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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Life in the
Valley
of Riches
By DAN MANCUSO,
Publisher
You know the old adage, “Think globally, act locally”?
Well, it appears Simon Hare is thinking nationally and acting
locally with a similar behavior as the obstructionists in D.C.
Like the Republican Congress and their refusal to allow
President Obama to appoint a Supreme Court Justice, Hare is not
allowing the lame ducks Cherryl Walker and Keith Heck to do
the job they are being paid to do.
Hare’s condescending attitude and comments in the Dec. 8
administration meeting were jaw dropping. It was reminiscent of
the old Hare before his drunken strip club escapade in Eugene.
After that event last December, Hare seemed to keep his head
down and pay his dues. Now it seems he feels he has paid the full
penance of his poor behavior and is back in the saddle.
Now, Hare has another bite at the apple when two new
commissioners start in January. Dan DeYoung and Lily Morgan
would be well served to remember what Hare did in 2013 when
Heck and Walker came into office. He ended up handing them
the failed solid waste ordinance. Oddly, in the end, it cost county
attorney Steve Rich his job while Hare got re-elected.
I urge commissioners DeYoung and Morgan to draw straws
to choose which one of them they will vote to be the chair and
co-chair in 2017, skipping Hare. As you remember, Hare was
jumped over last year following his big night out.
I’ll leave you with a bit of wisdom from philosopher George
Santayana found in his book “The Life of Reason”: “Those who
cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Thank you for picking up this week’s paper, enjoy! ~ djm
Letters to the editor
Illinois Valley News welcomes
letters to the editor.
Please e-mail them to
dan@illinois-valley-news.com
POLICY ON LETTERS:
‘Illinois Valley News’ encour-
ages 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need not be published, but will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 com-
mentary, including statements
made as fact are strictly those
of the letter writers.)
Neighbors watching
neighbors
At the I.V. Grange, right
after Thanksgiving on Monday,
Nov. 28 we discovered that
someone stole a blue Star
residential propane tank about
4 ½ feet tall with about 50
percent of the propane from
the yard. Now we have to
scramble to get propane for
our next Sunday breakfast and
rental.
Neighbors, please see
who required a small blue Star
tank with moss on its side. It
would take a lift on a truck to
take this tank. Please report
it or have them return it. No
questions asked. You know the
Grange members have worked
hard to fill that tank.
You know that one day
this thief will steal from his
neighbors. Speak up for the
good of the community in
which you live and for the
I.V. Grange who just fed the
hungry for free from the sweat
of their brow.
Tammie Phillips
Cave Junction
Reader asks for
support
It’s
scary
and
also amusing that white
supremacists claim and hold a
19th century belief justifying
the white European conquest
of America.
This far-right
belief system is prevalent now
in both American and Europe.
Their claim that they were here
“first” is truly astonishing.
In this era when we
are just recovering from this
election campaign based on
hatred and bigotry, it is worth
offering appreciation to the
Native American Council
reported in the Daily Currant
on Dec. 12, 2015. They can
be lauded for offering in 2015
partial amnesty to 220 million
illegal undocumented white
immigrants.
In making this offer, the
Council indicated that White
people have the option of
staying on the continent legally
and applying for citizenship if
they pay any outstanding taxes
and return all stolen land.
It seems we could learn
much wisdom from our Native
American brothers and sisters.
Support the Standing Rock
protesters.
Trisha Vigil
Talent, OR
Obituaries
Leroy Hugh Clouser
Leroy Hugh Clouser died Dec. 2, 2016.
Leroy was born March 19, 1935 in
Topeka, Kan. to Forrest and Mary Clouser.
Leroy was the oldest of five siblings.
He graduated in 1953 from Paso Robles
High School where he excelled in football as
a four-year varsity letterman. He joined the
United States Air Force after high school and
was stationed at Chanute Air Force Base in Ill.
Leroy served in the Air Force for four years
operating a flight simulator. He began training
in the sport of boxing and became a Golden
Gloves Champion on Chanute Air Force Base.
After leaving the Air Force he continued to
box semi-professionally and also participated
on the rodeo circuit as an accomplished bull
rider.
Leroy married Charlene in 1957 and they
had three sons; Daniel, Norman and Jamie.
Charlene passed away from a rare disease in
1973. Leroy married Sharon Westcott in 1986.
Leroy and Sharon had many adventure filled
years together. Although they divorced, they
remained close friends until Sharon’s death in
2011.
Leroy worked in the shipyards in
Portland as a welder and mechanic after his
time in the Air Force. He moved to Selma in
the early 1960s. He worked in the logging
industry for Cross and Kauffman and Don
Beard Logging as a mechanic. As a young
man Leroy had worked for a water well
drilling and pump company in Paso Robles.
He was still interested in the water business
and in 1971 started Clouser Drilling in Selma.
He was known as a hard worker and if you
went to work with Leroy you could plan on a
long, hard day’s work. Leroy retired from the
water well drilling business in the early 1990s
to pursue the next phase of life’s adventures.
Leroy was a trend setter and was credited
with bringing the off and on road motorcycle
movement to the Illinois Valley in the early
1960s. He rode his motorcycles everywhere
and for everything including to his wedding
with Sharon. He logged over 1 million street
miles on motorcycles in any kind of weather
with a big smile. He also enjoyed ultra light
aircraft, mining, mountain biking, aerial
photography, hunting and target shooting
(competitive). He was an avid reader of books
and magazines.
He was proceeded in death by his
brothers, Forrest (Bud) and Jimmy; wives,
Charlene and Sharon; sons, Daniel, Norman
and Jamie and his grandson, Aaron. He is
survived by his brother, Jerry Clouser of
Placerville, Calif. and sister, Carol Gill of Cave
Junction.
Leroy enjoyed his many friendships and
the next adventure. He was a one of a kind
personality and known by many to be “the
toughest person they ever met.” You will be
missed Leroy - rest in peace.
A celebration of life will be held at
the Wild River Pizza in Cave Junction on
Saturday, Dec. 17 from 3-5 p.m. A private
graveside service will be held at Deer Creek
Cemetery in Selma on a future date.
Leroy Hugh Clouser
I llINoIs V alley F uNeral D Irectors
www.since1928Hull.com
541-592-4110
Save the date
Dec. 15
IVHS girls’ varsity basketball game
at Prospect High School at 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 16
Boys and Girls Club is holding a
family night Friday, Dec. 16, from 7 p.m.
to 8:30 p.m. at Evergreen Elementary in
the cafeteria. A dinner will be provided
and family activities afterwards in the
gym. For more information contact Jenna
during Club hours at 541-244-8490.
Dec. 16
IVHS boys’ varsity wrestling
tournament at Grants Pass High School
at 11 a.m.
19, 5 - 6 p.m. at Wild Rivers Pizza.
To all leadership in the Illinois
Valley and neighborhood watch groups,
and to those that wish to advance your
neighborhood in helping them form a
Watch Group. We are doing training on
communications, radios, networking
and surveillance skills to track criminal
activity. Develop a means to share
information and resources between
all groups. We will be organizing
ourselves, our information, and to get it
to the appropriate authorities. Can you
please help us by spreading the word of
these meeting? They will be conducted
weekly, on Mondays, 5 p.m, at Wild
Rivers Pizza. Contact me, Guenter - 541-
415-1929 or Dennis Hoke, at 541-287-
0021.
Dec. 17
IVHS boys’ varsity tournament at
Butte Falls High School - time to be
announced
IVHS boys’ varsity wrestling
tournament at Grants Pass High School
at 10 a.m.
Dec. 20
I.V. B & G Torch Club will be
holding a bake sale on Tuesday, Dec.
20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Dutch
Bros. parking lot.
Dec. 19
Neighborhood Watch Leadership
and Training Meeting, Monday – Dec.
Dec. 22
Healing Hearts & Hooves:
Volunteers, donors, students and family
Illinois
Valley
News
Published weekly by
W.H. Alltheway, LLC
Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher
POSTMASTER: Please send
address changes to P.O. Box 1370,
Cave Junction, OR 97523
Illinois Valley News is published at
221 S. Redwood Hwy.,
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“Thank You Pizza Party”, 6 p.m. @ Wild
River Brewing, Cave Junction, RSVP to
541-659-1798.
Dec. 25
Traditional Christmas Day Dinner
Free to everyone, Noon - 3 p.m.
Christmas Day (Dec. 25) Come for the
sing-a-long. Co-hosted by Illinois Valley
Baptist Church & Master Food Preserver
Volunteers at the County Building
(102 S. Redwood Hwy). Desserts and
volunteers still needed. Please call 541-
592-9268.
Feb. 11
Child Care Business Class-a FREE
introductory class Feb. 11 from 10 a.m.
-Noon
Illinois Valley Library: 209 Palmer St.,
Cave Junction, call to register: 541-
956-7400. Become a paid child care
provider. Learn the legal rules, listen to
successful care providers, get business
skills and low interest loans. This intro-
ductory class is free. Some of the next-
step classes such as infant CPR, have
fees. Help with costs is available.
News - Dan Mancuso
dan@illinois-valley-news.com
Editor -Laura Mancuso
laura@illinois-valley-news.com
Classified Ads -Laura Mancuso
laura@illinois-valley-news.com
Circulation - Laura Mancuso
laura@illinois-valley-news.com
Advertising / Composition -
Dan Mancuso
dan@illinois-valley-news.com
Mailroom - Millie Watkins
Continuing
*The I.V. Senior Thrift Store is under
NEW MANAGEMENT and is looking for
new volunteers. Join the crew and make new
friends. You don’t need to be a senior citizen
to join the store. Call us at 541-592-6630.
Open Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
*The C.J. Substation hours are changed.
We are now open on Mondays, Tuesdays,
Thursdays, Fridays (closed Wednesdays)
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The phone number at
the Sub is 541-592-5151. We are looking for
more volunteers to expand the hours; applica-
tions to become a volunteer can be picked up
at the Substation.
*The Senior Health Insurance Benefits
Assistance (SHIBA) program will be offering
free assistance with Medicare Open Enroll-
ment at the Illinois Valley Family Coalition
every Monday from Nov. 7 to Dec. 5. You can
add, drop or change how you receive your
Medicare benefits. Call 541-956-4472. Be
sure to specify that you are calling for an ap-
pointment in Cave Junction.
*Cave Junction Patrol, LLC is looking
for volunteers. CJ Patrol is a private citizen
volunteer ornaization dedicated to effectively
addressing heretofore-unchecked property
crime in our city and neighborhoods. The pri-
mary mission of CJ Patrol is to prevent, in-
terrupt, report and decrease property crime
in the city of Cave Junction. Call 541-592-
9665, cjpatrol.org. Monthly meetings are first
Thursday at 6 p.m. at Wild River Pizza, 249
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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.