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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Letters to the Editor
Illinois Valley News welcomes Let-
ters to the Editor.
Please e-mail them to
dan@illinois-valley-news.com
POLICY ON LETTERS:
‘Illinois Valley News’ encourages letters
to the editor provided they are legible
and not libelous or scurrilous. All letters
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not be published, but will be used to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 discretion of the publisher.
***
(Editor’s Note: Views and commen-
tary, including statements made as
fact are strictly those of the letter
writers.)
Reader expounds
on hemp
I feel we need to set the record
straight in regard to the Indian
Hemp Plant, commonly known as
Marijuana.
As you know, with the passage
of Measure 91 Marijuana is now legal
to grow in Oregon for the first time in
almost 80 years.
80 years ago before the passage
of the Marihuana Tax Act, farmers
grew various cultivars of the Indian
Hemp Plant (Cannabis Sativa),
producing food, fiber, fuel and
medicine. Now there are thousands
of products which can be made from
this most valuable natural resource.
In 1938, Popular Mechanics
Magazine did a cover story about
hemp’s potential to become the next
Billion Dollar Crop. That was in
1938 dollars, so you can just imagine
what a hemp crop could be worth in
today’s market.
There is a lot more to this story.
Hemp has been grown for at least
10,000 years. The earliest known
relic of industry is a scrap of hemp
cloth over 8,000 years old. Hemp
is our heritage which we are finally
waking up to.
For most of this country’s
history if someone wanted to plant
a crop of hemp they would just get
out a bag of seed and plant it. George
Washington said “Make the most of
the hemp plant. Sow it everywhere for
the good of the nation” (“Jack Herer:
The Emperor Wears No Clothes”)
Now we have a situation where
four states have legalized Marijuana.
In Oregon Measure 91 passed by
nearly 12%, with 847,865 voters in
favor of allowing persons over 21
to cultivate four Cannabis plants
per household. Suppose 500,000
Oregonians choose to do that, that’s 2
million more cannabis plants planted
in Oregon, which does not include
the hundreds of thousands of plants
already being grown for medicine.
With the passage of the Farm
Bill In Congress in 2014, states who
have existing laws to grow “industrial
hemp” will not be harassed by the
Federal Government. So you say,
“Cool, let’s get on with it!” I agree
but there are still some obstacles,
this time coming from the Rules
Committee in Salem. Their license
fees are prohibitive and their rules
are overly restrictive. Here’s their
link: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/
shared/Documents/Publications/
MarketAccess/IndHempOAR603-
048.pdf
There are 15 pages of rules
covering the growing and handling of
hemp seed. Give me a break. Farmers
already know how to grow and handle
seed. There’s more: Not just any hemp
seed will do...no, it has to be the low-
THC dwarf varieties coming out of
Canada. And Canadian law prohibits
export of fertile hemp seed to the US.
As it happens, that degenerate variety
they call Industrial Hemp will yield
less than 1/3 as much seed oil as other
more robust high-THC varieties.
Look at the crops shown in the short
1942 film “Hemp For Victory” for
comparison.
THC is supposedly the problem,
and was the excuse for hemp
prohibition in the first place. That’s
why they still say the THC levels
need to be so low. But wait a minute;
legalization now changes everything.
THC should now become a non-issue.
Remember, Oregon could soon have
2,000,000 home-grown high-THC
plants. So why stop farmers from
growing the most productive varieties,
unless keeping hemp from competing
with other major industries was the
real motive for hemp prohibition all
along!
Remember
what
George
Washington said: Make the most of
Hemp for the good of the Nation.
Not.... MAKE THE MOST RULES
AND REGULATIONS!
Hemp was so vital to the early
American colonies that they could
not have survived if rules like these
had been in place. So I think you get
the point.
There is so much more to this
subject. Hemp can greatly strengthen
Oregon’s economy and self-
sufficiency, but only if we are allowed
to grow it without a lot of counter-
productive restrictions. If you want
to help fix this, call the folks at the
Oregon Department of Agriculture,
and tell your representatives, and the
new governor.
Thanks for your consideration,
Leo Goodman
Cave Junction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reader says keep Mercy
My family has had ParaMed
Insurance for years, which combines
AMR and Mercy Flights services.
Our membership came up for
renewal, and although another
newspaper said the annual cost is
as much as $72.00 - they’re wrong.
This year is costs $95.00 for the
combined services. Now I read
that Dr. Hill, Commissioner Cheryl
Walker’s husband, has decided
that Oregon Lifeguard, the new air
ambulance service competing with
Mercy Flights, is to be contacted
“first”. Great - where does that leave
my family? I hope the two agencies
can work out some kind of reciprocal
agreement. Personally, I wonder why
a new air ambulance service would
even come here because there’s barely
enough business for Mercy Flights.
I’ve been told that MF averages about
60 flights or less annually. You inject
OL and wonder how can it possibly
be profitable then for either agency?
Does anyone care that MF’s personnel
are stationed at the Medford airport
with their helicopter ready to go in
minutes, while OL’s personnel are
housed miles from their helicopter at
the Grants Pass Airport? Does anyone
care that it ought to take OL a long
time to get familiar with the specific
landing zones used, roads, canyons,
power lines, etc. within both counties?
Doesn’t anyone care that MF’s flight
records are far superior to OL’s? That
MF’s accident rate is almost zero over
the last 30 years compared to that of
OL’s? Well, we care! Why has Dr.
Hill already decided to “vet” Oregon
Lifeguard? How could OL possibly
be thoroughly familiarized with the
two counties so quickly? Kind of
makes you wonder, doesn’t it? As a
citizen living in the Illinois Valley, I
agree with Chief Hoke of the IVFD
and their Board of Directors: Call
Mercy Flights first. I hope and pray
they keep it that way!
Marilyn Arnold
O’Brien
Guns are not for crazy people: by Glenn Mollette
Crazy people should
never have guns, knives or
anything that could potentially
harm another. A crazy person
will find a way to inflict injury
or cause death.
Eddie Ray Routh who
murdered American hero
Chris Kyle and Kyle’s friend
Chad Littlefield at a firing
range proves my point again.
This is one of the
tragedies of the year. Two
intelligent, knowledgeable
men, one who had survived
horrific Middle East combat
situations, were snuffed out of
this life by a crazy man like
Routh.
About an hour and a
half into the drive, Chris Kyle
was sitting in the driver’s seat
and he sent a text to Chad
Littlefield who was sitting
right next to him. He texts,
“This dude is straight-up
nuts,” according to defense
attorney Tim Moore from the
Texas trial that is occurring.
Moore said, “Chad Littlefield
texts Chris Kyle back, “He’s
right behind me Watch my
six,”(military lingo for watch
my back). From this we have
some insight into what Kris
Kyle was thinking at the time.
According to Erath
County District Attorney Alan
Nash, Routh used two guns
and shot Kyle five times in
the back and side and once in
the side of the head, using a
45-caliber pistol. He then shot
Littlefield with a 9 mm pistol,
four times in the back, once in
the hand, once in the face and
once in the head. A different
45-caliber pistol with all it’s
rounds fired was found on
the ground near Kyle’s head,
“Kyle had shot all the bullets
in his gun when he was shot
in the back,” said Nash,
referring to the fact Kyle had
just fired at a target.
I own guns. I believe
in the right to bear arms. I
would shoot anyone trying to
break into my house and harm
my family. However, I do
not want to be around crazy
people with guns. Guns are
never bad. People holding the
guns make them either safe or
deadly.
Do not try to rehabilitate
a sick person by handing
that person a gun or a knife
or anything that might give
them a window of opportunity
to hurt themselves, you or
anyone else. Mentally sick
people can be helped many
ways but giving them guns,
knives or bombs is never the
answer.
I saw the movie
American Sniper. I believe
Kris Kyle is a hero. I believe
his death is a tragedy. The
sad end of his life reminds
us that we cannot help
everybody. Some people can
only be helped by medical
professionals over a long
period of time and then not
always.
Author’s note - Thank
you to CNN, Ralph Ellis,
Jason Morris and Jason
Hanna authors of the article,
“Lawyer: American Sniper
called accused man ‘straight
up nuts’ in text February 11,
2015”.
Dr. Glenn Mollette
is a syndicated American
columnist and author. He
is read in all 50 states. The
views expressed are those
of the author and are not
necessarily representative of
any other group, organization
or this publication.
Like his facebook page
at https://www.facebook.
com/GlennMollette.
Obituaries
Anna Mae Swett, age 67, of Cave Junction, died
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015 at her home.
Anna was born Dec. 6, 1947 in Forks of Salmon, Califor-
nia to Carl & Josephine Clewell. She moved with her family
to Crescent City, California in 1947 where she was raise and at-
tended school at Del Norte High School. In 1988 she moved to
Cave Junction, Oregon and in 1993, at her home in Cave Junc-
tion, she married Forest Gale Swett. Anna owned and operated
Anna’s Attic Treasures in Cave Junction since 1988 where she
was active in the sales and auctions.
Her favorite pastimes included karaoke at local establish-
ments, slots at Crescent City and lottery winning slots.
Survivors include her daughter, Stacie; four broth-
ers, “Charlie” Charles, “Jody” Joseph, “Ronnie” Ronald and
“Bobby” Robert; and a sister, Evie.
Preceding her in death were three brothers, “Butch” Carl,
“Billy” William and “Brian” Clarence and an infant sister,
Laura.
At Anna’s request, no services are planned. Illinois Valley
Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.
Memorial donations may be made to Rogue Valley Hu-
mane Society, PO Box 951, Grants Pass Oregon 97528.
Please sign the family guest book at www.since1928hull.
com.
June Lance Hall, age 83 , of O’Brien, died Monday,
Feb. 16, 2015 at Three Rivers Medical Center.
June was born June 6, 1931 in Boston Heights, Ohio
to William & Gladys Lance. On Feb. 28, 1948 in Hunters,
Washington she married Robert Hall. For 40 years she worked
as a waitress. She also worked as a cook at San Diego public
schools. In 1991 she moved from San Diego to O’Brien.
June was a member of the Illinois Valley Lions Club for
over six years and TOPS of Grants Pass for over 20 years.
Her hobbies included crocheting, sewing, and reading.
Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Bob Hall of
O’Brien, Oregon; a daughter, Llora Knight of Dickinson, North
Dakota; a son, Theodore Hall of O’Brien, Oregon; a sister, Lila
Sanders of Clearwater, Florida; 21 grandchildren; 40 great-
grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two daughters, Janice Mor-
gado and Cheryl Hall; and three sons, Dean Hall, Steven Hall,
and Robert Hall II.
A memorial gathering will be at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19,
2015 at St. Patrick of the Forest Catholic Church.
Remembrances may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s
Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.
Please sign the family guest book at www.since1928hull.
com.
Jean M. McKinnon, age 85, of Cave Junction, died
Monday, Feb. 16, 2015 at her home.
Private family services will be held. Illinois Val-
ley Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.
I llInoIs V alley F uneral D Irectors
www.since1928Hull.com
541-592-4110
Save The Date For more listings go to www.ivcalendar.org
March 2
Feb. 25
Pound off Program starts on
Depression Recovery Program Free
Orientation, Adventist Church, 265 Old Mon. & Thurs, 4 - 5 p.m., 6 week
weight loss program at Healthy U,
Stage Rd., CJ, 7 p.m.
535 E. River St., CJ www.healthyu-
center.org, 541-592-4888.
March 1
Banana Belt Photography Club of the
March 7
Illinois Valley meets the FIRST Sunday of
SOS Run For The Law, A Commu-
every month at 1 p.m. at the Southern Or-
egon Guild and Friends in Kerby. (Kerby nity United! 10k Run or 5k Walk/Run &
Kid’s Dash For details and registration
Belt Building on the art guild side.)
First two meetings are free to see this page: http://securingoursafety.
org/run-for-the-law-a-county-united/
guests.
Illinois
Valley
News
Published weekly by
W.H. Alltheway, LLC
Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher
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ley Chamber of Commerce, Citizen of the
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March 21
Please contact Dulcie Moore at 541-592-
Illinois Valley Little League, Chili 3326 for more information.
Feed & Cook-off at the County Building
*The CJ Substation is now open as
in Downtown CJ from 4:30 - 8 p.m., En- follows: Mon., Wed. & Friday 10 a.m.
tertainment by Jay Barley Band, Guppy, to 1 p.m. Tues. and Thurs. 1 p.m. to 4
Due Paul & Maureen as well as other p.m. The phone number at the Sub is 592-
surprise guests, Live/Silent Auction, Fun 5151. We are looking for more volunteers
evening for whole family.
to expand the hours and applications to
become a volunteer can be picked up at
Continuing
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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.