Remembering Roger Stewart

REMEMBERING ROGER STEWART

      I am sorry to say that I didn't get to know you as well as some students did. When you were a seventh grade teacher at Lincoln Middle School, I was placed in the other seventh grade homeroom class. By the time you became Oakland High School principal in 1983, I was gone overseas my senior year as an exchange student.
      It wasn't until after I graduated from O.H.S. that I fully appreciated your character,
In the early 1990s, the Oakland School Board decided to remove Rolling Stone magazine from the library because of its content. As a reporter for KOBI-TV at the time, it was awkward for me to approach people I knew to obtain comments for a news story. I was able to persuade superintendent Joe Reed (who supported the ban) and O.H.S. librarian Barbara Peebles (who opposed the ban) to go on camera to offer their opinions.
      Roger Stewart was the only person, whom I remember, who provided me feedback afterwards. The next time we bumped into each other, he said I had done a good job presenting the story, and objectively presented both sides of the issue.
      Twenty years later, when I was a substitute teacher, I faced a difficult decision. I needed to know if a particular course of action would adversely affect my teaching career. Roger Stewart was the one I went to for advice, because I knew I could trust his experience as an educator, and at the same time know that he would not violate my confidentiality in that situation.
      Roger, I am sorry that I did not have the chance to know you better. It is truly my loss.

Pigeons In The Yard

     For the first time since I can remember, a group of pigeons landed in our backyard. Eight rather stately-looking gray pigeons descended on an area where I throw out grain for our ducks and geese. The only other pigeon encounter in our property was when a solid white pigeon perched on the second-story window frame of our garage several years ago. The white pigeon, which I called "Gabriel," would perch at night and disappear during the day. This went one for about a month, until Gabriel disappeared altogether.
     I have mixed feelings about the new arrivals. I love doves, and for the most part, pigeons look like overstuffed doves. But for some reason I've always thought of doves as peaceful and noble, while I've viewed doves as scavengers and dirty. But I'm not sure of the logic in my opinion, considering the two types of birds are very similar.
     True, they do have their differences. Pigeons have the ability of being oriented toward their surroundings. Hence, carrier pigeons have been known to find their way back home after being released many miles from their origin. Doves, on the other hand, do not have this sense of orientation and would likely get lost if they were released in new surroundings.
     That's why I've found the Biblical accounting of doves being released from Noah's Ark as somewhat in incongruous. If a dove were released today from the Ark to "find their way" to land, it would presumably get lost and never return to its starting point. However, there are two logical explanations to explain this "incongruity" in the Bible.
     One, because of the similarity between doves and pigeons, Noah might have released a pigeon from the Ark. It's conceivable that in being translated from their original languages in Hebrew and Greek to English, the term "dove" and "pigeon" could be interchanged.
     Two, the dove that Noah released from the Ark could have been blessed with divine intervention. Put simply, God could have installed a sense of orientation in that particular dove.
     I don't fault the pigeons who have found our back yard as a feeding trough. Wild doves have been coming around for months for the same reason. It's a joy to have any feathered friend that feels comfortable enough to set down around our house. Except for those pesky crows, that appear to take delight is sometimes scaring off the smaller birds.

A Call For Help

A CALL FOR HELP....

     This is my one and only request for help on Facebook, and posted here on my blog site. I am writing this now so that I'm not putting anyone on the spot; there's several weeks for you to think about it, and let me know if you're in a position to assist in any of the areas listed below. You can send me a private message, montemuirhead@juno.com,  or give me a phone call later on, 541-378-1242.

MOWING GRASS

     My Seattle surgeon has said I have will three-six months of recovery after the surgery, so I have no way of knowing of when or if I 'll be physically able to mow the yard. We have a large yard, so I don't expect anyone to mow the yard continually. Any one-time offer to mow part of the yard would be greatly appreciated. The biggest help of all would be for someone to take 45 minutes with a weed-eater and cut the steep bank by the street in front of our house.

SHOPPING FOR GROCERIES

     Again, I have no way of knowing when I'll be physically able to drive after the surgery. If someone could buy groceries in Roseburg when they're in town and bring them to Oakland would be a big help. Perishable items are in the biggest demand: milk, orange juice, unsweetened beverages, fresh-ground peanut butter or Adams' old-fashioned peanut butter, salad mix, tomatoes, cucumbers, greens (kale, chard, collards). If money is an issue, I can write a check to reimburse you, before or after the groceries are delivered.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

     In addition to my already being on an extremely tight budget, I am anticipating some additional temporary expenses after the surgery. Any financial donation, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated and would be put to good use. On the other hand, don't worry that I might receive "too much" money for my essential needs: I'm also saving up to pay for $1,700.00 in future dental work. :)
Monte Muirhead, P.O. Box 401, Oakland, Oregon 97462.

TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN OAKLAND AND EUGENE

     My Seattle surgeon told me there was a "100 percent chance of complications" after my surgery, so I am bracing for the prospect of making medical appointments with my surgeon in Eugene, at Sacred Heart Riverbend hospital. The dates of these appointments are obviously unknown at this time.
     Some of my friends in the past have offered to take me to medical appointments and I have turned them down. Prior to April 1st, when I was covered by the Oregon Health Plan, Translink provided me transportation to my medical appointments. And currently, Angel Flights, a non-profit group of volunteer pilots, is (hopefully) taking me to my medical appointments in Seattle. Unfortunately, I no longer have resources to utilize to take me to local medical appointments in Eugene and Roseburg.

A DIFFICULT DECISION

     It is very difficult for me to ask for help, Not because I feel guilty, but because I realize there are other people out there who are going through tough times of their own and may not be in a position of help. I am very frustrated, because I wish I were independently wealthy....not because I want to live the life of luxury, but because I wish I were in a position to help others and give back to all of those charitable organizations that have helped me the past two years.
     Thank you for taking the time to read all of this!

Garbage Dumping Tax Begins July 1st ?

      Douglas County Commissioners are scheduled to conduct a public hearing tomorrow morning, April 15th, 9:00a.m., at which time they're expected to vote on a new garbage dumping tax at the Roseburg landfill and Douglas County transfer stations, beginning July 1st.
      It is interesting to note that in recent (unscientific) polls conducted by the Roseburg News-Review, a bigger percentage of people said they would be willing to pay for a library card, than said they would be willing to pay for a garbage dumping tax.
      It'll be interesting to see if Douglas County Commissioners follow the "will of the people" and implement a library card fee, if they go ahead and implement a garbage fee.
     I would have a better feeling about the garbage dumping tax, if it were phased in over the next year until July 1, 2016, instead of hitting residents with a $7.00 fee suddenly this July 1st. That might have happened if News-Review Publisher Jeff Ackerman hadn't made a personal crusade to write non-stop editorials promoting a garbage dumping tax.
     One or two editorials is sound journalism and fulfilling a newspaper's role of keeping the general public informed on an issue. Ten or more editorials is an unethical abuse of power by someone who is trying to push their agenda on the general public.

Recipe For Easy Salsa

EASY SALSA

6 tomatoes
3 jalapenos (warning: hot)
1 medium white onion
1/2 a medium red onion
1 cup cilantro (I’m a fiend- so a little less if you aren’t)
5 cloves garlic
3 limes juice (I even threw in some of the pulp)
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt (More can always be added but not taken away!)
1 tsp chili powder
Optional/Seasonal:
Directions
1 cup (2-3 ears) of grilled/pan fried corn. If pan frying it, try putting in 3 tbsps of pineapple juice and 2 tbsp EVOO. Since you are using pans now, I would probably add the garlic, salt, 1/2 the cilantro, cumin and chili powder now.
Sweeten it up with some diced fruit of your choice- pineapple, mango, peach etc.

 

     When I used to eat salsa and corn chips, I didn't want an overpowering hot taste left in my mouth. So, I would probably leave out the jalapenos from this recipe, which I found on line. Monte