Background: Originally published October 11, 2006. This was another pot pouri (a little bit of everything) column of current events at the time of publication. For those of you who may be tired of my miscellaneous columns that don't share a common theme, I'll be taking a break from my usual columns during the next few weeks. Instead, my daily blog will focus primarily on the upcoming Douglas County commissioner election this May.
ABORTION ACTIVIST SHUNS THE MEDIA
In 1973 she was known as Jane Roe, from the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade. Today she goes by her real name, Norma McCorvey. The young woman who wanted an abortion in 1973 and helped legalize the practice in this country, is now fighting abortions as a pro-life activist. McCorvey is coming to Grants Pass later this month.
However, you won't see McCorvey's story on the evening television news. No, it's not because the "liberal media" is censoring her message. McCorvey herself refuses to grant media interviews. Even a Grants Pass fundraising appearance where McCorvey is the guest speaker is closed to cameras.
I have never understood people who call themselves activists, but who refuse to tell their stories via the media. Instead of reaching thousands of people with her message while McCorvey visits southern Oregon, she will only reach a few hundred people who can afford the $50 per plate dinner. Not exactly the type of people who struggle with abortion decisions in the first place.
Those interested in purchasing a ticket for the Friday, October 20th event, may call the Grants Pass pregnancy center at 541-479-6264. Otherwise, you won't hear McCorvey's story on the evening news.
118 LOCUST STREET
Restaurants aren't the only businesses that have operated in the same two storefronts along Locust Street in Oakland.
Last week I mentioned all of the restaurants that have come and gone since the 1970s: The Spaghetti Place, The Little Acorn, Ye Olde Steakhousre, La Hacienda, and the Oakland Coffee Company operated by Paul Tollefson. Paul shared the two storefronts with North County News Publisher Jean Ivey. Back then, Paul sold coffee, pizza, and featured live entertainment on one end, while Jean operated "Ivey Thyme" in part of the space.
The business that originally housed Edna Adams' "Adams Apple" tavern years ago has also hosted other business ventures over the years. Oakland residents Bart and Karen Copeland operated Oakland Printing Company from 1970-1973 in the storefront adjacent to the alleyway along Locust street. That business closed when Bart Copeland began his long career as the director of printing services at Mercy Medical Center.
As reported last week, Oakland residents Steve and Jill Marek are planning to soon open a grill, deli, and wine shop at that site. It's nice to see that Oakland storefronts aren't vacant for long, as they once were years ago.
ACADEMIC CHALLENGE
My heart sank when I saw this year's schedule for the high school Academic Challenge television program. Of the 20 schools from southern Oregon involved in the television "brain bowl" competition, Oakland is pitted against South Medford during the Oakers' first round.
During the 2005-2006 school year, South Medford trounced every team they competed against, never losing a match. If it's any consolation (pardon the pun), Oakland isn't alone this year in facing challenging teams out of the gate. The top three finishers last year are paired against some of the smallest schools in the competition: #1 South Medford vs. Oakland, #2 Ashland vs. Chiloquin, #3 Grants Pass vs. Glendale.
Academic Challenge is similar to the old College Bowl series. KOBI-TV meteorologist Jeff Heaton asks questions on topics such as history, math, literature, and current events. The double-elimination rounds allow every team to compete at least twice against different teams before they're knocked out of the competition.
When Academic Challenge began last year, public and private schools in Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath Counties were given the chance to fill the 20-team roster. Nearly every school signed up, except for a few like Rogue River and Eagle Point. To fill the remaining slots, schools from outside the Rogue Valley were asked to participate. The Douglas ESD superintendent e-mailed all public school superintendents in Douglas County at the same time, in order to make sure everyone had an equal chance. Canyonville Christian Academy and Umpqua Valley Christian School were also contacted.
As luck would have it, Glendale and Oakland were the first ones to respond back. (No, I didn't have any influence over the selection process.) Brookings-Harbor over in Curry County expressed interest after seeing the first televised match. They found themselves in the competition due to a lack of interest from a couple Jackson County schools.
I thought Oakland's two-hour road trip was long, but Brookings-Harbor has the distinction of making the longest road trip to the KOBI television studios in Medford. Despite the uneven match-ups that sometimes occur between the large schools and the small ones, all 20 teams are returning to the competition this year.
This year's Academic Challenge sponsors include Jeld-Wen, LTM, U.S., Bank, Skinner Autoplex, McDonalds', and Reed and Hamlin Realty. Last year those six businesses contributed more than $40,000 in scholarship money. The top two teams split the money: sixty percent goes to the first place team and forty percent to the second place team.
During my junior year at Oakland High School, I worked on the O.H.S. yearbook under the tutelage of popular teacher Rob Crawford (Mark Rochester's predecessor). The yearbook editor had me write a brief paragraph caption to put on the page devoted to Oakland's Hi-Q team. In my write-up, I mentioned that Oakland finished in the top four out of seven Douglas County teams that year, and therefore competed in the final television matches on KPIC-TV, channel 4.
Rob Crawford returned my yearbook script to me with a revision, simply stating that Oakland "appeared on local television." Crawford told me, "I don't think it's necessary to do a plug for KPIC." Now that I'm employed at KOBI-TV, I'm not afraid to do a shameless plug for Academic Challenge, which airs Sunday evenings on channel 5.
[2014 note: After an eight year run, KOBI cancelled the Academic Challenge program during the 2013-2014 school year. There were difficulties in finding enough sponsors to sustain the program.]
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