Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Page A-9
‘Common Ground’ anthology is a hit!
Annette McGee Rasch
IVN Senior Contributing Writer
A recently released anthology
of the first 100 issues of the Takilma
Common Ground newsletter is receiving
enthusiastic attention. Published by the
O’Brien-based Left Fork Press, the new
book is raising funds to help complete
the expansion of the Dome School in
Takilma, Oregon.
The quarterly newsletter was
created in 1994 with an expressed
intention to “increase communication
and stimulate community discussion”
and its publication loosely coincides
with the earth’s solstices and equinox
cycles. Takilma Common Ground is part
literary journal and part community
bulletin board. Submissions cover
myriad topics and come in from writers,
poets, or any community member
with something on their mind. Unique
artwork, cartoon strips and illustrations
round out the newsletter. While some
submissions are light-hearted; others are
serious - and all are thoroughly original.
With the idea for the anthology in
mind, Dome School co-administrator
and Left Fork Press proprietor Ryan
Forsythe approached local graphic artist
Alan Laurie who - along with longtime
Takilma community member Rachel
Goodman - leads a team of volunteers
that produce the newsletter.
“Alan loved the idea, so we moved
forward with it,” said Forsythe, then
added, “part of the purpose of Left Fork
Press is to celebrate Southern Oregon’s
cultural history and people, and this
anthology project is a great fit.”
The book gives voice to the eclectic
mix of souls populating Takilma and
similarly-minded people scattered
throughout the Illinois Valley and
beyond. With essays on topics that
range from “Women and the Politics
of Religion” and “Favorite Places” and
“Racism in the Valley” to world history,
alternative health care and recipes for
Turkish cake, the book illustrates the
thoughtfulness and bold creativity
found within the ever-evolving Takilma
community. And the emphasis on “we”
not “me” is evident with every turn of
the page.
Back in 2005, the newsletter almost
folded. Many original participants on
the “Mud Council” who had put each
issue of Common Ground together for a
decade had either moved on or become
too busy to remain involved. So to keep
the newsletter alive one of the founding
members, Laurie Prouty, wrote a front-
page appeal to the community, seeking
new blood to keep the publication
rolling.
“I am really happy to give Alan
Laurie credit,” Goodman said. “He
came on board in 2005 offering to
do computer layout. He’s got the
professional background and he really
transformed the face of Common
Ground. He brought us into the digital
age and also really helped us become
financially stable. He volunteers a lot of
his time as well.”
“I am consistently proud of the
significant role I played just over a
decade ago in keeping Common Ground
alive,” Laurie said. “I also take pride
in continuing to work with ‘Team
Rachel’ in ensuring that each quarterly
publication of this relevant, poignant
literary and artistic community-minded
newsletter maintains the original
flavor of down-to-earth social and
environmental awareness, and also,
concerns, sensitivity, humor and just
plain cultural expression.”
Goodman became involved with
Common Ground about 15 years ago
The Archive Zone: by Hillary Mohr from the Illinois Valley News archives
The date: Dec. 11, 1941.
By this time, news had spread
that Pearl Harbor had been
attacked by Japanese forces
Dec. 7, 1941, and by Dec. 8,
war had been declared on the
Japanese Empire. Not much
introduction is needed for this
week’s history made Archive
Zone.
Proclamation.
WHEREAS, a state of war
has been declared to exist
between the United States of
America and the Japanese
Empire; and WHEREAS,
the Oregon National Guard
is in active Federal service;
and WHEREAS, it therefore
becomes my duty as chief
executive and commander in
chief of the military forces of
the State of Oregon to take such
steps as may be necessary to
safeguard the lives and property
of the citizens of Oregon;
and WHEREAS, provisions
must be made for fixing
responsibility for coordination
and the direction of the efforts
of the military establishment,
law enforcement machinery,
and volunteer civilian
defense organizations; NOW,
THEREFORE, I, CHARLES A.
SPRAGUE, under the authority
vested in me as Governor of the
State of Oregon and Director
of Civilian Defense, declare
an unlimited emergency to
exist and (1) Authorize and
direct the voluntary enrollment
of a State Guard pursuant to
the provisions of Chapter 91,
Oregon Laws 1941, and hereby
appoint brigadier General
Alvin C. Baker commander
thereof; (2) Designate the
Superintendent of State Police
to coordinate, supervise
and direct the activities of
all regular peace and other
law enforcement officers of
this state in all matters and
respects touching the needs and
measures for state and civilian
defense in cooperation with
the armed forces of the United
States; (3) Authorize the State
Defense Coordinator to direct
and complete the voluntary
civilian defense in cooperation
with the armed forces of the
United States; (4) I hereby
enjoin the people to comply
promptly with directions of
duly constituted military and
civil authorities. IN WITNESS
WHEREOF I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the
Seal of the State of Oregon to
be affixed. Done in the City
of Salem this eighth day of
December, in the year of our
Lord, 1941. CHARLES A.
SPRAGUE, Governor. Attest:
EARL SNELL, Secretary of
State.
Emergency hospitals
planned. Establishment of
two emergency hospitals in
Josephine County and several
first aid situations were planned
by the Medical Disaster Relief
Division of the Josephine
County Defense Council
Monday night. Directed by Dr.
S. B. Osgood, chairman of this
division, the first aid committee,
medical care committee and
sanitation committee made
arrangements for location and
supplying first aid stations
and says she’s “really excited” about the
book and hopes it serves to help inspire
more people to get involved. “We’re an
ongoing paper and we want more people
to contribute more stories, articles and
artwork - and we really hope people
continue to subscribe.
“Also, I’m very grateful to the
smart creative people who left us this
infrastructure to work with as they
went on to other interesting things,
and of course, those who stayed with
this project over the years,” she added.
“We have a core group of people who
continue to help make this publication
happen, including treasurer Bill Grey;
Donna Belle, who manages the mailing
list; and Marjorie Reynolds and Alberta
Heagney, who facilitate the bulk mailing
of each issue.”
Depending on sales of the book
- which covers the period from 1994
through 1997 - Forsythe says additional
anthologies may be produced that
present the content from 1998 and
forward. This first book costs $20; with
$10 going toward the Dome School
building fund. To purchase a copy
contact the Dome School at 541-592-
3911.
and emergency hospitals. The
committee also issued a call
for nurses in Josephine county,
graduate nurses or those with
any practical nursing training,
to telephone the County Health
Unit, 156 or Mrs. Martin
Sachse at Kerby for the Valley,
and leave name, address and
telephone number.
Airplane lookouts
manned. Last Monday night,
men were stationed at Tennessee
Pass lookout station for airplane
observation. The lookout will
be manned from now on, and
beginning Thursday, (today) the
Waldo lookout station will be
manned for the same purpose.
It is hoped, by men who are
in position to know, that the
county authorities will make
these two stations the official
lookouts. This will facilitate
matters in finding men to man
the stations, which is going to
be no small task. These two
stations will be sufficient to
observe any airplanes coming in
this direction. Monday, Murphy
Hicks and Robroy McLean
were at Tennessee Pass. It was
difficult to find anyone to go
up Tuesday, so George Hicks
thought the situation serious
enough for him to close his
Texaco Service station and
garage and with Mr. Foster kept
the post manned for emergency.
Local boys on island safe
so far. Word has been received
from a few of the local boys
who are working on Wake
and Midway islands that they
are all safe and everything
was all right. Mrs. George
Martin received a cablegram
from her son John Abernathy,
radio operator at Midway that
everything was all right, or
words to that effect. Mrs. Dollie
Duncan received word from her
son, Alton Duncan Wednesday
that everything was all right
there. Several others have heard
from the boys in Grants Pass,
and it seems certain that up until
now they are all right. If the
islands are taken, it will make
the boys prisoners of war, if
they are not taken away from
the islands.
Santa Clause
Will be visiting IVFD
(681 Caves Hwy, Cave Junction)
Saturday Dec. 10th. From 1:00—4:00
Come on down and enjoy some cookies
and hot chocolate and check out the
Fire Station!!!!
Don’t forget your camera…..
We will also be
having our canned
food drive for the
local food bank if
you would like to
bring in some
non-perishables it
would be greatly
appreciated!!!
(Open to the Public)