The Applegater

Applegater Spring 2018 5 Inside the Gater A partnership for life ................................................................................. 14 ACCESS Food Share Gardens thrive with volunteers ................................. 12 Bird Explorer: Great Gray Owl rescue ....................................................... 11 Cantrall Buckley Park news ...................................................................... 10 Dirty Fingernails and All: Let's get trendy ................................................... 9 Next Generation ........................................................................................ 23 Nonprofit News and Updates ....................................................................... 7 Opinions ............................................................................................ 18 - 19 Rare Baker's cypress trees in the Applegate ................................................. 22 Resetting the conversation between BLM and the Applegate community ...... 6 Starry Side: e real nature of the universe or viva la imperfection!............ 8 WHO WE ARE The Applegate Valley Community Newspaper, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the publication of the Applegater newsmagazine, which, we feel, reflects the heart and soul of our community. Our Mission The Applegate Valley Community Newspaper, Inc. (AVCN), provides the many rural and diverse communities of the Applegate Watershed with a communications vehicle, the Applegater newsmagazine, free of charge to all watershed residents. Our quarterly paper presents constructive, relevant, educational, and entertaining reports on a wide variety of subjects such as: n natural resources n ecology and other science information n historical and current events n community news and opinions AVCN encourages and publishes differing viewpoints and, through the Applegater newsmagazine, acts as a clearinghouse for this diverse community. We are dedicated to working together with community members to maintain and enhance the quality of life that is unique to the Applegate Watershed. Acknowledgements The Applegater newsmagazine is published quarterly by the Applegate Valley Community Newspaper, Inc., and is funded by donations from our loyal readers and advertisements for local businesses. Special thanks to Diana Coogle, Margaret della Santina, H. Ni Aodagain, and Paul Tipton for copy editing; Diana Coogle, Paul Tipton, and Debbie and Don Tollefson for proofing; David Dobbs for bookkeeping; and Webmaster Joe Lavine. Board of Directors Diana Coogle, Chair Shelley Manning, Secretary Chris Bratt, Treasurer David Dobbs, Assistant Treasurer Barbara Holiday Debbie Tollefson Don Tollefson J.D. Rogers (Honorary) Editorial Committee Chris Bratt Tom Carstens Barbara Holiday, Editor Sandy Shaffer Greeley Wells Rauno Perttu (Honorary) All articles, stories, opinions and letters that appear in the Applegater are the property and opinion of the author, and not necessarily that of the Applegater or AVCN. PROTECTION OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL All materials submitted for publication must pertain to the Applegate Valley, be original (no reprinted articles, please), and be the intellectual property of the author unless otherwise credited. All articles submitted to the Applegater are subject to edit and publication at the newsmagazine's discretion and as space allows. When too many articles are submitted to include in any one issue, some articles may be placed on our website or held until the following issue. Letters to the editor must be 450 words or less. Opinion pieces and articles cannot exceed 700 words. Community calendar submissions must be brief. PHOTO REQUIREMENTS All photos submitted must be high resolution (300 dpi) or "large format" (e.g., 30" x 40"). If you have questions, email gater@applegater.org. Photos submitted for the masthead are on a volunteer basis. Credit is given in the issue in which it appears on our website and on our Facebook page. All submissions for the next issue must be received at gater@applegater. org by the deadline. Applegate Valley Community Newspaper PO Box 14 Jacksonville, OR 97530 ~ F I N E P R I N T ~ PERSONAL MAILING LABEL Living away for a while? Friends and relatives in faraway places? The Applegater can be mailed anywhere in the US. Order a personal mailing label for One year: $14.99 Two years: $24.99 Mail us a check or pay online at www.applegater.org. Advertisers! We c a n h e l p y o u r e a c h y o u r market. The Applegater is the only n e w s m a g a z i n e c ov e r i n g t h e e n t i re Applegate Valley. With a circulation of 11,000 and a readership of more than 20,000, we cover Applegate, Jacksonville, Jerome Prairie, Murphy, Ruch, Wilderville, Williams, Wonder, and areas of Grants Pass, Medford, and Ashland. For more information, contact: Ron Turpen • 541-601-1867 ronaldaturpen@gmail.com Next deadline: May 1 Masthead photo credit Linda Kappen captured this painted lady nectaring on a dandelion in spring. ank you, Linda! Editorial Calendar ISSUE DEADLINE SUMMER (June - Aug)....May 1 Environment-Fire- Recreation FALL (Sept - Nov)...........August 1 Agriculture-Wine WINTER (Dec - Feb).......November 1 Holiday-Arts SPRING (March - May)....February 1 Commerce-Community A huge THANKS to the generous donors who recently contributed to the Applegater. Help us ensure that we have the ongoing support needed to publish the Applegater newsmagazine. All contributions are tax-deductible and receive recognition in print. Patron $1,000+ Sustainer $500 - $999 Contributor $200 - $499 Supporter $50 - $199 Sponsor $5 - $49 Please make your checks payable to Applegater and mail to PO Box 14, Jacksonville, OR 97530 Donors: We strive to ensure that our donor list is accurate. Please contact us if there are errors or omissions. SUSTAINER Maggie Purves Fund of e Oregon Community Foundation, Applegate, OR Greeley Wells, Jacksonville, OR Zephyr Fund at Schwab Charitable, San Francisco, CA CONTRIBUTOR Chris Bratt, Applegate, OR Drummond & Deborah Rennie, Jacksonville, OR SUPPORTER Anonymous, Grants Pass, OR (4) Adrienne Hassanein, Applegate, OR Bob Hendrix, Grants Pass, OR Donald Hoskins, Jacksonville, OR Kuzma Family, Jacksonville, OR Don & Lori, Sayer, Applegate, OR Peter & Shelly Smith, Grants Pass, OR Lillian & Allen, Stewart, Jacksonville, OR Alan & Cindy Voetsch, Ruch, OR Ted & Mary Warrick, Grants Pass, OR Julie Wheeler, Jacksonville, OR SPONSOR Anonymous, Grants Pass, OR (4) Anonymous, Jacksonville, OR (4) Gary Biggs, Grants Pass, OR Kelly & Don Brandeau, Williams, OR Jan Buur, Santa Barbara, CA David Calahan & Barbara Kostal-Calahan, Jacksonville, OR Mark Charles, Jacksonville, OR Dennis & Barbara Crawford, Williams, OR Faith Embury, Grants Pass, OR Cheryl Garcia, Jacksonville, OR David, Haynes, Grants Pass, OR Gordon Hoefer, Grants Pass, OR Helon Howard, Williams, OR David Knight, Applegate, OR Dolores and Gary Lisman, Jacksonville, OR Margaret Martin Richard & Ann Mikula, Jacksonville, OR Karen Mitchell, Jacksonville, OR Kathleen Moore, Jacksonville, OR Louise Nicholson, Applegate, OR Diana Potts, Applegate, OR Gregory Powell Rocky Sanborn, Grants Pass, OR Michael Schneider, ousand Oaks, CA David & Mary Sergent, Jacksonville, OR Nila Simmons, Grants Pass, OR Norman Somes, Jacksonville, OR Jeanette Stobie, Applegate, OR LETTER TO THE EDITOR Arctic Refuge Dear Editor: e Senate/House tax bill conference endorsed oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. is is amazingly short-sighted for many reasons. Many proven alternative energy choices can replace oil and gas, but there is only one Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. e Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge includes precious habitat for species ranging from polar bears and caribou to nesting birds and waterfowl. ese migrating birds touch all 50 states and nearly every continent of the globe. e Coastal Plain supports 135 species of migratory birds that fly to six continents and provides critical habitat for the iconic polar bear. In Oregon, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge may seem far away. But the Sandhill Crane and the Brant Goose migrate to and from the Coastal Plain and southern Oregon's Applegate Valley each year. is Arctic attack ignores the will of the American people. For nearly 40 years, efforts have been under way to protect the immense biodiversity that is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from the assault and devastation imposed by fossil fuel exploration and extraction (refugeassociation.org/advocacy/refuge-issues/arctic/). While completely ignoring and, in fact, violating the rights of and treaty obligations to the Gwich'in [Alaskan Native] people of the US and Canada, drilling proponents claim that lease sales will generate as much as $1 billion in revenue over the next decade. Compared to the $1 trillion-plus in tax cuts benefitting corporations and the extremely wealthy, such revenue, if realized, would not repay us for the destruction of our Arctic Refuge. Republican abuse of the budget process sacrifices one of the nation's most ecologically and culturally significant places for a paltry federal benefit. Americans who care about our future should respond to this act of economic greed at the expense of our national heritage when they next enter the polling station. Yours truly, Dennis Specht Southern Oregon Climate Action Now 541-282-3456

• Cover