ask? Well, been a little miffed at law enforcement late- they watched our wonderful fire department put ly. My reasons are many, so let me walk you out a grass fire on Krauss Lane, Tuesday, Au- through my thoughts and observations. gust 20. Taking it all in were Sheriff Gilbertson, The first person arrested and detained at Life in the Valley of Riches one of his deputies and a state trooper. They ap- parently had time to blast through town as they wanted the best seats for the fire. In doing so, they missed a few real crimes. This past Thursday, Gilbertson, along with other local sheriffs, held a press confer- ence where he cited some crime statistics. Bur- glaries, he said, have increased 1,594 percent in the last year. He went on to state that auto theft has increased 1,714 percent. According to the FBI, in 2011 Josephine County had 237 burglaries. In that same year, there were 70 auto thefts. Let’s put this into real numbers. According to Gilbertson, 3,777.78 homes have been broken into in the past 12 months. In all of Josephine County there are 34,646 homes. So, that means that 9.17 percent of households have had their home burglar- ized. Now, on to the auto theft. According to the sheriff’s figures, 1,199.8 vehicles have been reported stolen. Again, that’s up from 70? While these numbers seem staggering, what I find most intriguing is that I cannot name one person that I know who has had their home broken into or vehicle stolen. Many of you may be able to answer that differently, but I can’t. This goes along with the increase of crime in Grants Pass where they have 50 patrol of- ficers employed by the GPPSD. With all the crime, they arrest and detain a hungry man? If you look at a law enforcement’s actions and ig- nore the rhetoric, it really doesn’t make me feel like we have a crime problem at all. Have a great time this weekend at the An- nual Lions Labor Day Jubilee! Thanks for pick- ing up this week’s paper, enjoy! ~ djm A moment with Mary: By Mary Halvorsen The evenings are increasingly cooler, and orange some- times emblazons the sky in a show of warmth, before daylight melts into the hills. The last holiday of summer is upon us. To some it is simply another long weekend. To others, it signals a shift, a time to get back to routine. It means school buses slow- ing the morning commute, of thinking about wood for the stove, of maybe making one last trip to the swimming hole on a sunny afternoon with no crowds and no traffic. In town it is festival time, with three days of food, crafts, and Tuff Trucks. It’s a dunk tank and Lion burgers, softball and bingo, a greased pole and a Harley raffle, a kids train and a beer garden. It is Cave Junction’s big weekend, culminating in a pa- rade down main street Monday morning. “Labor Day Festival” isn’t actually the contradiction in terms it seems, with “labor” connoting “...those working for wages, physical or mental work, esp. of a hard fatiguing kind” and “festival” being defined as, “a periodic commemoration, an- niversary, or celebration.” It is known as “the workingmen’s holiday.” Ten thousand took unpaid leave to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City on September 5th, 1862, holding the country’s first Labor Day parade. In 1894 the holi- day became official, and a fight for breaks, days off, adequate ventilation and sanitation, and the prohibition of children work- ing the factories, mills, and mines ensued. To celebrate, or at least think about what this holiday is, seems worth taking a mo- ment for, in these waning days of vacation season. My thoughts run to my father. With nine children to sup- port, he went on strike in the 1960s against the city, for better wages, benefits, and safer working conditions for its firefighters, his With all who have come after, reaping the benefits of that struggle 50 years ago. A man of few words, he sat one evening, a few years after the strike, at the round, wooden table in our en- closed back porch, listening to my twenty-something friend. She was dismissing how she had crossed the picket line at the phone company where she was employed, explaining that she had rent and bills; that her going broke wouldn’t prove anything. I had turned to follow her down the stairs and out to the driveway, when I heard my father breathe the word “scab,” a term I had never heard him use. She didn’t hear it, but I turned and looked back at him sitting there, for just a second, before closing the door behind us. The sun goes down earlier, temperatures gradually drop, and leaves on the tips of some branches are no longer green. To compensate, the days close in faded red, streaking the western sky, and leaves turn bright yellow overnight. Change is inevita- ble, and some is hard won. It is good to have a history of people who are not afraid to fight for it. As we mill around the small festival that is big for our town, we can “commemorate the anniversary” of that first Labor Day 109 years ago, then turn towards the tuff trucks, buy a chance at a Harley, eat a Lion burger, and hop the train to the beer garden. Work can come later. Obituaries Joan Marie Robinson, age 78 , of Cave Junction, died Fri- day, August 16, 2013 at Three Rivers Medical Center with her family gath- ered around her. A gathering of family and friends will be announced at a later date. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements. Please sign the family guest book at www.since1928hull.com. Joan was born April 8, 1935 in Santa Monica, California to Marie & William Lindsay. She grew up in Josephine County Oregon and gradu- ated high school in Hawaii. For 30 years she was married to Theron Robinson. She worked hard all of her life first in bookkeeping and later as a U-Haul Dealer. She was a born again Christian and a wonderful ex- ample to everyone she knew. She will be dearly missed. In 1978 she moved from Coeur d Alene, Idaho to Cave Junction. For 20 years Joan and Theron volunteered by helping children cross Redwood Highway and River Street while on their way to school. Her hobbies included reading, crocheting, needlepoint and sewing. Survivors include her children, Terry Litz of Crescent City, Califor- nia; Kimberly Robinson of Albany, Oregon; Loretta Richards and hus- band David of Selma, Oregon; Carol J. Hafen of Alturas, California; Gary K. Litz of Grants Pass, Oregon and Kerry Robinson and wife Elizabeth of Saint Helens, Oregon; 16 grand- children and 11 great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death was her husband, Theron L. Robinson and her mother, Marie & step-father, Robert Donaldson. Donald Griffith The Edward Illinois Valley has lost another of the silent pillars of the community, the unsung heroes who step up when there’s work to be done and stick to it until the job is fin- ished. Don Griffith passed into the hands of the Great Architect with his boots on, on the morning of August 17, 2013 after nearly 82 years on Earth and 58 years of marriage. His work here is done. Survived by his much loved wife, Hazel Pate Griffith; his children and their spouses, Ruth de Jauregui, Karen and Robert Blaettler, Donna Thompson, and Edward and Joni Griffith; grandchildren, James Erin and Courtney de Jauregui, Lofeeya Darden, Terrence Cheeseboro, Thomas and Karen Blaettler, Krys- tal and Walter Hulsey, Brian Griffith, Becky Griffith, and Bruce Griffith; great-grandchildren, Avellana Jolie de Jauregui, Dominiq Hulsey, Rayna Hulsey, and Khloe Hulsey; his broth- er and his wife, Kenneth and Dioney Griffith; and numerous other family members, dear friends, and brothers in Masonry. Don went on ahead to join his parents Edward Carter Griffiths and Clara Oaks Griffiths Blanchard, brother Ralph “Teddy” Griffith, step- father Jack Blanchard, and great- granddaughter Joselyn Hulsey. Born in the original Rexford, Montana, a town now under Lake Koocanusa, Don moved all over the Pacific Northwest with his parents and brothers as a child until his fam- ily settled in Point Arena, California. He graduated from Point Arena Joint Union High School in 1949. Don was a Korean War Veter- an, having spent 1952 to 1954 in the Army. As a young man, he worked in the woods and lumber mills in Cali- fornia and Oregon. While working in Oregon, he met and married Hazel Ione Pate in Brookings, Oregon, in 1955. Don worked for CalTRANS for 33 years in Point Arena, San Diego, Santa Maria and retired from District 7, Los Angeles, CA. Having retired at midnight, January 16, 1994, he didn’t miss the Northridge earthquake on January 17 at 4:31 a.m., but he got to stay home and take care of his fam- ily and house in Downey instead of going out to work on the damaged freeways. He retired to Cave Junction, Or- egon, where he was an active mem- ber of the community. A 43-year Master Mason, Don was the Worshipful Master of Belt Masonic Lodge #18 twice and was the current Treasurer. He was a re- cipient of the Hiram Award. He also chaired the annual Crab Feed, the Bikes for Books program at Ever- green Elementary School and the An- nual Labor Day Breakfast at Jubilee Park in Cave Junction. Don was on the Board of Direc- tors of the Kerby Union High School Commemorative Park, the Medford Gun Club, and the Pacific Interna- tional Trapshooting Association’s Hall of Fame. He was the President of the Re- tired Public Employees Association of California, Chapter #102 of Grants Pass, Oregon. He was also a member of the NRA and the Amateur Trapshooting Association. An avid trapshooter, Don re- ceived his 50,000 target certificate at the PITA Grand Pacific Trapshoot in Evergreen, Washington, in July 2013. Above all, Don was a dedicated family man, who loved his wife and family with all his heart. He will be missed by all who love him dearly. A Masonic Memorial will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at RCC/Kerby Belt Building. Illinois Valley Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements. Donations in Don’s memory may be made to the Shriner’s Trans- portation Fund/Emergency Transpor- tation Fund, Attn: Margaret Bryan, 2425 Stockton Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95817 or to the Belt Masonic Lodge #18 Scholarship Fund, PO Box 3091, Kerby, OR 97531. I llInoIs V alley F uneral D Irectors www.since1928Hull.com 541-592-4110 Save the date Aug. 29 H&R Block 210 W. Lister St. Cave Junction 592-3667 Ted Crocker, LTC Bob Litak, LTC Licensed Tax Consultants B14914 Illinois Valley News Published weekly by W.H. Alltheway, LLC Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher TIME FOR TALENT! The TALENT SHOW is just a few weeks away. The I.V. Lions Club La- bor Day Festival will again host a TALENT SHOW (amateurs only) and cash prizes will be awarded the winners of each age group. Don’t forget to sign up by Au- gust 29. For more infor- mation and/or to sign up, please call Donna, (541) 596-2719 or Sue, (541) 592-2252 . Sept. 1 Singer-songwriter and choral director Carol Valentine will lead an old fashioned community sing-along in the beauti- ful lobby of the Chateau at the Oregon Caves this Saturday evening from 7-9 p.m.. Open to singers and listeners of all ages, the songfest will focus on the theme of nature and our animal friends. Lyric sheets will be pro- vided. “Remember,” says Valentine, “singing releases endorphins, and POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction OR 97523 Illinois Valley News is published at 221 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523 Telephone (541) 592-2541 FAX (541) 592-4330 Since 1937 periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction OR 97523 P.O. Box 1370 USPS 258-820 singing together creates harmony!” Sept. 2 Coming Monday, September 2nd at 10 a.m., the Illinois Valley Lions will hold its an- nual Labor Day Parade. The parade will start at 10 a.m. and will run from River St. to Watkins. We hope you all come out and watch the fun. Sept. 28 Saddle up! BCHO Poker Ride, Sept. 28 in the Illinois Valley. Call SUBSCRIPTION RATES One year in Josephine County - $28.50 One year in Jackson and Douglas counties - $32.50 One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state - $39.00 Illinois Valley News does not refund subscriptions. Remainder of subscription will be donated to the charity of your choice. 541-597-4383 or 541- 592-4806 for more de- tails. Oct. 19 G R AV E YA R D TOUR The Josephine Coun- ty Historical Society is once again presenting its popular Graveyard tour on Saturday, October 19. The event will be held in the Oddfellows/Masonic cemetery off Foothill Boulevard. Once again the Liv- ing History Players will take you on a journey into the past. Come and listen as the pioneer sto- ries come alive. Charac- ters long forgotten will entertain and amuse you, as they retell the stories of Grants Pass’ begin- ning years. Many of our ghosts are found here in the cemetery, while some others are just visiting for the night. Either way they will educate you about the history of our town. The Graveyard Tour will have two tours; at 4 and 6 p.m. Advanced tickets will be $10.00 News - Dan Mancuso dan@illinois-valley-news.com Circulation - Kimberly Potter office@illinois-valley-news.com Advertising / Composition Dan Mancuso dan@illinois-valley-news.com Mailroom - Millie Watkins Office Manager-Laura Mancuso office@illinois-valley-news.com DEADLINES: News, Classified and Display Ads, Announce- ments and Letters 5 P.M. FRIDAYS for the first person, $5.00 for each additional per- son. Tickets at the gate are $10.00 each person. Family discounts will be available. Advanced tickets can be purchased online at www.jocohis- torical.org or in person at JCHS Research Library, 512 SW 5th Street. For more information, please call the Histori- cal Society at 541-479- 7827. POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ encour- ages letters to the editor pro- vided they are legible and not libelous or scurrilous. All let- ters must be signed, including name, 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. Letters are used at the discre- tion of the publisher.
