UV Magazine Winter 2019 by usflyer

ROASTED IN THE UMPQUA VALLEY

USE THE CODE MAGAZINE AT C H E C K O U T F O R 2 5 % O F F Y O U R O R D E R

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UV . WINTER 2019

Roseburg G A T E W AY T O C R A T E R L A K E

Painting by David Rice Photo by Koree Tate

The most scenic route to

In recognition of this and Roseburg’s

We’re proud of this distinction

passes through Roseburg

adventure, Travel Oregon selected

mural that now graces the

North Umpqua River.

on the Oregon Mural Trail.

Crater Lake National Park and along the beautiful

many other opportunities for

Roseburg as one of five cities

and the beautiful new

Roseburg Public Library along the route to Crater Lake.

WE INVITE YOU TO VISIT THE MURAL – AND OUR LIBRARY – SOON 1409 NE Diamond Lake Blvd, Roseburg, OR 97470

UV . WINTER 2019

FEATURES 40

PORTRAITS IN ARTISTRY

QUASI-MOTO

MOTHER’S HELPERS

The Umpqua Valley is home to scores of talented artists telling their stories through a multitude of media.

The longtime friends behind Hesh Moto are doing their part to revive Roseburg’s lost motorcycle culture.

A partnership of public and private entities is helping enhance the health of local streams.

DEPARTMENTS UMPQUA LIFE

FOOD + DRINK

CULTURE AND HISTORY

10 A CUT ABOVE

24 COZY COFFEE SHOPS

36 HOMETOWN SUPERHERO

Glide knife maker Jim Corrado has

Your guide to some of our favorite Douglas

Mike Allred is a world-famous comic

earned widespread acclaim for his

County coffee shops.

book artist, writer and creator who just

skillful handling of sharp objects.

12 UNIQUELY MEMORABLE

28 TASTE OF THE UMPQUA Chef Nancy Rodriguez pairs award-winning

happens to hail from Planet Roseburg.

58 WHAT’S IN A NAME

The local VFW constructs a unique

Umpqua Valley wines with delicious recipes

Here’s the scoop on how some of our local

remembrance wall to honor veterans.

for a memorable holiday meal.

waterways got their names.

14 NEW WAYS TO STAY

34 NOT SHY ON TASTE

Hosting company this winter? Here are a

Two Shy Brewery has grown into a reliable

couple unique options for accommodations in

source for flavorful local brews.

78 AN AFTERNOON IN OAKLAND

the Umpqua Valley.

16 LEGENDS OF THE UMPQUA 26 years ago Kerwin Doughton had an idea for a light show. Today it’s a holiday tradition.

HEALTH 60 THE ART OF HEALING Mercy Medical Center is using the healing power of art to create a more calming environment for patients and guests.

62 SOUTHERN CHARMER With her quick wit and laugh, Tennessee native and women’s health nurse practitioner Mitzi Thompson has a knack for making people feel at ease.

66 DOWNSHIFT THIS WINTER Tips from Blue Zones Project – Umpqua for how to beat the holiday hustle and

OUTDOORS

BUSINESS

Head to Oakland this winter and you’ll

68 KOVACS KNOWS THE DRILL

afternoon.

find plenty of attractions to fill an

A local company has become a leader in the ice-drilling equipment industry.

70 HOPPIN’ FRESH Umpqua Hops are chosen as the flavor centerpiece of seasonal beers from Hop Valley and 10 Barrel.

72 RX FOR A HEALTHY ECONOMY As goes the health of a local hospital, like CHI Mercy, so goes the health of the local economy.

74 MOTION WELLNESS Part II of our profiles of the talented local teachers helping dancers of all skill levels get a move on.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 06 Editor’s Letter 09 Contributors 18 UV Loves 39 Heroes Haven Comics 47 Gallery Guide 82 Last Word

COVER PHOTO: Photo of Oakland Speakeasy Performance and Event Venue by Thomas Boyd.

winter blues.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

E DITOR’ S LETTER

With this, our sixth issue of UV, I have confirmed a suspicion that I have long held. I’m now pretty certain I am the leastinteresting human in the Umpqua Valley.

Umpqua Artistry

I cannot state this unequivocally because I have not met everyone who lives here. But, in the last year and a half, I have either written or read stories about scores of fascinating fellow citizens. I, on the other hand, have to force my way into this magazine by threatening UV’s partners that I will take my red editor’s pen and go home unless I’m given the deed to Page 6 and allowed to do whatever I want with it.

PAGE 10

And regardless of how this particular letter is starting, what I want to do now is not simply provide public testimony of how boring I am. My point is to tell you how interesting everyone who surrounds me is. If you’ve been reading faithfully, you already know that. To be honest (hmmm, honesty is kind of interesting these days; wonder if that could get a story written about me?), when we started UV I was a little nervous about the prospects we’d be able to fill 80 or so pages every three months for very long.

CONTACT ME editor@TheUVlife.com

But here we are, almost 500 pages later, and the ideas keep coming. If you are one of the readers who has sent me one of those ideas, thank you sincerely. The Umpqua Valley is large, and I don’t get out much. So we need the input of people living in all corners of the region to help ensure UV is representative of all who live here. If you are one of our readers, period, thank you for taking the time to wander through these pages. I encourage you to keep your ears open for possible stories you think others would find worthy of reading and shoot me an email. And if, while you have your ear to the ground, you happen to hear murmurings about me being the guy who introduced the Hacky Sack to the University of Oregon, shoot me a note about that too. Maybe somebody here will find that tidbit interesting enough for a story. But I doubt it. Too much competition around these parts.

Dick Baltus Editor in Chief

UV . WINTER 2019

Art in the Umpqua takes many forms, and in this issue we profile several local creatives, starting with Geoff Shipley’s story on a renowned Glide knife maker. PAGE 36 Mike Allred is kind of a big deal in the world of comic books, as Doug Pederson explains in his profile of the Roseburg native. Page 78 If you haven’t been to historic Oakland lately, the holidays and winter are a great time to visit. Jennifer Grafiada provides some tips on what to do and see.

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member

Letters to the Editor UV, you’ve really got this down! Sky-high production values and great, substantive content. Great magazine. WINTER 2019

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dick Baltus

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Tyler James

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

DESIGNERS

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

—David Terry The manager at Rogue Valley Credit Union told me I could take your magazine home to read, and I will forever be grateful to him. I need to know how I can subscribe! BEST magazine I ever read and I’m no spring chick. This the first magazine I have ever read from cover to cover... every single word in every article. I was excited to get to the next article and I have to say I was a bit sad when there were no more to read. Thanks for the excitement I have in waiting for the next issue.

Thomas Boyd

Michael Williamson, Elissa Stratton Smith

—Vicki Grout I just wanted to say that I love your magazine! I love the writing and I love that UV knows Roseburg so well. You just get it. It’s such a pleasure to read. —Karen Bentley

Jim Hays

Dick Baltus, Josh Gaunt, Jennifer Grafiada, Jim Hays, Susie Johnston-Forte, Doug Pederson, Juliete Palenshus, Nancy Rodriguez, Geoff Shipley, A.P. Weber. Kevin Eckerman, Tristin Godsey, Robin Loznak, Nicole Stratton Connie Williamson, Nicole Stratton

A friend gave me a copy of the UV magazine. It is a wonderful tribute to life in our community, and I would like to read subsequent issues, however, I’m unaware of where I can find them. Could you please help? —Jerry Kent Ed. note: You’ll find a list of many of our distribution sites at uvlife.com. We also distribute to all advertisers. I just want you to know how much I’m enjoying the UV magazine. I think you and your team are doing a great job! Thanks for putting together such a positive, high quality magazine!! —Frances Orr

PUBLISHED BY

OWNED AND OPERATED BY

LIFESTYLE + TRAVEL MAGAZINE OF THE UMPQUA VALLEY TheUVlife.com

ADAMS, HULL + MACCLUER, INC. 603 S.E. Jackson St., Roseburg, OR 97470 ahmbrands.com

UV is owned and operated by The Umpqua Life LLC, a partnership of AHM Brands, CHI Mercy Health and Derek A. Adams

UV Magazine copyright 2019 by The Umpqua Life LLC. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system without the express written consent of The Umpqua Life LLC. The views and opinions expressed within UV magazine are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of The Umpqua Life LLC, its employees, staff or management.

I just read the beautiful tribute you wrote on Sister Jacquetta (“Legends of the Umpqua,” Summer ‘18) and your Editor’s letter recognizing her legacy! I have to admit, my eyes are still a bit misty. Thank you for recognizing someone we all miss and love. She is absolutely a legend! —Patti LaFreniere I’m a soul music fan from Chicago who first learned about Colton Thomas (“Soul Man,” Summer ‘18) on a popular Detroit Forum over 10 years ago. Colton is as authentic as they come and deserves the recognition. When I realized how old he was and went into his back story it was simply unbelievable. I am proud to call him my friend although we have never met in person. —Karl Williams

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

A CUT ABOVE / UNIQUELY MEMORABLE / NEW WAYS TO STAY / UV LOVES

A CUT ABOVE Glide knife maker Jim Corrado has earned widespread acclaim for his skillful handling of beautiful, sharp objects. Story by Geoff Shipley Photos by Tom Boyd

cclaimed knife maker Jim Corrado grew up surrounded by sharp objects.

His family’s store in downtown Chicago — Corrado Cutlery — offered the ultimate education in, as he says, “anything that goes cut.” Serving customers and preparing shipments eventually led a young Corrado to inspecting and repairing an array of knives, nippers and scissors. When a supply issue arose with a stock of throwing knives, he evolved his skills by finishing the knives at home.

“It was horrible work,” says Corrado with a quick laugh. “These big buffing wheels polishing these huge knives. It was neat because I was at least making things, but I wanted something more challenging.” After graduating high school in Oak Park, Ill., and joining The Knifemakers’ Guild, Corrado, now 64, purchased eight acres west of Cavitt Creek outside of Glide and moved to Oregon in 1980. He’s been making things there ever since, including hand-forged scissors and the intricately detailed pocket-sized folding knives that offer the challenge he craves. 10

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UMPQUA LIFE

Unlike most custom knife makers who tend to specialize, “I didn’t have enough room for both the family and making Corrado embraces both old-world and modern techniques. knives,” he explains. That’s why he’s equally adept at forging and folding 512 layers Along with constructing a studio and other outbuildings, of steel into Damascus-style blades or adding computer- Corrado has been exploring new modes of artistic expression, controlled stepper motors and drivers so a basic lathe can run from woodworking and gardening to geopolitical research the precision software he wrote himself. and crafting and flying radio-controlled model aircraft. He “I use the computer as well as I use the file,” says Corrado, hinting welcomes the variety. at the range of tools available to the modern knife maker. “It’s been an opportunity to venture out into some other aspects That dedication to realizing his vision has brought Corrado plenty of praise for his knife making, including editor’s choice awards (Knives ’83 catalog), commissions for multiple commemorative batches (Arizona and Oregon knife collectors associations) and seeing his creations in the hands of famous collectors (Chris Stein of rock band Blondie).

of life I’d been avoiding,” says Corrado.

But knives are never far from his mind. With a woodworking shop recently completed and the all-important metalworking building under construction, Corrado considers his future knife creations with open optimism. Maybe he’ll revisit his award-winning “Wing” design, or perhaps he’ll craft another batch of limited-edition pocket folders for a collectors club.

Over the past 15 years, Corrado’s knife making has taken a backseat to family life with wife Noriko and their son Takemi “When this building’s done, I’ll be done with property changes (daughter Carley, from a previous marriage, lives in Ashland). and back to work,” says Corrado as he points to the chest-high There’s also been the needed improvements to their forested concrete block walls of the metalworking shop. “There won’t hillside property. Relying on a single structure for both living be anything stopping me then.” and working proved too difficult.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

UMPQUA LIFE

UNIQUELY MEMORABLE With lots of help from the community, the local VFW constructs a unique and impressive remembrance wall to honor veterans. Story by Josh Gaunt Photos by Kevin Eckerman

ometimes a destructive storm can have a constructive result. Such was the case for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Patrick W. Kelley Post 2468.

In 2010, a strong storm brought down a flag pole attached to the VFW building on Northeast Walnut Street in Roseburg. New flag poles were installed in the parking lot, but the area looked like it was missing something, which got VFW leadership talking about possible remedies.

That led to the question, “Why don’t we think about building a proper memorial or remembrance wall?” remembers Mike Eakin, VFW quartermaster. Soon a plan was coming to fruition. After VFW member Bill Hamman’s unique wall design was approved, local contractor Tom Pappas of Victory Builders was contacted about the project. Pappas offered to build the wall for free, even suggesting that the memorial feature a replica of the USS Missouri (whose deck was the site of the formal Japanese surrender to end World War II) cutting through water, instead of a traditional water feature. With plenty of additional community help, the wall got built in impressive fashion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Remembrance Wall was dedicated on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2013. 12

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UMPQUA LIFE

“A lady came here one day and said, ‘Any time I want to look at my husband and talk to him I come over to the wall.’ That’s the purpose, and that’s pretty cool.” —Mike Eakin, VFW post quartermaster Among its many distinctive attributes besides the battleship, the wall includes black Mongolian marble plaques featuring biographical information, including a photo, of each honored veteran. Tom Meyers of FX Design assisted in the design of the plaques which include a QR (quick response) code.

The VFW is seeking support from the community to help tell the stories of veterans who put themselves in harm’s way for the cause of freedom. The cost for a plaque is $175, and sponsorships or donations are welcome for those looking to honor their loved one or another individual.

Wall visitors using a QR code phone app are led to a web-based

“We’ve had a lot of help from the community, but we could use

Post Quartermaster Mike Eakin (above left) and Post Commander Joe Wouters worked with local contractors to construct the VFW’s one-of-a-kind veterans memorial.

memorial that includes where each veteran served, medals earned and a brief bio. The Roseburg remembrance wall is one of only a few of its kind to feature the QR codes, Eakin says.

quite a bit more to achieve all we want to achieve,” says Eakin, who entered the service straight out of high school in January 1966 and served in Vietnam for almost 19 months, losing friends and his commanding officer in the conflict.

“It’s a good reflection for the family,” he says. “A lady came out here one day to look at her husband on the wall, who is buried in “My goal since getting involved with VFW in 1984 has been the national cemetery. She said ‘Any time I want to look at him to help fellow veterans, keep their dream going,” he says. “To and talk to him I come over here to the wall.’ That’s the purpose, help them get their benefits and do what we can to support the community.” and it’s pretty cool.”

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

UMPQUA LIFE

NEW WAYS TO STAY Hosting company this winter? There are several unique options for accommodations in the Umpqua Valley, including the new Bell Sister Flats in downtown Roseburg and The Wine Room in historic Oakland. Story by Jennifer Grafiada Photos by Thomas Boyd

et’s say your in-laws are coming to town and they need a place to stay (because, let’s face it, your place is just too crowded). There’s no shortage of options for traditional accommodations, but more and more home and business owners are converting rooms in their residences or buildings into unique spaces they make available through Airbnb, an online vacation and short-term rental company.

Douglas County offers dozens of listings that include everything from yurts in the forest to backyard RVs to riverside residences. So the next time family wants to visit or you simply need a staycation, check out the local listings at airbnb.com Here are are two unique rentals available locally:

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UMPQUA LIFE

The Wine Room owner Betty Tamm says some of her guests have reported sensing “happy spirits.” THE WINE ROOM, TRIPLE OAK WINE VAULT

BELL SISTER FLATS

When Betty Tamm (left) and her late husband bought the Oakland building that is now the Triple Oak Wine Vault, it had been a bank for more than 100 years.

In 2000, when Paul Bentley acquired the historic building at 620 S.E. Main St. in Roseburg that now houses his architecture firm, two apartments above his office space had been empty, and without heat or air conditioning, for more than 50 years.

“It was a mercantile before that,” Tamm says. “But everyone kept wanting to store gold in the owner’s safe, so they figured they’d go into the banking business.”

“The plaster was falling off, the roof leaked, it was just in shambles,” says Bentley. Today, the Bell Sister Flats is a gorgeous vacation or overnight rental.

With Oakland now a popular destination for history buffs and wine lovers, Tamm has made it her mission to “carve out new uses in this big old historic building.”

Bentley and his wife, Terry, both grew up in downtown Roseburg — she off Main Street, he on Malheur. “Downtown was full of life,” she recalls. “It was the place to go. We want to help maintain that vibrancy.”

In the back of her tasting room is a guest room listed on Airbnb as The Wine Room. It features high ceilings, a bathroom with heated floors and free wine tasting. Guests get goat’s-milkfelted soap homemade by Tamm. Locally made goods like jewelry, paintings, pottery, royal wine jelly and olive oil are available for purchase, along with wine from Tamm’s Triple Oak Winery.

The two conceived of renovating the upstairs apartments into two upscale Airbnb guesthouses. “We tried to make it an upperend experience while keeping historical elements of the space intact,” Terry explains. Photos lining the exposed brick hallway walls show Minnie and Mineta Bell, the two sisters who ran a hat and dress shop in the building in the early 1900s.

If old buildings could talk, they would tell a lot of tales, and Tamm’s is no exception. “Oh, there were robberies,” Tamm says. But that was in the bank downstairs. The upper floor is where the real action was. Once an open stage for roving theater companies in the 1800s, it was converted in the 1910s to a high school basketball court. The sturdy 125-year-old fir floor is still in fine form. The stairwell wall bears handwritten game scores and other scrawls, like “Creswell vs Oakland 1/4/13” (as in 1913), in thick orange crayon.

““For 1909 they were very entrepreneurial and progressive,” says Terry. “We wanted to honor them.”

(Top) Owners Paul and Terry Bentley in the kitchen of one of the new Bell Sister Flats. (Bottom) The Wine Room in Oakland features soaring ceilings and comfortable amenities.

The suites offer king-size beds and fireplaces as well as a long list of creature comforts, such as blackout shades, walk-in showers, a spacious kitchen and complimentary wine and chocolate. They’re adorned with local art and furnished with locally purchased furniture.

There’s soap from Roseburg Book & Stationery, shampoo from the Hair Garage and treats from Umpqua Sweets & Treats.

Tamm says some of her guests have even reported sensing “happy “We want to partner with local businesses and promote the local spirits” and “whizzing energy.” economy,” says Paul. For uplifting spirits of either variety, check out Triple Oak Wine Vault at tripleoakvineyard.com or book The Wine Room at airbnb.com/ For reservations, search Airbnb for Bell Sister Flats or go to rooms/15372364. BellSisterFlats.com.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

UMPQUA LIFE

LEGENDS OF THE UMPQUA: KERWIN DOUGHTON Story by Dick Baltus Photos by Tristin Godsey

need to almost double that to get the event off the ground, then raise another $120,000 (including event revenue) in each succeeding year to buy new displays, replace lights, pay the electric bill and cover other expenses.

Kerwin Doughton claims the 26 years he has devoted to starting and leading the Umpqua Valley Festival of Lights have been about ego gratification, and maybe in at least one sense his commitment to the Roseburg event is.

But under Doughton’s guidance, the festival would be debt-free after four years and be providing between $12,000 and $15,000 in yearly scholarships to youngsters pursuing college educations or non-traditional adult students returning to school at Umpqua Community College.

Let There Be Lights

It certainly has become one of the, if not the, area’s favorite holiday traditions. And whose ego would not be gratified making some 30,000 children and adults smile and share quality family time each year? But Doughton’s ego wasn’t getting stroked much back in 1993 when, as president of the “noon” Roseburg Rotary Club, he was trying to sell the idea to raise money for scholarships to his and two other local Rotary clubs. Ultimately, when only the noon club bought in, Doughton decided he’d make it work — somehow. “It was not an easy sell,” says Doughton’s good friend and fellow Rotarian, Lew Marks. “But he stuck to his vision until the club got behind him.” Boy did the club get behind Doughton, draining its coffers of $65,000 to get the project started. The low-key Rotarian would 16

UV . WINTER 2019

As the Festival of Lights celebrates its 26th year in 2018, Doughton, his club, event sponsors and the hundreds of volunteers who have donated their time can point with pride to the approximately $260,000 in scholarships their efforts have helped fund. If that doesn’t make an ego feel all warm and fuzzy, somebody needs to check its pulse. While raising money for scholarships was Doughton’s primary vision, his secondary goal was to “create a holiday event that would become a local tradition, a place to enjoy with the family year after year.” Consider that mission accomplished, too. While many other communities have tried to run similar events, few have had the staying power of Doughton’s creation. The secret, he says,

is continuing to add displays and features that give attendees another reason to return year after year.

While not downplaying his role, Doughton defers credit whenever he can — to retired electrician Jack Reilly, who maintains the displays and has led the effort to put them up and take them down for 20 years—to his committee, the county, all the volunteers.

To this end, early on Doughton worked a deal with Eugene Ballet to bring its Nutcracker production to Jacoby Auditorium at UCC as a complementary fund-raiser for the festival. Clearly, it is a labor of love, and not all in service The production, which incorporates local to his ego. But there is that. ballet students, reliably sells out each year. “I was raised here, went off to Oregon State With the help of his niece, an employee in University, then came back and built an Disney’s marketing department, he earned investment management company,” he says. rare permission to add a display featuring a “We all want to give back something to our character from the movie Frozen. He’s expanded community. To me, it’s just been a thrill seeing activities in the festival’s holiday village, added how much people like this, watching it grow, a horse-drawn carriage and spent $25,000 to seeing people want to be part of it and helping bring in the world’s tallest nutcracker, whose make people happy.” appearance resulted in a 20 percent bump in Adds Marks: “If you volunteer at Festival of attendance even though, Doughton says smiling, Lights, you see how happy it makes people going “He’s a little gruff. We may have to do something through it when they thank you. How great is about his face.” that – to have a fund-raiser at Christmas that “Kerwin is an example of the power of one,” says Marks. “Yes, many others have helped and worked to make his vision a success, but we all followed him. This would not have happened without his leadership, work and dedication.”

UMPQUA LIFE

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Nightly through Jan. 1, 2019

5:30 – 9 p.m., Sunday – Thursday 5:30 – 10 p.m., Friday – Saturday River Forks Park, 6 miles west of Roseburg $10 per car

Santa appears at Holiday Village Thursday – Sunday, 5:30 – 9 p.m. Admission is free. uvfestivaloflights.com

makes people that happy, then you get to provide scholarships to some of the same children who have attended the event for years?”

The Festival of Lights is clearly an event that’s good for lots of souls, and at least one ego.

Festival displays feature some 500,000 lights, many of which have to be replaced on an annual basis.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

UMPQUA LIFE

DECK THE HALLS

LOVES WINTER IS COMING. Looking for gift ideas? We’ve got them. Page editor Debi Ashley Photos by Nicole Stratton Cowboy Tree Yard & Garden Center 592 NE Chestnut Ave, Roseburg

Gallery Northwest 625 SE Jackson St, Roseburg Mercy Gift Shop 2700 NW Stewart Pkwy, Roseburg Spunky Steer 2395 NW Stewart Pkwy, Roseburg Round 2 Antiques 509 SE Jackson St, Roseburg The Atom Espresso & Coffee Bar

Rouge, 20168 RogueUmpqua Scenic Byway, Glide Brown’s Shoe Fit 526 SE Jackson St, Roseburg Douglas County Trail Guides 516 SE Jackson St #100, Roseburg

Umpqua Valley Arts Center 1624 W Harvard Ave, Roseburg

UV . WINTER 2019

Cowboy Tree Yard & Garden Center: 1.Multi-colored Metal Moose. Gallery NW: 2. Hand Carved Wooden Santa. Mercy Gift Shop: 3. Lenae May Stuffed Stocking Hanging Christmas Decor. 4. LightUp Wooden Christmas Shadow Box. Spunky Steer: 5. Wooden Tape Measure Christmas Tree. 6. Cowboy Boot Christmas Stocking. Round 2 Antiques: 7. Vintage Santa Pitcher

UMPQUA LIFE

GIFTS GALORE

10.

11.

12.

13.

The Atom Espresso & Coffee Bar: 1. Oregon Double-Sided Bottle Opener. 2. Orange & Red Double-Wrap Leather Cuff. Gallery NW: 3. Hand Carved Wooden Wine Stopper 4. Hand Hammered Copper Earrings. 5. Winter Sunrise Acrylic Painting. Brown’s Shoe Fit: 6. JBU Women’s Black/Red Buffalo Plaid Shortie Rain Boot. Douglas County Trail Guides: 7. ”Oregon Rock Climbing” Guide Book. 8. MOJI LED Lantern. Good Vibrations: 9. Klipsch Small Speaker. Mercy Gift Shop: 10. Jelly Cat Stuffed Deer. Umpqua Valley Arts Center: 11. Cleo Kale Ceramic Cups. 12. James Thatcher Metal Art Piece. Coastal Farm & Ranch: 13. Go Pro.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

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The 100 Valleys of theUmpqua are Beautiful in the Winter

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Waterjet Robot with technically advanced craftsmanship in use. Over 300 slabs of fine quality stone in stock. Granite, Quartz, Marble, Soapstone and more. 403 N.E. Winchester St., Roseburg • 541-440-0985 • umpquastone.com

Peer back in time...

Great Food. Great Games. Great Times.

at the Umpqua Valley’s Museums Umpqua River Lighthouse 1020 Lighthouse Road, Winchester Bay 541-271-4631 Douglas County Museum 123 Museum Drive, Roseburg 541-957-7007 Colliding Rivers Exploration Station 18782 North Umpqua Hwy, Glide 541-496-0157

Full Menu Kids Menu Awesome pizza! www.umpquavalleymuseums.org

Serving our full menu daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., later on weekends. 2400 N.E. Diamond Lake Blvd. ph: 541-672-3456

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TGIF Friday 12-7+, Saturday 12 - 6, Sunday 12 - 5 (or by Appt) 541-743-1885 FB TripleOakWineVault www.tripleoakvineyard.com

435 NE Casper St, Roseburg www.tmscallcenters.com

FOOD DRINK FOOD + +DRINK

COZY COFFEE SHOPS / HOLIDAY MENU / TWO SHY BREWING

Peggy Cheatham (pictured)

COZY COFFEE SHOPS Seems like just about everyone in Douglas County has a favorite coffee spot. Here are a few of ours. Story by Jennifer Grafiada Photos by Thomas Boyd

rom Garden Valley to Oakland, neighborhood coffee shops help keep busy customers caffeinated. Drivethrus abound, but what if you want to get out of your car, sit down and enjoy a hot beverage and your usual coffee stop isn’t nearby? We’ve got you covered.

UV . WINTER 2019

DOWNTOWN ROSEBURG

GATHERING GROUNDS COFFEE HOUSE Owners: Felicia Mellor and Peggy Cheatham Established: 2018 Vibe: See and be seen Coffee By: Cafeto Coffee and Takelma Roasting Co. Gotta Try: Lavender Dream Mocha paired with a marionberry hazelnut scone This mother/daughter team is no stranger to the Umpqua Valley. The pair operated While Away Books on Harvard Avenue for 12 years before mom Peggy thought she might want to retire. Daughter Felicia had other ideas, and Gathering Grounds was born. Gathering Grounds helps downtown business people and visitors refuel with delicious drinks, soups, salads, paninis and pastries. Also available are farm-to-table breakfast burritos, falafel wraps, espresso flights for a dollar a taste (the first is free), kombucha and cold brew on tap. Felicia makes an addictive vegan cheesecake. Peggy makes fresh biscottis and soup. There is a selection of loose-leaf teas from Mountain Rose Herbs and coffee sourced from five different continents.

FOOD + DRINK

DARKROOM ESPRESSO

CASCADIAN COFFEE CO.

Owners: Dale McAlpin and John Hoobler Established: 2018 Vibe: After-hours speakeasy Coffee By: Wandering Goat Coffee Co. Gotta Try: Gourmet grilled cheese (must ask for it)

Owner: Gabriel Stratton Established: 2016 Vibe: Community hangout Coffee By: Cafeto Coffee Gotta Try: Coffee Cubano, brewed with raw sugar and cinnamon

It may be sunny outside, but inside Darkroom Espresso the ambience is more like twilight. Blues and jazz are the soundtrack, and a piano is in the back for those who want to try it.

If you’re hungry and near Cass Street, here’s the perfect spot for a house-made salad and a cup of something good.

Evocative photography is displayed on the walls, all by owner John Hoobler, a professional photographer.

Owner Stratton has a laid-back air although he clearly has a lot going on. “We try to be involved in the community,” he says. “We are not just a coffee shop.”

Hoobler says the impetus behind Darkroom Espresso was “To fill an empty space downtown that didn’t have a business in it.” Photography, jazz and coffee seem like a worthy addition.

Stratton rents out his kitchen to local food and drink makers (like OmGrown Kombucha) and the adjacent gallery for special events.

LE PETIT CAFE

While admiring the local art or browsing a book, customers can enjoy large house-made cookies, filling breakfasts, like the “Egg MacGuffen,” or just some good coffee. Everything is made by hand.

Owners: Connie Smith and Carol Arnett Established: 2018 Vibe: Upscale sophisticate Coffee By: Cascade Estate Coffees Gotta Try: French onion soup At Le Petit, you might think you fell into a rabbit hole and came out a frilly Parisian who likes baguettes and reads Sartre. Which is the point here. Sisters Connie Smith and Carol Arnett wanted to create a pretty little coffee shop in downtown Roseburg. The lovely decor goes well with the coffee served, and Connie makes customized croissant sandwiches and daily soups, like her famous French onion. “The other day some people were here from Paris, and they said my soup is the best they’ve ever had,” Connie says.

GARDEN VALLEY

MY COFFEE AND THE WINE EXPERIENCE Owners: Heidi and Savannah Underwood Established: 2005 Vibe: Power lunch, Roseburg style Coffee by: Portland Roasting Coffee Gotta try: Pumpkin chocolate chip muffin At around 2 p.m. on a Monday, the line is six deep but moves quickly. A woman calmly crochets, sitting by herself at a large table. A pair of college students have postcards and highlighters covering every inch of their table as they study a course. In a corner, a man in a black coat is focused on his laptop. At the counter, I order the turkey pesto panini to go. It’s finger-licking good.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

FOOD + DRINK

SUTHERLIN

OAKLAND

WHITEHORSE COFFEE & TEA CO.

THE EYE OPENER & FIFTY SHADES OF GRAPE

Owners: Kristin and Leo Lusk, David and Leticia MacDonald Established: 1999 Vibe: Grandpa’s awesome den Coffee by: Whitehorse Coffee & Tea Co. Gotta Try: Momma Kristin’s homemade soups

Owner: Jennifer Vogel

A gorgeous 1957 flamenco red Chevy Bel Air in pristine condition is parked out front, near the giant white horse statues that guard the entrance. Its owner is John Youman, a proud Sutherlin resident. From his table, where he has made himself at home with a newspaper, he eyes me as I stand hesitating at the counter.

The outside is mint-green and white and looks a bit like an oversized dollhouse. A placard says it was a “Cleaning, Pressing and Tailor Shop” around the turn of the last century.

“Everything,” he tells me. “Everything here is good.” Youman’s favorites include the bacon omelet and the reuben sandwich. Youman is also a big fan of Whitehorse’s house-roasted coffee. “It’s the best coffee in the entire state,” he says. “My sister and brother-in-law come down from Seattle just to buy Whitehorse coffee.”

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Established: 2016 Vibe: Inexplicably sexy Coffee By: Equator Coffee Gotta Try: Quiche

Now you can get your caffeinated drink of choice or a local vintage from the owner’s Vogel Vineyards. Locals love the freshly made breakfast and lunch specials, like teriyaki bowls and biscuits and gravy. Local photography adorns the walls, and seating is plentiful for a small space. The countertop displays Danish pastries and scones. You’ll have to go elsewhere for your clothing needs, but if you’re hungry for some home-cooked comfort food paired with coffee or wine, set your sights on the Eye Opener.

FOOD + DRINK

A TASTE OF THE UMPQUA Story and recipes Nancy Rodriguez

Last August, I had the pleasure of attending the Oregon Wine Experience in Jacksonville, where several Umpqua Valley wines were honored for their exceptional varietals. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve paired a selection of my favorite medal winners with a delicious menu that will help you win the accolades of your family and friends this holiday season. Enjoy!

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FOOD + DRINK

ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE GALETTE Ingredients

Wine Pairing

• 1 lb. Asparagus • 6 oz. Goat cheese • 8 oz. Cream cheese • 2 T Basil pesto • ¼ C Parmesan cheese, grated • ¼ t Lemon zest • 2 Leeks, thinly sliced (white only) • 1 Sheet puff pastry, thawed Olive oil Fresh black pepper Kosher salt

2016 Sauvignon Blanc, Brandborg Vineyard and Winery The gold awarded to this wine is also reflected in its color of sheaves of wheat with an herbaceousness balanced by hints of tropical fruit.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit • In a shallow pan bring water to a simmering boil. Blanch asparagus for 1 minute and remove from simmering water; place in ice bath to stop cooking. Asparagus should look bright green and be tender. Drain and pat dry. Brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. • Mix together cream cheese, goat cheese, lemon zest and pesto. • Roll out puff pastry sheet to a 10x16 inch rectangle. Roll edges to create a border. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Pock pastry with a fork and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool slightly. • Spread goat-and-cream-cheese mixture onto pastry sheet. Arrange asparagus on top of cheese. Return to oven. • Continue baking for another 15 minutes. • While galette continues to bake, caramelize thinly sliced leeks in olive oil. Garnish individual portions of galette with the leeks. Serves six

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS IN HERB-INFUSED LEMON-BUTTER WINE SAUCE Ingredients

Wine Pairing

• 2 lbs. Sea scallops • 4 oz. Butter, unsalted • 1 Lemon, juiced • 1 T Lemon zest • ¼ C Italian parsley, finely diced • 1 T Lemon thyme • 1 C White wine, Albarino • 1 Bunch arugula Olive oil Kosher salt White pepper • 16 oz. dried figs

2017 Albarino, Abacela Winery The embodiment of Spain’s signature white varietal, this is a dry wine with a mix of light, floral scents, the flavors of apple and pear with a twist of citrus for a refreshing finish.

Directions • Rinse scallops in cold water and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. • Heat approximately 1 Tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan. Add 1 oz. of butter to pan and melt over medium heat. Add scallops to pan in single layer. Cook each side till golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set aside while making sauce. • Melt remaining butter in sauté pan, stir in lemon juice and wine. Reduce by half, add in herbs and stir until fragrant. • Return scallops to pan and allow to macerate in sauce over low heat for 1 minute. • Plate individual servings on a bed of arugula, garnish with remaining Italian parsley and lemon zest. Serves six

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

FOOD + DRINK

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS IN WINE Ingredients • 6 1.5 lb. each Lamb shanks • Mirepoix: 1 Yellow onion, diced 2 Carrots, diced 2 Stalks celery, diced • 6 Cloves minced garlic • 1 6 oz. Can tomato paste • 10 C Chicken stock • Fresh black pepper • Kosher salt • Sprigs of rosemary

Wine Pairing

2013 Cabernet Franc, Misty Oaks Vineyard A wine with intense aromas of blueberries and underlying hints of eucalyptus that enhance the flavors of dark berries and pomegranate with the classic characteristics of spice.

Directions • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit • Combine onion, carrot, celery for the mirepoix, sauté till tender. Add garlic and tomato paste. Place in the bottom of a roasting pan or Dutch oven. • Season the lamb shanks with the salt and pepper. Place in single layer on the mirepoix. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Transfer roasting pan to the oven. • Braise uncovered, turning every 30 minutes until meat is fork tender. After approximately 2 hours, add wine to finish cooking. • Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Plate the lamb shanks individually with the polenta and sprigs of rosemary for garnish. Serves six

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ROSEMARY AND PARMESAN POLENTA Ingredients

Wine Pairing

• 4 C Chicken stock • 1 C Yellow cornmeal • 1 T Kosher salt • ½ C Parmesan cheese, grated • 2 T Butter, unsalted • 1 T Rosemary, finely minced • 1 Clove garlic, finely minced • Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Directions • Heat chicken stock in sauce pan to a boil, reduce to simmer. Add garlic. • Slowly whisk cornmeal into stock, stirring constantly. • Simmer slowly for 10 minutes. • Remove from heat and add butter, Parmesan cheese and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. • Plate with lamb shanks. Garnish with rosemary sprigs. Serves six

ROASTED RADICCHIO WITH WINE-POACHED PLUMS AND PROSCIUTTO RIBBONS Ingredients

Wine Pairing

• 6 ea. Radicchio, cut in half lengthwise • 6 ea. Plums, halved • 8 oz. Prosciutto, cut into thin ribbons • ½ C Pomegranate seeds • 1 C Wine, Grenache • 1 T Balsamic vinegar • Olive oil • Kosher salt • Fresh black pepper

2015 Grenache, Season Cellars A beautiful wine with a rich palate of red berries, dark cherry and blackberry, leading to a long finish with notes of mocha.

Directions • Place radicchio on parchment-covered baking sheet, brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 25 minutes. Set aside. • Toss the plums in the balsamic vinegar, place in sauce pan with wine and pomegranate seeds. Bring to low simmer and reduce liquid by half. • Plate roasted radicchio with poached plums and spoon remaining wine reduction over them. Garnish with the prosciutto ribbons. Serves six

FOOD + DRINK

PEAR TARTE TATIN WITH HONEY-GLAZED HAZELNUTS Ingredients

Wine Pairing

Pastry: • 8 T Butter, unsalted (one stick) • 1 Egg • 2 T Cold water • 12/3 C All purpose flour • ¼ t Salt Filling: • 5 Anjou pears, ripe • 4 oz. Butter, unsalted • ½ C Brown sugar • 1 t Cinnamon • ¼ t Cardamon • ¼ t Cloves Honey Glazed Hazelnuts: • 2C Hazelnuts, skins removed • 4 T Honey • 2 T Butter, unsalted • In mixing bowl, toss hazelnuts with melted butter and honey. • Place in shallow baking dish and roast in 325-degree oven for 25 minutes. • Allow to cool, chop and use as garnish for galette.

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2017 Riesling, Whitetail Ridge Vineyards A luscious wine redolent with aromas of white flowers and a wafting of honeysuckle leading to apricots mid-palate with a light acidic finish

Directions • Soften butter, add egg, water, salt and mix in flour. Shape dough into a ball and flatten. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour. • Prepare filling. Peel and slice pears, toss with spices. • Melt butter in oven safe pan (preferably a cast iron skillet). Stir the brown sugar into the melted butter. Arrange slices of pears in a concentric circle over the butter-sugar mixture. Cook on the stove top over low heat until pears become tender. Remove from heat. • Roll out pastry dough into 9-inch circle and place over pears in the pan, folding in edges. Using a knife, make 4 slits in pastry dough. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before inverting onto serving platter. Garnish with the honey-glazed hazelnuts. Serves six

FOOD + DRINK

TWO SHY: BEERS WITH PERSONALITY In a few short years, the Roseburg brewery has eliminated the recurring condition that inspired its name and grown into a reliable source for a wide array of flavorful brews. Story by A.P. Weber Photos by Thomas Boyd

dead-end road off Garden Valley Boulevard in an industrial Roseburg neighborhood leads to an unexpected discovery—an inviting covered patio, where groups of people are enjoying beverages and one another’s company.

The telltale complementary scents of sweet grain and floral hops reveal the business conducted behind that small patio. Nestled inconspicuously among the commercial businesses and aluminum-sided warehouses is the comfortable oasis that is Two Shy Brewing. Step inside and enjoy the family-friendly vibe established by owner and brewmaster Lyle Hruda and his wife, Danielle. There are no pretenses here – not Hruda’s style. He’s a working man through and through. In fact, he’s often the gent pouring drinks. Up until two years ago, he was working as a forklift technician. Making beer started as a hobby for Hruda and his friend Paul Singleton. In 2009, the economy was down, money was tight and every time the pair brewed a batch they’d find they were two bottles short of a case. Just shy. So they wrote “Two Shy Brewing” on the wall of Hruda’s garage, where the work was being done. It was just a lark, but the name stuck. Around that time, Hruda was servicing the forklifts at both Oakshire Brewing and Ninkasi Brewing in Eugene. “I started giving beer away because I was making more than I could drink,” explains Hruda. “I took some up to Ninkasi and gave it to a guy there.”

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FOOD + DRINK

In 2009, the economy was down, money was tight and every time Hruda and Singleton brewed a batch they’d find they were two bottles short of a case. Just shy.

Lyle Hruda among the tanks and wife, Danielle, behind the bar at Two Shy.

The brewers at Ninkasi must have been impressed, because they showed their support for Hruda’s project in very practical ways and with advice that helped him develop as a brewmaster. That camaraderie within the larger brewing community helped push Hruda to officially establish Two Shy Brewing in 2010; it was open for business in December of 2012. If you belly up to the bar and order a flight of Two Shy’s generous six-ounce sample pours, Hruda might tell you the rest of the story, how the Roseburg community and local businesses rallied around the brewery and provided support at just the right times. Likely, he’ll ask about you, though: What are you looking for in a beer? Two Shy has an impressive variety of offerings on tap (18 at the beginning of November). The Everything Is Awesome pale

ale stands out as an exceptional easy drinker. One of the more unexpected options on tap is the Monk’s Temptation Belgian-style tripel, aged in tempranillo barrels; it’s subtly fruity (almost like a cider) and remarkably smooth. For malty goodness, the Scottish Warrior ale, aged in whiskey barrels, will treat you right. If you’re looking for a robust, dark and nutty flavor extravaganza, the Oregon Rebel Stout won’t disappoint. Since 2016, Hruda has been full time at Two Shy Brewing, either behind the bar or out among the barrels. He brings to the brewery the work ethic of a forklift technician, putting in around 100 hours a week just keeping all the plates spinning — making sure that recurring shortage that inspired his brewery’s name remains a thing of the past.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

“It was a lifelong love, which became a hobby, which became a career.”

Story by Doug Pederson Photos provided

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ROSEBURG TALES NO. 4 WINTER 2019 30717

CULTURE

Mike Allred is a world-famous comic book artist, writer and creator who just happens to hail from Planet Roseburg.

t’s a good time to be alive if you’re a fan of superheroes and comic books.

No longer are comic books the lonely escape for nerds and geeks. Comic books have become mainstream thanks to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC’s many attempts at making a decent movie (keep trying, guys) and a long list of Oregon publishers creating some of the best stories and artwork of all time. If you’re a fan of the genre and live in Douglas County, chances are you already know that one of the biggest names in comic books is a hometown hero.

Roseburg native Mike Allred has drawn and written for all manner of superheroes and antiheroes, including Deadpool, X-Force, Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four, just to name a few.

noon. My productivity tends to kick in when everything settles down. Then I work through the night. I’m something of a workaholic.” Laura Allred is a well-known, awardwinning American comic artist in her own right. They’re not only an artistic team, but also devoted parents and grandparents, who love to spend time with family and friends. The Allreds live a stone’s throw away from each of their kids and grandkids. For them, family is a superpower. For him, the love of family and togetherness originated in Roseburg. “We lived on Lane Street just above downtown,” Allred says. “My brothers and I would walk downtown to Rexall and Payless Drugs. That’s where we got our comic books. I can still remember the smell of fresh popcorn at Payless. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Allred also has his own creations, including Madman, Red Rocket and iZombie, which features Oregon characters and settings. An iZombie TV series just finished filming its fifth season.

Allred’s older brother was the comic book connoisseur in the family.

Shoot, he even has a Wikipedia page.

and the resulting concussion that left him awaking in a hospital bed covered in comic books. Allred’s brother felt so bad about the injury, he bought all the comics he could afford for his younger sibling.

“He had amazing taste in comics,” he says. “He always had the best stuff. He’d get Spiderman, Fantastic Four and Legion of Super-Heroes. If you aren’t a fan of the genre, know this: Really great comics with terrific storytelling. Allred is a big deal when it comes to comic Way more sophisticated than the Richie books. He knows industry bigwigs. He gets to Rich comics I was reading.” call his own shots, choosing what he works Allred tells a story about a flimsy card table, on at any given time. a brother’s insistence that he dance atop it, These days, Allred works out of the home studio he shares in Eugene with his wife and favorite colorist, Laura.

“I keep vampire hours,” he says. “I get up at

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

CULTURE

The incident forever shaped Allred’s destiny. He had been introduced to his first superpower.

“It was a lifelong love, which became a hobby, which became a career,” Allred says.

“Our piano teacher, and later our guitar teachers, had comic books in their waiting rooms. We could find comic books at the second-hand store too,” Allred recalls. “I’m so glad that Heroes Haven (see related story, Page 58) in Roseburg. I like that something representing comic books is in one of the most magical places for me, like the bike path along the river or the part that goes under I-5.”

Allred got work, and started drawing Jaguar Stories for a company that would soon go bankrupt. Undeterred, he found work with other publishers who recognized his talents.

Many Roseburg locations would someday become part of Allred’s endeavor into comic books. Titled Dead Air, it was the story of a small Oregon town after a nuclear war. “Back in the '80s, there was a lot of panic about nuclear war,” Allred recalls. “There was a story in the local paper about how Roseburg was one of the safest places to be during an attack. That was the inspiration for Dead Air.” A copy of Dead Air can now be found in the Douglas County Museum a fact that made Allred’s dad especially proud. But Allred would not create Dead Air until 1989, after he started school at BYU Idaho, met Laura, got married, changed his major from art to broadcasting (to ensure he could find work after school), graduated, started a family, joined the military and reported on the fall of the Berlin Wall.

That’s when the military came knocking. A recruiter offered Allred the chance to see the world, do broadcasting and start his family. “The Air Force guy said babies are free. We signed up.” Allred went to the Air Force Academy, graduated at the top of his class, and went on to work for The Armed Forces Network, reporting behind the microphone and in front of the camera. “We did fun, upbeat, human interest stories about people in the U.K., Greece and spots all over the place.” As a hobby, Allred was writing and drawing comics. When the couple moved back to Roseburg for a short while, Laura urged him to take a chance.

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Madman is one of Allred’s greatest comic creations. Some would say it helped shape modern comics.

Allred has drawn and written for Deadpool, X-Force, Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four and also has his own creations, including Madman, Red Rocket and iZombie.

“I started in radio in Roseburg,” he says with an unmistakable radio voice. “I got a summer job at KYES.”

Other names that would see his potential and hoist his star were Neil Gaiman (American Gods), Frank Miller (Sin City), and Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), as well as studios like DC, Marvel and Dark Horse. He even got an unknowing boost from the late Robin Williams who wore a Madman T-shirt during one of his televised standup routines.

“Neil Gaiman called and said he loved my work and asked if I would be an artist on his series called Sandman,” Allred recalls. “I was thrilled.” But Allred’s big break would have to wait. Saying he wasn’t yet ready for the comic book big leagues, Gaiman’s editor urged Allred to work on his craft. He took the advice to heart, honing his artistic skills, writing better stories and eventually creating Madman. After it was published, Allred met Frank Miller, got another chance to work with Gaiman on Sandman and soon became a comic-book industry darling.

“It’s been one joyful, inspiring moment after another,” he says. “It’s only gotten better every year. There’s just so many wonderful things happening, like my creation Zeitgeist being featured in the Deadpool 2 flick.” The Allreds now have several comic and music projects happening, including the album cover for The Monkees' very first Christmas album, titled Christmas Party. Like many people who grew up in Roseburg, Allred sees his hometown as a magical place that played a large role in shaping his destiny. “When I think of Roseburg, I think of the best childhood imaginable,” Allred says. Like Krypton is for Superman, Roseburg will always be home for this creative superhero.

CULTURE

THREE DECADES OF ZAP! POW! KA-THOOM! If you grew up in Roseburg or have lived here for a while, you’ve probably been to or at least noticed Heroes Haven Comics downtown on Jackson Street. It’s hard to miss, and even harder to dismiss, thanks to its well-known, community-minded owner. Brett White has seen a lot of changes in the comic book industry over the past three decades. “I was a very successful paperboy back in the late 70s and early 80s,” he recalls. “I was mowing lawns too, and making $300 a month. I’d spend a lot of that on comic books.” To ensure he didn’t miss an issue of his favorites, White would show up at Goves Market on Mondays after school and stock the comic book rack for the store’s employees. “I didn’t make any money stocking those comics, but it was worth it,” White says. “I got first dibs on all the new issues.” Over the years, his comic book collection grew, eventually to the point when he was ready to try retail. He funded his first location downtown in 1987. Several moves and a college degree from Oregon State later, White can look back on a successful three decades in business. Heroes Haven has become a mainstay for locals searching for their favorite comic books, collectibles, games and other geektastic objects of fascination. There’s certainly no sign of business slowing down. “This is one of my best years ever,” White says. After 30 years in business, the Heroes Haven owner can look back on a lot of fond memories, including the time Roseburg native and future comic book star Mike Allred (see previous story) stopped in. “He told me he’d be a world-famous comic book artist one day; I didn’t believe him,” White says with a chuckle. "I guess we’re both successful in our own way.” —Doug Pederson

Mike Allred's wife, Laura, is a well-known comic artist in her own right.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

Portraits in Artistry Story by Dick Baltus Photos by Thomas Boyd

Great art tells detailed stories of the individuals who create it. The Umpqua Valley is home to scores of talented artists telling their stories through a multitude of media. While, regrettably, it is impossible to feature all those who deserve recognition, we’d like to introduce you to four of the many who, to our good fortune, call this place home.

SUSAN ROCHESTER Her lifelong interest in borders and the cultures on either side of them has led to two one-of-a-kind artistic endeavors.

or as long as she can remember, Susan Rochester has been fascinated by the often arbitrary lines that separate country from country, people from people.

“I was born in the Los Angeles area, and I remember wondering why the Mexican border was where it was,” the Sutherlin resident remembers. “If it had been shifted just 100 miles to the north, I would have been a Mexican citizen.” In 2017, Rochester was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship that

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funded a trip to the eastern Mediterreanean island of Cyprus, which was divided after a Turkish invasion, and her interest in borders and the cultures around them only grew. “Before 1974, Cyprus was a unified country, but now you had people who had the same stories, ate the same food and believed in the same God separated by a line that some British guy randomly drew across a map,” she says. “After the island was partitioned, inhabitants were forced to choose whether to settle in the Greek-speaking south or the Turkish-speaking north.” This year Rochester, an associate professor and chair of performing and visual arts at Umpqua Community College, decided to turn her longtime interest into two artistic pursuits. The first is to create a scale model map of the nearly 2,000-mile border separating Mexico and the United States. “I’ve always wanted to be able to walk along a scale model of the border, but as far as I can tell there isn’t even one available that you can look at,” she says. “Even on a Rand McNally map, you do OK from California to Arizona, but when you get to Texas, the scale changes.” Rochester didn’t want just a map anyway; she wanted a photographic representation. So she started piecing together her own using Google Earth tools. Ultimately, her goal is to create a scale model that will be folded accordion style and bound with a copper cover and leather spine. leather spine. Rochester says that, while

Susan Rochester with samples of her border art.

Rochester says that, while anyone can follow along the border on Google Earth, she wants to create a more tactile experience. “You just don’t get a sense of scale on a computer screen,” she says. “I want to create something you can spread out and actually walk along.” It will be a decent jaunt. Rochester has completed California and it, alone, is 200 feet long. But she hopes those who take the journey will make rewarding discoveries along the way. The many discoveries Rochester has made herself throughout the process led to a second, related project. “As I was looking at elements of landscapes and structures along the border, I was seeing shapes and motifs that show up throughout history in Southwestern weavings and art,” she says. “So I started digging into the images and pulling out bits and pieces from both sides of the border, then stitching them back together, sometimes flipping the images, then recombining them. And in the process, I noticed I was getting these motifs I

had seen in weaving traditions.” To date, Rochester has created 30 of the images, turning tiny points on a map – part of a bridge, a piece of a mountain range, a tiny portion of a running track — into beautiful art inspired by weavings and Navajo saddle blankets. All of the pieces tell stories about the regions from which their images were pulled as Rochester explained in a recent Facebook post. “Texas and Mexico are joined by 1,254 miles of shared border,” she wrote. “There are 28 border crossings between them, including bridges, dams and a handdrawn ferry. This border weaving is composed of the border control infrastructure at four of these crossings.” Rochester’s project is being supported by grants from the Douglas County Cultural Coalition/Oregon Arts Commission and Ford Family Foundation.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

CARENE VILLEGAS After she temporarily lost her ability to speak as a child, Carene Villegas turned to art as her primary means of communicating. By Dick Baltus

Carene Villegas could draw before she could talk. It was a skill that would prove invaluable at a very young age, after she had learned to talk, but had lost the ability to. “I started drawing when I was two and a half,” says the Los Angeles native, who moved with her parents to Roseburg in 1972. “In my baby book there’s a drawing I did of a Valentine card with my mother on it, pregnant with my little sister. I always could just do it.” As a child, Villegas was drawing “everything I saw – insects, animals. I was just drawing how I saw things,” she says. Then, before she had turned 5, she was in a car accident that left her brain-injured and temporarily unable to speak. When she entered school, she struggled, able to understand what classmates and teachers were saying to her, but unable to respond. At least verbally. “I was forced to communicate through pictures,” she remembers. Around the same time, a seminal moment occurred in her early artistic development when she met renowned Western artist, the late George Phippen. Villegas was only 6 at the time, but the encounter left a lasting impression. “He was an inspiration; I wanted to be an artist like him,” she says. Despite struggling in school, Villegas was a high-performing student. Eventually, her mother scraped together the money to hire a personal art

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teacher, who tutored the youngster for four years. Villegas gradually relearned to talk, but, she says, “My weakness was my vocabulary, and I still struggle. But I’ve been working hard to overcome my deficiencies.” Today, you wouldn’t notice any deficiencies in either her speech or her art, which provides much of the wall décor at Southern Oregon Regional Brokerage, a provider of support services for adults with developmental abilities. The building on Stephens Street in Roseburg is a virtual Villegas gallery, showing off her diverse talents. The waiting area and main floor hallway are adorned with her whimsical cartoons. Throughout the facility, framed landscapes and stampeding horses showcase a completely different skill set. In addition to paintings, Villegas has created masks and worked in ceramics among other media. She provided the cartoon art for three books by children’s author Doreen Dahl, has painted backdrops for plays and finished enough other pieces to fill a storage shed, she says. As traumatic as that car accident was for the young budding artist, Villegas thinks it may have been a positive turning point in her life. “I think that accident was a calling,” she says. “I couldn’t tell anyone what had happened to me, but I could draw it up, and everybody knew.”

KEVIN CLARK He works out of an inconspicuous studio in Roseburg, but his woodblock art is familiar to art aficionados near and far. By Jim Hays

Kevin Clark has never taken an art class and says he can’t remember how he learned to make the woodblock prints that make up the bulk of his works. “It’s just something I used to do as a kid for fun with my grandpa,” says Clark. A native of Southern California who earned a botany degree in college, Clark moved to Roseburg in 1989. It was a year later that his elderly, long-retired grandfather, John Carey, also moved to Roseburg to be nearer his family. Carey, by trade a contract printer and designer, brought along his century-old, two-ton, Chandler & Price cast-iron press — which today sits in Clark’s studio on Northeast Exchange Street in Roseburg and is still used on occasion. Clark and Carey reconnected by doing a line of block print greeting cards sold in 28 shops and stores. But by the early 1990s, Clark had left a local sales job and started producing block prints full time. Carey died in 2003 at age 99. By then, Clark’s works were impressing buyers and critics alike. His works hang in such diverse and distinguished locales as the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and 19 art museums from Belgium to Brazil to Japan.

Woodblock printing dates back to the third century in China and, later, Japan. The basic process involves carving the face of a wooden block with relief images, a painstaking technique that can take days or even weeks to complete. The carved block is inked and printed as an image on the desired surface. To add colors, traditional artists carved a second block, a third and so on to overlay onto the original image. Clark has produced more than 400 prints. He prefers using local fir, oak and myrtlewood for his works, and his prints are often characterized by dramatic woodgrain as a backdrop to the image, lending them an abstract quality. Although he sometimes uses multiple blocks, Clark’s basic technique can involve carving and inking only a single block of wood in all the print’s designed colors and making several prints from that block. As each copy is made, the colors are changed and the edges of the print are altered by the weight of the press on the block. Because none of the “copies” are identical, each becomes an original in itself. Clark has tried other art media, but knows where his niche is. “I really can’t paint,” he says. “But for some reason, I’m good at this.” UMPQUA ARTISTRY

JAN BARBA HORN The paintings of one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier artists are hanging on hundreds of walls, from the Umpqua Valley to the White House. By Jim Hays

Descended from a Quaker pioneer family whose first Northwest home was a tent in the shadow of Mount St. Helens, Jan Barba Horn has become as much part of the Umpqua Valley as its eponymous rivers since casting her keen artist’s eye on the area more than 60 years ago — when she moved from the Silver Lake area on the Cascades’ western slope. Living first in Glide and now Myrtle Creek, Horn has put brush (or pastel) to canvas on thousands of occasions in her long career and has portrayed a multitude of local landscapes, animals and impressionistic scenes. Regarded as one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier artists, Horn’s works are included in many public and private collections — including the White House. She began with watercolors, then moved into oils. Her current medium is pastels. A recent painting, “Ready for Work,” was accepted for the International Association of Pastel Societies’ annual online show. The piece — a striking group portrait in pastels of five herding dogs at rest — was also included in Horn’s one-woman show “The Endless Journey,” which opened in November at the Umpqua Valley Arts Center on Roseburg’s West Harvard Avenue. Other paintings in the show included nuanced scenes of models — often Horn’s grandchildren — wearing vintage costumes in pastoral settings. And a favorite subject, the moods and seasons of the North Umpqua. “I always like coming back to that,” says Horn. Last fall, she and Mary Lee Hope, a local multimedia artist, organized a mural painting event for the Umpqua Valley Boys & Girls Club. Assisted by others, the two got a wall near the club prepared for a mural, then helped club members use whatever colors they chose to paint in the images. Horn also discovered the poetry set down by her greatgrandmother, Lucinda Ann Horning, one of those who endured a wagon ride west, then dwelled in that tent while her family built a wooden house. The poems and journal entries (right photo) were copied from the original longhand and published in 2001 as “Leaves from the Past,” with Horn providing illustrations. Horn’s “Endless Journey” speaks to her evolution as an artist. “I enjoy seeing where it takes me,” she says.

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GALLERY GUIDE No matter where you are in the Umpqua Valley you aren’t far from a gallery showcasing the work of one or more of our many talented artists. And, winter upon us, now’s a great time to seek out the beautiful shelter of one of these area galleries.

ROSEBURG Gallery Northwest 625 S.E. Jackson St. Kevin Clark Studio 130 N.E. Exchange Dr. Umpqua Valley Arts Center 1624 W. Harvard Ave. UCC Art Gallery Whipple Fine Arts Building 1140 Umpqua College Road.

DRAIN DIVA Art Gallery 128 W. C Ave.

ELKTON Elkton Community Education Center 15850 Highway 38 W.

MYRTLE CREEK Ye Olde Art Shop 106 NE Oak St.

REEDSPORT Mindpower Gallery 417 Fir Ave. Ellie’s Chainsaw Art Gallery 532 Fir Ave., Reedsport Myrtlewood Gallery 1125 Highway 101

GARDINER Three Rivers Gallery 77231 US-101 Suite A Tsunami Gallery 77207 U.S. 101

RIDDLE Clay Potential Pottery 219 N. Main St.

SCOTTSBURG River Raku 176 Wessela Lane UMPQUA ARTISTRY

Part gearheads, part speed racers, part cycle accessories salesmen, the longtime friends behind Hesh Moto are doing their part to revive Roseburg’s lost motorcycle culture. Story by A.P. Weber

“I ENJOY TAKING PHOTOS AND TRYING TO CAPTURE WITH THE CAMERA WHAT MY EYE IS SEEING AND PRODUCING AN IMAGE THAT CONVEYS THAT VISION AND EMOTION.” — Tom Wicks Photo of Bonneville Salt Flats by B. Lane Johns. 46 UV . WINTER 2019

he story of Hesh Moto-Craft Co. begins in August of 2016 at the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, where two homegrown Roseburg boys realized they had virtually broken a national speed record “on a whim.” Virtually, because they didn’t file the necessary paperwork to qualify, instead opting to enter the low-key, non-competitive “Run Whatcha Brung” category. Cam Campman and B. Lane Johns (above left and right) just wanted to participate in the trials, be a part of the community, so they showed up to the Bonneville Salt Flats in the Utah desert — a plain so flat it’s as if some extraterrestrial doom device laser-leveled it for the very purpose for which it is now so famously used — with Johns’ custom Harley Davidson Sportster and no idea in their heads but to experience the thrill of blasting through a field of pale salt dust and shooting the breeze with like-minded gearheads. “It’s such a cross-section of pure Americana,” Campman says. “It’s just a group of people who are completely unpretentious and bring complete Frankenstein machines to see how fast they go. We kept saying to each other, ‘This is awesome. Why aren’t more people doing this?’” It’s not that Campman and Johns couldn’t see the obvious barriers to entering a motorcycle into the Bonneville speed trials, starting with the forbidding locale hundreds of miles from Oregon. “It’s like standing on a mirror,” Campman says of the bone-white salt flats, before describing how the sunlight glares down from the naked sky and then reflects back up from the ground, mercilessly scorching a body from every possible angle. And then there are the technical hurdles. “It’s a flying mile,” explains Johns. “You have to prep a bike that will maintain its maximum speed for a mile. So that motor has to be performing at maximum output for that distance. It’s not uncommon to see someone push an engine too hard and blow it up.” This is a probably good time to properly introduce the two guys who had such a bike.

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Photos of last summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hesh Moto Motorcycle Show by Kevin Eckerman.

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ampman and Johns grew up in the Roseburg area when it was still relatively flush from a booming timber industry. Campman is tall, has unruly hair and, even though he’s a graphic designer by trade, you’ll usually find him with an oil rag hanging out of his back pocket.

He returned to Roseburg a few years ago after spending a decade or so in Washington state. Johns stayed closer to home and speaks with that rural Oregon accent that so befuddles Californians trying to pump their own gas up here — the same one Ken Kesey got teased for during his sojourn in Los Angeles. As John speaks about the environment in which he and Campman grew up, he gazes into the middle space as if seeing it. “When I was younger we built hot rods, did drag racing at the edge of town,” he says. “When I got out of high school, the first thing I did was buy a Harley Sportster. It was easy then to find other people to ride or race with.” Johns used to hang around Fast Eddie’s in Dixonville, where local bike legend Ed Halkyard would show him the ropes of motorcycle customization, let him turn a wrench. He learned to work on a bike under the tutelage of a master.

“Living out in Glide (where Campman grew up) when you’re in your teens or 20s, it’s a 45-minute drive to get groceries,” he explains. “So, we both can relate to those kids who learn how to turn a wrench out of necessity.” “I bet we can both still start a car with a screwdriver,” Johns interjects with a sly look at his business partner. Campman laughs in agreement.

o how do two gearheads turn a trip to Bonneville to speed test a custom bike into the T-shirt and leather goods brand that is Hesh Moto-Craft Co.? Story goes likes this:

During the long drive home from the 2016 speed trials, Johns and Campman knew they had to go back; they had to officially break that virtual record. But next time it would cost more money; the entry fee alone is more than $500.

“When I got out of high school, the first thing I did was buy a Harley Sportster. It was easy then to find other people to ride or race with. But then it all dried up.”

“But then it all dried up,” Johns adds wistfully, as if still envisioning Roseburg’s erstwhile motorcycle culture. “I don’t know exactly when it dried up, but it did. That’s kind of what we’re trying to revive a little bit.” Johns had long wanted to go to Bonneville just to experience it, but couldn’t find anyone willing to make the trek, jump through the technical hoops or spend the cash to have an adventure. Then his old friend Campman moved back to town and he was game. “Cam says he’s no mechanic,” Johns says, and, indeed, Campman had previously made that disclaimer. “Truth is, he’s a fearless mechanic. He will tear a motor down even if he doesn’t totally know what he is doing. He just has faith in the gods of speed to help him put it back together—and usually has great success. He’s a blue-collar guy” That title carries a lot of weight with these two. It’s a badge of honor. Even though Campman is now the creative director and lead designer for the Roseburg-based creative agency, Anvil Northwest, he’s stayed true to his roots. That oil rag in his pocket speaks volumes.

— B. Lane Johns

“Driving home we kept saying we should do something cool,” Campman remembers. “Somehow we can lump going back to Bonneville in with taking a stab at making a small business.” They needed to raise money, but they weren’t going to ask for a handout like some garage band turning to Kickstarter to raise funds for its can’t-miss album. Campman says he always admired Johns’ leather work, and he had design skills.

“We just started a little brother website selling custom tees and leather stuff to help fund the next Bonneville trip,” he says. That, in short, is what Hesh Moto-Craft Co. is, really — a fundraiser. But it’s not just about raising money. Campman and Johns are trying to recapture that spirit, that enthusiasm they experienced on the salt flats. They’re trying to bring it back to Roseburg because it’s a spirit that was once right at home here. “This sounds cheesy, but there was a time when Roseburg was kind of a motorcycle town,” Campman says. “You could go to any number of bike shops, which were hangouts as well. You got to know people in town by the type of riding they did—whether motocross or street. You got to know the sweet spots to ride. It was a culture unto itself, and it was just another thing that kids could do.” The other side of the Hesh mission, Campman says, is simply to “try to get people to dig on motorcycles or dig on being in the garage.”

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ne of the challenges of getting up to top speed on the salt flats is the salt itself.

“It’s viscous,” Campman says, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together. The salt cakes around the tire tread like the rim of a margarita glass, making it hard to get traction. That’s what the Hesh duo is up against now, as well—it’s an issue of traction.

“It’s pretty new,” Campman says. “We’re trying to get other people involved. We thought we should have a bike show to kick things off before Bonneville.” Campman and Johns put together Hesh Moto Show last August simply to try to drum up interest in what they were doing from any people out there who might be interested in what they were doing. It was an allinclusive motorcycle show. People could enter whatever custom bike they wanted — it didn’t have to be a Harley like so many other shows around the country. In the end, they had more than 30 unique bikes join their party. When Bell Helmets and Chopcult (a website dedicated to promoting custom motorcycle culture) became sponsors, the Hesh boys knew they were on to something. But it was the local interest that really meant the most to them. “We’re starting to see things finally make the turn,” Campman says in a cautious but hopeful tone.

Johns adds a custom touch of paint to a bike. Photo by Kevin Eckermaan.

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Last August, Johns and Campman returned to Bonneville with that same Harley Sportster. There’s something about this bike that deserves mentioned: It has a 1200cc engine. That matters because for Johns to take the record in his bike’s category, he would have to compete against bikes with 1350cc engines, the class limit. Some of the competition had a crew of six people and a mobile workshop trailer. In other words, the deck was stacked against the Hesh boys, but no matter. Johns and his Harley Sportster did take the record, and his buddy Campman was right there with him. Now the duo have turned their attention to 2019. Johns thinks he can push his bike even further. He’s certainly not afraid to try. He says he’s done over 180 mph before; heck, he used to commute to work at 115. Hitting 130 on salt is light years harder, but he’s already been there, done that, so what’s another few mph? After that, who knows? Whatever the future holds, Hesh will continue to light a beacon for Douglas County gearheads, motorheads, weekend mechanics and professional customizers alike. And Johns and Campman will continue to offer what they can to keep the culture alive and possibly inspire a new generation of gearheads to pick up and turn a wrench.

The deck was stacked against the Hesh boys, but no matter. Johns and his Harley Sportster did take the record, and his buddy Campman was right there with him.

Photo of bikes, including the record setter on left, by B. Lane Johns.

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MOTHER’S HELPERS A partnership of public and private entities is helping enhance the health of local streams by correcting well-intended past efforts to disrupt nature’s good work. Story and photos by Geoff Shipley Photos by Thomas Boyd

hen Jeff McEnroe, fish biologist with the Roseburg District Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), works with a crew of three from Blue Ridge Timber Cutting, Inc. out of Coos Bay to strategically engineer a logjam in eastern Douglas County’s Pass Creek from existing streamside trees, it’s a project that’s nearly 50 in years in the making. Streams throughout the Umpqua Valley and the state of Oregon make clear a quirk of humanity: We often don’t know what we don’t know, and we’re good at soothing our ignorance with the balm of good intentions. Up until just a few decades ago, accepted practice encouraged the removal of large in-stream woody debris – natural logjams — from the state’s waterways. For a couple of generations, logjams were often viewed as barriers to fish and contributors to flooding, among other ills.

The natural structures were removed from local streambeds in a remarkably thorough manner, even for a state where learning to run a chainsaw is almost as commonplace as learning to drive. A 1930s-era DuPont advertisement recommends removing logjams and creating “stream-lined” waterways with the help of dynamite. But these good intentions were misplaced. Logjams as adversaries? More like allies, since they provide exactly the cover, deep pools and pebbles that juvenile fish and aquatic creatures need to thrive, while the natural obstacles also protect and enhance important floodplain function and riparian wildlife habitat.

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Jesse Matson of Blue Ridge Timber CuttingÂ plots the next move with mainline in foreground. UMPQUA ARTISTRY 53 UMPQUA ARTISTRY 53

Up until just a few decades ago, accepted practice encouraged the removal of large in-stream woody debris– natural logjams - from the state’s waterways.

icture your favorite Oregon stream Umpqua Rivers, the basin’s watershed council. enduring its seasonal extremes. “These projects are often extremely complex Flows that may be no more than a and involve a large group of professionals to trickle in summertime give way to design, permit, fund, contract and implement.” torrential floods in winter. Without natural Though initial project development and logjams interrupting the water’s tremendous design falls to McEnroe and the BLM, force and dissipating it into the surrounding the Canton and Pass Creek restoration floodplain, winter flows act as giant power work ultimately relies on help from the washers that scour stream bottoms of fine Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers, the gravel, cut down into bedrock and sever Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the waterways from their natural floodplains. National Marine Fishery Service and Blue The resulting environmental damage Ridge Timber Cutting Inc. Funding comes disrupts spawning fish, their offspring and from the BLM as well as from the North all the other living things that rely on healthy Umpqua Mitigation Fund that was created riparian habitat, including humans. when PacifiCorp relicensed Soda Springs Closed to angling for decades now, Pass Creek, Dam on the North Umpqua River in 2003.

which feeds into the North Umpqua River by “The actions of these organizations make a way of first Canton Creek and then Steamboat difference, and without the collaborative Creek, is still, thankfully, a spawning and and innovative mindset that these folks have, rearing haven for the watershed’s wild habitat restoration in the Umpqua Basin steelhead and trout despite some rough would be less productive and not nearly as treatment in the past. effective at improving overall watershed The little creek first earned widespread conditions,” says Riley.

recognition in 1968 for lending its name to a groundbreaking film that highlighted the destructive logging practices of the day. Championed by conservationists such as local legend Frank Moore, the 10-minute Pass Creek movie had a profound impact on re-thinking established forest practices in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the country.

While the attention eventually led to some restoration work for the stream in the 1980s, it’s only fitting that, 50 years after the release of Pass Creek, nearly 100 individual sites have been identified in the Canton and Pass Creek watersheds for an ambitious, four-phase habitat and water-quality restoration plan that’s slated to run through 2022. “The restoration work that we do takes a monumental collaborative effort to complete large, multi-year projects,” explains Eric Riley, executive director of Partnership for the

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Planning and careful coordination extend to the ecological aspects of the project just as much as they do to the administrative portions. The streamside trees that will be used to create the logjams must be handselected by a wildlife biologist to ensure protection of crucial habitat for birds and mammals. And the work must be done in late summer when the stream flows are at their lowest and before fish spawning starts in earnest.

With a relatively tight work-window each year, and at the rate of about one site per day, it will take the planned five years to tackle all of the identified restoration sites.

n a cool, partly sunny, early October day in the Calapooya Mountains of eastern Douglas County, McEnroe and the Blue Ridge Timber Cutting team work on one of the identified sites in Pass Creek. A

Jesse Matson keeps a watchful eye on trees, cables and crew. UMPQUA UMPQUA ARTISTRY ARTISTRY

Clockwise from top: The BLMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jeff McEnroe helps direct log placement; truck-mounted winch and operator; new in-stream debris ready for winter flows; tools of the trade.

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Restoring natural environments means every situation is different, as is every tree, and they don’t always fall exactly where the crew wants them. chief reason this specific location was selected, explains McEnroe, is because of the large Douglas fir tree that has already fallen naturally and spanned the creek.

that crashes down on some in-stream boulders and fills the air with that unmistakable fragrance of fresh cedar. Before the day is done, they’ll pull down two living cedars on the opposite side of the stream, at least one large already-fallen log and a few smaller trees upstream.

“It’s too high above the creek, though,” says McEnroe, pointing out the six-foot gap between the bottom of the now-horizontal trunk and the Today’s work is a nudge to Mother Nature. She’ll stream’s surface below that will make it difficult have her own work to do adding to the logjam, but to capture logs and limbs floating down in winter. this is a decisively important jumpstart to a natural Pulling in a few stream-side trees and closing that process we’re just now fully appreciating. gap is the goal of today’s work. “The idea is to get the forest contributing in-stream When most trees fall into streams naturally they wood on its own again like an old-growth forest,” typically have their entire root wad still attached says McEnroe. like the Douglas fir that’s present here. The root Science points to an interrelated lifecycle of forests wad helps serve as an anchor that prevents the and streams in the Pacific Northwest. When large tree from being pushed around too much during conifers (Douglas firs, hemlocks, cedars) fall inwinter floods. stream during high-wind events, or as stream banks The team from Blue Ridge —pioneers of in-stream restoration—work to mimic this same natural process. So instead of using chainsaws to cut and topple them into the waterway, they use a series of block and tackle setups and powerful, heavy-duty cables and winches to quite literally pull the trees over—root wad and all. It’s difficult, sometimes painstaking labor that requires the crew to have a working understanding of geometry and the power of mechanical advantage as they climb, hop and crawl through vibrant stands of fir, cedar, hemlock and alder in order to thread the cables (a thicker mainline and a smaller “haywire”) to just the right spots.

naturally erode during periods of high water, they act as fixtures for logjams to form. Those logjams help the surrounding banks resist further erosion, while the floodplains behind the logjams become stable enough to grow additional large conifer trees so the cycle, over time, can repeat.

When the restored logjams work correctly, McEnroe explains, the evidence is easy to see in the form of buffered winter flows, a clear sign of gravel recruitment behind the logjam and a healthy connection between stream and floodplain. A series of time-lapse photographs offers inexpensive and low-tech proof of nature flourishing and thriving again with a small assist from humans.

The footing that’s usually more often wet than dry adds an additional challenge. The team also relies “If we can provide them the building blocks for on good radio communication since the winch recovery, then the streams quickly start to recover operator works from the back of a large truck on by depositing gravel and developing complex the road, obscured from the crew working in the pools,” says McEnroe. “The fish, in turn, respond stream bottom. and quickly inhabit these new high-quality areas. Nature is very resilient if we just give it a chance Restoring natural environments means every to recover.” situation is different as is, of course, every tree, and they don’t always fall exactly where the crew wants them. But in just a few hours, team members pull over one large fir tree and, with some additional resetting and maneuvering, wedge it deliberately under the original fallen log.

They’re also able to move another large trunk

Good intentions aside, given our past beliefs and actions toward our waterways, it’s not a stretch to say, McEnroe offers, that few adults in Oregon have seen truly healthy local streams. Restoration projects like the one in Pass Creek offer an opportunity to thoughtfully reverse that reality.

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WHAT’S IN A NAME?

WHAT’S IN A NAME? There’s a story behind the name of every locale in Douglas County, and we are sharing some of them in each issue of UV. Story by Jim Hays Photography courtesy of Douglas County Museum

ust as it’s virtually impossible to go anywhere in Oregon without seeing a mountain, in Douglas County it’s easy to find a waterway — rivers, forks, creeks and ponds, and all in full flow.

Flowing freshwater streams are common to western Oregon counties, especially those that touch the Pacific and especially during November, December and January — statistically, Douglas County’s rainiest months. During those 92 days, the county gets nearly half its average annual precipitation, swelling streams and flows throughout. Historic photo of Colliding Rivers in Glide.

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Most of these runs and branches come with a name. And with a name comes a story, most likely a tale of two centuries. Who did the naming? Or in at least one case, re-naming? When? Why? And who else was involved? Some answers are matters of record. Others are closer to folklore. We did some looking into this via the indispensable volume Oregon Geographic Names and back issues of Oregon Historical Quarterly — which has been publishing since 1898. We also looked at other online historical documents. While not claiming to be comprehensive or authoritative, here is what we learned about a few of the county’s bodies of water:

MAIDU LAKE The source of the North Umpqua lies at 5,998 feet elevation on the Pacific Crest of the high Cascades. Part of the Mount Thielsen Wilderness and just north of the mountain itself, Maidu Lake is less than a mile west of the crest and the Klamath County line, near the easternmost tip of Douglas County. It is also the eastern terminus of the North Umpqua Trail. The lake covers 20 acres and has an average depth of 12 feet. From this elevation, the North Umpqua flows 106 miles to confluence with its southern counterpart near Roseburg. The distance includes an elevation drop of more than a mile over its course. The source of Maidu Lake’s name is fuzzier, however. The lake’s name

CULTURE

Maidu Lake Location: In the high Cascades, about 124 highway miles east of Roseburg and about 15 miles west of Chemult. Elevation: 5,998 feet above sea level.

Elk Creek (1) Location: In northwest Douglas County, the creek is a tributary of the Umpqua River, which it enters at the city of Elkton, 37 miles north-northwest of Roseburg on Oregon Highway 138.

Elk Creek (2) Location: In southeast Douglas County, this Elk Creek (left photo) is a tributary of the South Umpqua River, which it enters at the unincorporated community of Tiller, 23 highway miles east of Canyonville.

Little River Location: One of the two "colliding" rivers that meet at Glide, the Little River's source is near Quartz Mountain in the Umpqua National Forest.

is apparently derived from that of a native tribe that roamed what is now central and northern California and whose northernmostknown lands were near the Feather River and in the Sierra Nevada.

annotations in the September 1923 issue of Oregon Historical Quarterly. His company later established Fort Umpqua, an early trading post.

That is, according to a 1997 article in the Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology (Yes, such a publication exists). How the name came to be applied to a relatively small lake nearly 300 miles north-northwest is unclear.

The “other” Elk Creek is a significant tributary of the South Umpqua, which it joins at Tiller. Where this name came from is unclear, but an Elk Creek post office was established near the creek’s mouth in 1877. The office was moved in 1884 to a location six miles down the South Umpqua by then-postmaster John Perdue, and the locale became known as Perdue.

Near Maidu Lake is Lake Lucile, a slightly smaller tarn whose naming is documented. Clark Stahlman, a U.S. Forest Service ranger, in 1913 named the lake for his daughter, a christening confirmed 60 years later by Oregon Geographic Names.

ELK CREEK(S) According to the federal Geographic Names Information System — part of the U.S. Geological Survey — 39 waterways in the state of Oregon bear the name Elk Creek. This figure includes just the creeks and skips the lakes, ponds, rivers, flats, mountains and springs within the state that were also given the moniker “Elk.” It’s a testimony to the animal’s bountiful populations in pioneer days and its importance to local residents. Two of the Elk creeks are in Douglas County. The best known of the two joins the Umpqua River near Elkton. The city’s town site was surveyed and laid out in 1850 by members of the Umpqua Exploring Expedition, which had set out from San Francisco in July of that year to take a look at the region with the idea of later ferrying in settlers, which it later did. Elkton was incorporated in 1948. The first-known published mention of the name, however, is in the diaries of John Work, a Hudson’s Bay Co. factor who visited the area in 1834 and whose account of the visit is reprinted with

Neither Elk Creek should be confused with Deer Creek, which joins the South Umpqua even further downstream near the place that later became known as Roseburg.

LITTLE RIVER Originally known unofficially as the East Umpqua, the Little River is half of what became known as the “Colliding Rivers,” a nearly head-on crash of water where the Little meets the North Umpqua at Glide. The unusually straight angle at which the rivers meet give the feature its sobriquet. Unlike its name, the Little River is hardly diminutive and, in size and volume, nearly equals the North Umpqua, with which it collides. The river rises near Quartz Mountain and flows about 30 miles before its inevitable collision. Its name does not refer to its width, length or volume, however, but to the birthplace of Meshek Tipton, a pioneer who filed donation land claims on the area in 1855. Tipton had emigrated from the Little River region of East Tennessee and changed the name of the East Umpqua to the Little River in honor of the home he left behind.

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HEALTH

THE ART OF HEALING / SOUTHERN CHARMER / BLUE ZONES

THE ART OF HEALING Mercy Medical Center is using the healing power of art to create a more calming, not to mention beautiful, environment for patients and guests. Story by Dick Baltus Photos by Thomas Boyd

hink of the typical American hospital and “soothing” almost certainly is not the first word that comes to mind. Hospitals, understandably, can be stressful places.

But a unique program at Mercy Medical Center has done wonders to give patients receiving care for their physical needs – as well as their loved ones and other visitors—a mental respite from the burdens they may be carrying. Many of the walls throughout Mercy are adorned with beautiful, calming artwork, most the creative output of local artists, including Roseburg High School students. Other pieces have been donated by artists from across the country.

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HEALTH

Art as Healing coordinators and artists Marjorie Feldman (above) and Janice Matthews with their own creations.

The entire collection is part of Mercy’s “Art as Healing” project, the brainchild of Janice Matthews, an artist and registered nurse at Mercy. “It began after I spent time at Oregon Health & Science University, where my husband had five surgeries in one year,” Matthews says. “I spent a lot of time wandering the hospital halls and discovered many areas filled with beautiful and thoughtprovoking art.” A placard under one of the pieces carried the message, “Art has the power to heal and gives meaning to life,” a sentiment that resonated with Matthews during a difficult time. “I wanted Mercy to have that same feeling of solace,” she says.

Besides paintings, the collections now include mixed media, silk screens, acrylic, oil, woodcuts, photography, a quilt and a sculpture. The works represent more than 75 artists, most local but others the out-of-town friends of Matthews and Feldman, both of whom have donated several of their own pieces to the collection.

“EVERY TIME I GO TO MERCY

I HEAR A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING THE ART. THAT IS THE REWARD FOR ME.”

For Feldman, the connection between art and medicine runs deep. “I remember picking out lithographs in New York City with my parents for my dad’s surgical offices, so art and medicine have always been linked in my life,” she says. In addition, when Feldman’s husband, Howard, a recently retired Mercy cardiologist, practiced in Montana he had his office space built to accommodate large works by local artists.

Matthews enlisted her friend and fellow —Janice Matthews artist, Marjorie Feldman, to start an art “Art has always been a passion and important program at Mercy, and their first exhibit, to both of us,” she says. called “Be a Great Human Being,” a collection of 40 paintings solicited Many Mercy patients and visitors are equally passionate about the from RHS students and local artists, went up in 2011. Since then, “Art as Healing” project, Matthews says. several other collections following various themes have been added, funded in part by $42,000 provided by Mercy. Many of the pieces have “Every time I go to Mercy I hear a lot of comments about how much people are enjoying the art,” she says. “That is the reward for me.” been donated by the artists.

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SOUTHERN CHARMER With her quick wit and laugh, Tennessee native and women’s health nurse practitioner Mitzi Thompson has a knack for making people feel at ease. Story by Dick Baltus Photos by Kevin Eckerman

t takes all of about two seconds to figure out that Mitzi Thompson isn’t from around here. She speaks with the warm lilt of a southerner, so friendly sounding she could mention you were having a terrible hair day and you might well thank her.

Close your eyes and it’s not hard to imagine you’re listening to Dolly Parton telling you she grew up on a hay farm at the foot of the Smokey Mountains in her native Tennessee – until, of course, Thompson mentions that the legendary country singer actually did live only about 90 minutes up the ridge. But Roseburg is home now, and Thompson couldn’t be happier about that. The women’s health nurse practitioner left the South three years ago to join her former practice partner, gynecologist Dr. Faye Ameredes, in Roseburg’s Harmony Health for Women. It has been one of the best moves she ever made, Thompson says.

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First, there’s her new hometown. “I absolutely love it here,” she says. “It’s beautiful, and the climate is wonderful. When my friends ask me when I’m coming back to Tennessee I tell them I have an extra room and they are welcome to visit me any time.” Then there’s Thompson’s professional reunion with Ameredes, with whom she practiced from 1996 until 2000, when the physician left Tennessee for Roseburg. “Faye is wonderful,” she says. “I like to say I would stand in her glow. She asked me to come with her when she moved here, but my son was young, and I just didn’t think I could move across country then.” As fate would have it, her son, now a forensic psychiatrist, married a woman from the Northwest and wound up taking a job with the state of Oregon. So, at the end of 2015, Thompson and her husband, James, packed up their belongings, including two Tennessee walking horses, and drove across country five days to their new home. The couple bought a tree farm in Roseburg where their horses can run. Growing up, Thompson had always wanted a horse, and made a point of “cultivating friends” who had them, she says.

with them, you are going to have to get to know yourself, face your fears and just be in the moment. That can be difficult for someone in my line of work. Just being able to be in the moment is rare, so my horses are better than therapy.” When Thompson and her husband feel the need for a little more horsepower, they jump on his Harley and head off for a ride. At work, Thompson uses her 19 years of nurse practitioner experience to help women, from preteens through seniors, with the spectrum of health needs. “I’ve treated a lot of women who turn around and bring their daughters to see me,” she says. “I see patients as young as 12, and my oldest patient is 99. Isn’t that sweet?”

“MY (FUTURE) HUSBAND HAD HORSES AND I HAD A BRAND NEW DURAMAX DIESEL TRUCK. IT WAS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN.”

Thompson began her career as a nurse, even though, she says, “I tried every way in the world to not be one.” She kiddingly blames her sister, Misty, for that. “We’re identical twins, and she was a nurse. I just thought it would be far too cute to be identical RNs, but (the profession) just wouldn’t stop talking to me.” Thompson practiced nursing for 15 years with her associate’s degree, before returning to school to complete bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Finally, a few years ago, Thompson decided it was high time she had her own. She found a local woman to teach — Mitzi Thompson, WHNP She says she loves helping women her about horses and how to ride. “I with their health needs — “Women are went through every step of the process complex, different, tender and tough,” she says—and has — learning how to buck stalls, pick hooves —before I sat in a noticed a significant difference between her Douglas County saddle,” she says. patients and those she cared for in Tennessee. Thompson gained a lot more than knowledge about horses from that experience. “Along the way, I met my husband,” she says. “He had horses and I had a brand new Duramax diesel truck. It was a match made in heaven.” Thompson says the appeal of her horses goes far beyond their beauty or her love of riding. “They are so calming,” she says. “They will read you, so if you are going to be successful

“Women here are better educated and much more motivated on their own behalf,” she says. “They aren’t looking for medicine. They are looking for validation that they are going to be OK so they can get out and live their lives well.” Mitzi Thompson, WHNP, is accepting new patients into her practice at Harmony Health for Women, 2460 N.W. Stewart Parkway, Roseburg. For appointments, please call 541-677-4463

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

CHI Mercy Health is pleased to offer our patients the many advantages of robotic surgery capabilities – right here at home • • • •

Shorter hospitalization Reduced pain and discomfort Faster recovery time and return to normal activities Smaller incisions, resulting in reduced risk of infection and minimal scarring

Drs. Brent Soder and Mark Donovan are specially trained in the use of Mercyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surgical robot and are supported by a highly talented and skilled robotic-trained surgery team.

www.chimercyhealth.com

HEALTH

DOWN SHIFT THIS WINTER This winter season, instead of getting swept away by all the holiday hustle and bustle or falling into the winter blues, take some time to down shift and recharge your batteries. Story by Juliete Palenshus

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inter and the holidays can be stressful, but you can boost your well-being by slowing down and taking the time to eat nutritious foods, enjoy friends, reconnect with your spiritual side, make family a priority and engage in activities that add a sense of purpose to your life. Residents living in the original Blue Zones regions around the world share some common lifestyle habits, called the Power 9, that have proved to help them live longer, healthier, happier lives.

SLOW DOWN, DOWN SHIFT AND DE-STRESS Americans are driven to do more and acquire more, all of which takes up a lot of time. Studies show that Americans who are employed full time work an average of 43 hours per week and take shorter paid vacations than other workers around the world. And when they do take time off, at least 20 percent of them stay in touch with the office. Blue Zones researchers found that people who have made it to 100 seem to have a secret. They’re wise enough to realize that life’s most precious moments will pass us by if we’re too busy to notice them. Taking the time to appreciate life’s simple pleasures is a powerful stress reliever, contributes to a happier outlook, and results in a greater sense of well-being.

HEALTH

The holidays offer us the perfect excuse to slow down and notice the simple things that give us joy. This holiday season, create a peaceful sanctuary in time by cutting back on the noise and commotion of everyday life. Shut down the computer and focus on relaxing with the ones you love. As one Blue Zones centenarian aptly put it, “Life is short. Don’t run so fast you miss it.”

TEST YOUR DOWN SHIFT SAVVY Which of these activities are most likely to help you down shift and relax? a. Enjoying a happy hour with friends b. Surfing the internet c. Meditating or taking a yoga class d. Walking the dog The correct answers are: a, c, and d. Spending a happy hour socializing with your “moai” — or network of close friends— is a great way to relax and reconnect. Meditating or taking a yoga class offers the mind a chance to slow down and take a break from the daily chaos of life. Walking the dog is another great way to down shift and rejuvenate the senses.

TOP 5 WAYS TO KEEP YOU SMILING THROUGH THE WINTER Keep your spirits bright this holiday season and into the new year with these five easy tips: •Take time to unwind. The holidays can be stressful. Set aside time to relax with your loved ones, and make sure you also have some quiet time to yourself. •Keep moving. Find ways to move your body more throughout the day to relieve stress and combat weight gain. Take regular walks with friends and family or enroll in a yoga class to relieve stress.

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, CREATE A PEACEFUL SANCTUARY IN TIME BY CUTTING BACK ON THE NOISE AND COMMOTION OF EVERYDAY LIFE.

•Don’t try to lose weight or stick to a restrictive diet this holiday season. If you enjoy your favorite foods in smaller portions with healthy options in between, you’ll feel satisfied, not deprived. • Stop eating when you’re 80 percent full. Remember to drink plenty of water. • Socializing with friends during the holidays will help keep your spirits bright. Bring in the comedy. Spend time with friends and loved ones who bring out your giggles, watch a funny movie and keep a good sense of humor about yourself. Laughing burns calories, reduces stress and means you are enjoying the company of your loved ones.

UMPQUA ARTISTRY

KOVACS KNOWS / HOPPIN’ FRESH / RX FOR A HEALTHY ECONOMY / MOTION WELLNESS

KOVACS KNOWS THE DRILL Freezing temperatures are not among the first things that come to mind when thinking about the Umpqua Valley, but that hasn’t stopped a local company from becoming one of the first names in icedrilling equipment. Story by Jim Hays

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he headquarters of one of the world’s top suppliers of equipment for scientific research is an unassuming, centuryold homestead on a quiet stretch of Old Melrose Road, the thoroughfare that winds through the picturesque Umpqua Valley countryside. The only giveaway to the location in this rural setting is a small, square, white sign next to the gravel driveway, which reads “Kovacs Ice Drilling & Coring Equipment.” Up the drive is the global leader in its field. If there’s research being done in the planet’s coldest environments, Kovacs has probably supplied the scientists’ equipment — fabricated, built and shipped from Douglas County to the world.

Kovacs’ client list includes such names as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Japan’s National Institute of Polar Research, the Norwegian Polar Institute, the History Channel, Canadian Ice Service, Chilean Antarctic Institute, Danish

BUSINESS

Kovacs was founded in 1974 by engineer Austin Kovacs. He developed and refined efficient machinery for ice coring during his time as a civilian contractor with the U.S. Army Materiel Command’s Cold Regions Research and Environmental Laboratory in Hanover, N.H., and started the company in nearby Lebanon. Nearly four decades later, and ready to retire, Kovacs sold the company to the Keibs, who were both stationed in Alaska, where Elijah Keib, a U.S. Marine, engineers ice roads and bridges on Alaska’s North Slope and Donna Keib was finishing a 20-year military career in Air Force command and control. Out of the service and wanting to be closer to her father, who lived in Roseburg, Keib decided to move the company into the historic farmhouse she had purchased. Using her own vehicle and a series of rented trailers, she made four round trips to New Hampshire to retrieve equipment, records and all the trappings of the new acquisition. Keib runs the business with a desktop computer and smartphone that keeps her in touch with clients worldwide. The coring equipment and its shipping boxes and accessories are

Kovacs Drilling owner Donna Keib with Fred Burson, her father and top assistant. Above photos by Thomas Boyd

National Space Center, Polar Research Institute of China and Australian Antarctic Division, to name but a few.

assembled in a converted garage behind the house. Many of the stainless-steel component parts are produced by Nix Manufacturing in Sutherlin and Kilkenny Machine in Roseburg.

Plus a long list of research institutions that all start with “University of.” “It would be so hard to do this without them,” she says. Kovacs’ equipment is used to extract cores from glaciers and ice sheets to help scientists learn more about Earth’s climate cycles and track She also gives a shout-out to the FedEx Ship Center in Roseburg, changes over several hundred millennia. Layers of ice form annually, which helps coordinate her shipping, and the Sutherlin Area Chamber and by studying individual layers, researchers can model weather of Commerce, which provides Kovacs with Certificates of Origin, a patterns, estimate annual rainfall and calculate air temperatures legally required verification for sending manufactured goods out of going back thousands of years. Studies of ice core samples have the U.S. — where a majority of Kovacs’ equipment gets sent. revealed climate data dating back an estimated 800,000 years. It’s not all business for Keib, however. For example, her company Presiding over the company is chief executive officer Donna Keib, a loaned equipment to an expedition seeking the wreckage of a World 40-something retired Air Force master sergeant, who with her then- War II-era plane crash in Greenland; to 20th Century Fox Television husband purchased Kovacs from the company’s founder in 2013, then for use in an episode of the series “Bones;” and to an entrepreneur moved it cross country to the Melrose farmhouse she shares with four who had purchased a glacier in Norway and wanted to test its viability as a source of bottled water. dogs and a cat. Roseburg, where the weather rarely dips below freezing, may seem It’s not all work, either. Last summer, Keib decided to learn to ride a an unlikely spot for a company whose business is based on ancient motorcycle and ended up buying a BMW 650 Dual Sport and riding glaciers and ice sheets, but Kovacs’ presence here is perfectly natural. it — alone — to a rally in John Day, a seven-hour ride. “I was born in Roseburg and grew up in Sutherlin,” says Keib. Keib’s father, Fred Burson, worked 46 years at Nordic Veneer Inc. before becoming one of the company’s two employees and Keib’s top assistant.

She concedes, however, that running Kovacs is typically a 24/7 operation that can be exhausting, both physically and mentally. Still, she says, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” UMPQUA ARTISTRY

BUSINESS

HOPPIN’ FRESH Cody Parker’s high-quality hops are chosen as the flavor centerpiece of seasonal beers from Hop Valley and 10 Barrel.

Story by Geoff Shipley Photos by Thomas Boyd

est of Sutherlin, in an area of vineyards and farmland, sits a three-acre plot of fertile soil poled and trellised for the growing of hops. And these hops have a single, defining purpose.

“We’re a boutique farm providing product for onehundred-percent seasonal fresh-hop beer,” says Cody Parker, owner of Umpqua Hops and Melrose Vineyards, whose immense wine crop surrounds the hop yard just west of the Umpqua River. Parker grows Centennial and Cascade hop varieties for just two clients — Oregon breweries Hop Valley and 10 Barrel. When they are ready to harvest – late summer – the process happens the old-fashioned way. When the hops are added to the brewing process in their natural, full-cone state to make fresh-hop beer, some delicate handling and attention to timing is crucially important. That means instead of relying on machinery for the entire harvesting process, like a large commercial operation, Umpqua Hops does much of the work by hand. “We treat the hops right,” says Eric Dietz, a vineyard manager for Melrose and foreman on the hop-harvesting work. “We don’t harvest any further than we need to at a time. It’s not like logs, where they can sit for a month. The idea is to keep the hops on the bine as long as possible.” That’s because fresh hops are sometimes termed “wet” for a reason: Their moisture content can account for up to 80 percent of fresh hop cones in a bin. Add a little late summer

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Umpqua Hops owner Cody Parker (left) and Hop Valley brewmaster and co-owner Trevor Howard toast their partnership.

heat, and it doesn’t take long for rot and mildew to start taking hold. Exposure also attacks aroma intensity and rapidly breaks down the alpha and beta acids responsible for the bittering and flavor qualities that hops impart to beer. It’s why brewers like 10 Barrel and Hop Valley will take the hops from bine to brewing tank before afternoon turns to evening. When it comes to hand picking, though, the first challenge to overcome is simply getting the bines down to the ground. It takes a little technique and a lot of brute force to convince the hops to give up their elevated vantage point some 20 feet in the air. Falling on one’s rear-end isn’t uncommon, especially among those new to the process.

and pulleys attached to a mixture of conveyer belts and screens, the hopfenpfluckmaschine strips, explains Parker, as it sends the individual hop cones toward a waiting bin, while vegetation and debris spits out the opposite side to be used later for fertilizer. Standing near the bin steadily filling with fresh, fragile cones is like being in a beer-scented blizzard thanks to the flurry of hop vegetation and delicate petals filling the air. Late last summer, Trevor Howard—head brewer and co-owner of Hop Valley — drove from Eugene down to Umpqua Hops to get a first-hand look at the harvest and to personally transport 800 pounds of fresh hops back to his brewery to create two batches of seasonal Hop Fresh Pale Ale. Since fresh hops naturally vary a bit from year to year, the resulting fresh-hop beer is always a unique creation.

Once the waiting trailer is full of freshly plucked hop bines, it’s time to separate the hop cones from the stems, leaves and other vegetative material. “It’s a once-a-year beer,” says Howard. “People love the anticipation of This is where a little machinery gets involved as Umpqua Hops relies being able to drink something that’s different every year. We’ll need on a “Wolf” hopfenpfluckmaschine to help automate the separation two bins of hops for each batch, and each batch will produce about 60 process. At least 50 years old, the blue-gray behemoth had to be barrels of beer.” imported from Germany and survived being “bashed around” in the Caribbean by a hurricane before arriving at Umpqua Hops.

Not only does the name sound like a fantastical creation from a Dr. Seuss tale, the contraption looks like one too. With a whirling and spinning combination of literally dozens of chains, belts, gears

Shortly after arriving back at the Hop Valley brewery, Howard loaded the fresh hops into the brewing tank so they could work their magic. Around three weeks later, the first batch of Hop Fresh Pale Ale (about 3,250 six-packs worth) was bottled and on the way to store shelves— with a bit of Umpqua Valley freshness infused into every waiting sip.

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RX FOR A HEALTHY ECONOMY As goes the health of a local hospital, like CHI Mercy, so goes the health of the local economies it serves. Story by Dick Baltus

t doesn’t take an economics degree to understand that local jobs are the lifeblood of any community.

In most smaller rural areas, the local hospital, if there is one, is typically near or atop the list of a community’s largest employers. In Roseburg, CHI Mercy Health, with its approximately 1,100 employees, is the No. 1 employer and only Roseburg Forest Products employs more people in all of Douglas County.

Needless to say, Mercy makes a significant contribution to the economic health of Roseburg and surrounding communities. Its payroll contributes nearly $90 million to local families and, in turn, the many local businesses that benefit from the purchases Mercy and its employees make. That ripple effect spreads deep into Douglas County communities. As Kelly Morgan, CHI Mercy president and CEO says, “The wages we pay have an economic multiplier that produces a profound impact on our regional economy. The wages we pay our people get reinvested in our community when they buy new houses or cars or go to the grocery store or pay their taxes.”

“ripple-effect” jobs in local communities. These could be anything from jobs in local business that support Mercy’s activities to the restaurants that serve Mercy employees and their families. Having a strong healthcare community also bodes well for the future of any community’s economy. As members of the enormous Baby Boomer generation continue to age into their retirement years and consider relocating to other communities, the state of local healthcare is one of their primary considerations. Having a state-of-the-art hospital like CHI Mercy and a robust medical staff of 120 active providers (and some 300 altogether) makes Douglas County, with its many other quality-oflife benefits, a very attractive destination for retirees and others. That bodes well for Douglas County businesses that cater to their needs, whether it’s senior-living facilities, durable medical equipment suppliers or other care providers, such as dentists and optometrists. Of course, one of the keys to keeping the Douglas County economy healthy is to continue supporting local businesses, including the local hospital. Every time a patient heads out of town for the same care that is available at Mercy, it’s a double hit to the economy – the local hospital loses needed revenue as do all the businesses benefiting from the ripple effect. Morgan says Mercy has worked hard over the years to grow the local medical community to ensure people don’t have to leave town except for highly specialized care – for example, open-heart surgery — that can’t feasibly be offered to Douglas County’s relatively small patient base.

Indeed, according to a 2017 report by the American Hospital Association on the economic contributions of hospitals, every dollar “Probably 95 percent of care that any Douglas County resident will need spent by a hospital supports $2.30 of additional business activity in in his or her lifetime is available from Mercy and our medical staff,” Morgan says. “We’re doing everything we can to keep people local for the community. their care. It’s not just good for the future of CHI Mercy, it’s good for the In addition, every job in the hospital industry creates another two economic future of all of Douglas County.” 72

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Tolly’s M A K I N G H I S T O RY A G A I N ! Historic Tolly’s has reopened and invites you to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of our original opening. Paul Tollefson is excited to have the popular restaurant his parents started back under family ownership.

TULLYS

Please join us for a great dining experience, featuring: • Creative menu featuring delicious meals made from the best, freshest ingredients. • Casual fine dining in a ‘simply elegant’ atmosphere. • Historic soda fountain. • Local wines, plus beer and cocktails. Sun-Wed 9:00am – 7:00pm, Thurs-Sat 9:00am – 9:30pm 115 NE Locust • Oakland • 541.459.3796

B R E A K FA S T, L U N C H A N D D I N N E R , P L U S H A P P Y H O U R

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MOTION WELLNESS Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Part II of UVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profiles of the talented local teachers helping dancers of all skill level get a move on. Story by Jennifer Grafiada Photos by Tristin Godsey

n the fall issue of UV, we profiled the history of the Roseburg Dance and Fitness Studios. Inside the facility, you will find, depending on the time of day, bodies stretching into downward dog, curving gracefully to the sounds of Middle Eastern drums, or breaking it down to the latest hip-hop and R&B. No, you are not too old. No, you are not too out of shape. Check your inhibitions at the door and join the dance renaissance happening nearly every night of the week and led by talented teachers like those featured here.

Summer Fry (far left) leading one of her classes. 74

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BUSINESS

“I jokingly call my classes Generic Pacific Northwest Belly Dance, but there really are regional flavors in these dances. CONTACT summerdawnfry@gmail.com SummerFry.com facebook.com/movingmindfully

“I fell in love with belly dance at my very first class, almost 14 years ago, but even now I’m not sure I could tell you why. Some of it is the music, but I think the holistic use of the body plays a role. In Middle Eastern dance, we use the entire body to show the audience how we ‘hear’ the music. “We live in a culture that makes a woman’s body an ornament. Belly dance teaches her that her body is a tool for expression and communication, and it doesn’t have to look a particular way to do that.”

Summer Fry

Fry grew up in Roseburg, training in dance locally as a child and traveling the west coast for training as a teenager and young adult. She then began studying yoga and, in the process, says she found a deeper connection to herself.

CONTACT mezdulene@mezdulene.com 541-315-5550

“After 12 years of teaching ballet, jazz and hip hop, I studied the movement arts and became interested in therapeutic dance practices. Recently I spent a semester in Israel and Europe exploring therapeutic movement practices and am now happy to be home benefiting my community with the practices I’ve learned. “Currently I am teaching well-being classes such as somatics, qigong and yoga, as well as weekly dance classes such as dance basics, improvisational dance and diva dance. I lead a dance performance group named Roseburg Dance Crew.

Mezdulene.com

Mezdulene

“I host a variety of workshops that incorporate yoga, meditation, dance and art. I also developed an outreach program where I teach a teen yoga class for girls at the juvenile detention center.

Mezdulene has been teaching various Middle Eastern and belly dance styles for more than 37 years, and for 23 years in Douglas County. She teaches at the Roseburg Dance & Fitness Studios via Umpqua Community College and at her own Dancing Goddess Studio & Boutique in Sutherlin.

“I feel fortunate to have received movement training from a young age. It helped me to develop a strong mind-body connection and a confidence in my ability to move well. I recognize that this seeps into other areas of my life and I want to share this gift with others.

“I call what I teach Divine Feminine Belly Dance because it’s holistic and involves body, mind and spirit. There is a lot of misinformation about belly dancing but simply put, if it’s not family entertainment, it’s not belly dance.

“I see that other people yearn for this and think that they can’t access it. I have developed techniques that have helped so many people to ‘drop into their bodies.’ Seeing the joy on their faces propels me forward.”

“The thing I love most about belly dancing is its power to heal and empower women. It’s a dance for all women, any age or size, and there is so much diversity, from folkloric to cabaret, that anyone can find a niche that feels comfortable to them.

CONTACT sakaridurga@gmail.com 541-430-0333

“I get to watch women blossom into beautiful dancers, gaining not only a new skill but increased confidence and enhanced self-image and esteem. There is nothing like having a woman come to her first class with her head down, either shy or a victim of abuse, and watching her become an empowered performer who gains the strength to make healthy life changes as she shares her beautiful essence with the world.”

Honeycombdancecollective.com

Sakari Sakari has been teaching in Roseburg for almost eight years, most recently at the Roseburg Dance & Fitness Studios. She is also affiliated with three groups who dance at various Douglas County venues and events — the Vixens, Mellonia and the Apiary.

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DEL REY CAFE & THE LOFT Satisfying Douglas County appetites since 1937

Full service family cafe with home-cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner. Craft brews, wine and cocktails, plus cozy lounge with fireplace and lottery. We also cater private parties, host banquets and sell meat, cheese & wine platters to-go. Monday-Friday 6am-10pm, Saturday-Sunday 7am-10pm

W W W. D E L R E Y C A F E A N D T H E L O F T. C O M

The Lamplighter Café & Lounge IN OAKLAND

Eat up the History! New owners Ray & Robin Shoufler invite you to join them for breakfast, lunch or dinner at the cozy Lamplighter in historic Oakland. Enjoy delicious home cooking, featuring: Chicken fried steak and egg breakfast • Great burgers Classic chicken wings • Pastas • Friday night prime-rib dinner. Comfortable 1893 lounge with pool and lottery. Full-service catering, plus meat, cheese & wine platters to-go. 10 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week

126 SE Locust • Oakland • 541.459.4938

AN AFTERNOON IN OAKLAND

AN AFTERNOON IN OAKLAND Looking for a cure for your wintertime cabin fever? Head to Oakland where there are plenty of attractions to fill an afternoon. Here are just a few. Story by Jennifer Grafiada Photos by Thomas Boyd

akland may not be the bustling railroad and commerce hub that it once was, but the peaceful, close-knit town known for its antique shops and historic buildings is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon. But Oakland is more than antiques; other local businesses offer a variety of their own unique experiences.

Tolly’s Grill & Soda Fountain Douglas County residents (and others) rejoiced when the renowned Tolly’s reopened in October. Tolly’s had been a favorite celebratory dinner and afternoon ice cream spot for more than four decades. The original owners’ youngest son, Paul Tollefson (pictured), purchased the building housing Tolly’s, and the business is up and running again. Steak and salmon are on the menu in the beautiful dining room, which features hand-carved wood and stained glass, antique furniture and walls of colorful candy in glass jars. Or simply sit at the vintage counter and indulge in an oldfashioned ice cream soda, an almost-lost simple pleasure of 20th-century America.

Online: Facebook.com/TollysinOakland Phone: 541-459-3796

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OUTDOORS

Lotus Center for Wellness Rachel Gertie Dean holds a master’s degree in art therapy and envisions bringing color, aromatherapy, yoga and community to Oakland, where she returned after pursuing her education and a career in Portland. Dean took a sabbatical to care for her two young children and, in 2017, opened Yoga Lotus in Oakland’s historic Chenoweth building. A Sunday-morning yoga class meets each week at 9 a.m. Monthly Sip & Dip classes let people go home with works of art — which are often contributed to charitable organizations. A massage therapist works out of the back space, and private art therapy sessions are available for clients of all ages. Upcoming events featuring art, wellness, wine, produce from Rachel’s backyard and, almost always, chocolate, are listed on Facebook or Instagram.

THE DETAILS Online Facebook.com/TheLotusCenterForWellness Phone: 503-319-7638 Email: lotusoakland@gmail.com

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Oakland Oregon Museum The building that houses the museum is itself a museum piece. Built in 1893 by one of the city’s founders, it housed a grocery store and an adjacent post office for 65 years, until 1956. It had been vacant more than a decade when it was rehabilitated and occupied by the Oakland Museum Historic Society. The museum houses exhibits depicting Oakland during the 19th century. Placards describe typical daily events and provide brief biographies of the city’s founders and notable businesspeople. Among its exhibits are a druggist’s record of prescriptions, a doctor’s tonsil remover, replicas of the old post office and bank, logging equipment and other items — many of which were prized possessions of the families that donated them. The museum celebrates 50 years of operation in 2019. It is funded by private donors, staffed by volunteers and is open daily from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

THE DETAILS

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Online: Historicoaklandoregon.com; facebook.com/Oakland-Oregon-Museum Phone: 541-459-3087

THERE ARE A LOT OF EYES ON UV. SHOULDN’T THEY BE LOOKING AT YOU? 15,000 COPIES PRINTED THROUGHOUT DOUGLAS COUNTY AND BEYOND. THREE-MONTH’S EXPOSURE TO MULTIPLE THOUSANDS OF READERS. HELP ENSURE UV CAN CONTINUE PROMOTING OUR GREAT REGION.

FOR RATE AND OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT ONE OF THE BEST ADVERTISING VALUES IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, CONTACT CONNIE:

541.643.6400 VCWILLIAMSON50@HOTMAIL.COM OR EDITOR@THEUVLIFE.COM

LAST WORD

What do we love about downtown Roseburg? It’s a question I’ve asked quite a few people lately, and, of course, I’ve received a variety of responses. Some love the restaurants, brew spots, quaint shops and antique stores. Others love the tree-lined streets, old-fashioned feel, the sense of community.

The Lowdown On Downtown THE NEW DIRECTOR OF DOWNTOWN ROSEBURG HAS DEEP TIES TO THE HEART OF THE UMPQUA VALLEY By Susie Johnston-Forte

creating new ones.

Me? I enjoy reliving old memories and

I grew up in downtown Roseburg, on Lane Street. I still live downtown, on Main Street. My sister, Peggy, and I spent a great deal of our time as children downtown. Mom bought us back-to-school clothes at J.C. Penney (now Downtown Fitness) and Miller’s Department Store (now Adapt). We got our shoes at Gimre’s (Brix) and the Shoe Tree (Brown’s Shoe Fit) and our sandwiches at Stan’s (Roseburg Salsa). We shopped for our nail polish and candy at Newberry’s (Redeemer’s) and Woolworth’s (Public Defender’s Office). And what a treat it was going to Weber’s Bakery (Brix again) for donuts. There was the 88 Cents store, Howard’s Men’s Ware, The Toggery and Chapman’s Pharmacy. Our grandboys are making their own memories now downtown. They love it as much as I did and still do. So, when the opportunity to lead the Downtown Roseburg Association became available, I was excited to throw my name in the hat. It seemed that my career path led me exactly to this place at this time. These days, downtown Roseburg is hopping, and there are countless reasons to visit, no matter where you live in the beautiful Umpqua Valley. My priorities as downtown director are to continue to work on revitalization, help fill vacant spaces, promote economic development, find funding to help improve the beautiful old facades of downtown, and to include all people who want to volunteer to make downtown Roseburg its very best. Sure, we have our issues like pretty much every town across the country — parking, more vacant store fronts than we’d like to see, a transient population. But we also have folks working on addressing these issues. There is no quick fix, no magic wand. It’s a marathon and takes us all working together to make downtown as pleasant and safe as possible. I would like to invite you to help downtown Roseburg thrive. At the very least, come downtown and check things out. Excellent restaurants, cute and local shops, great wine and brew, hair salons, tat shops, yarn, quilting, clothing, antiques, coffee and so much more await you. If you haven’t been downtown lately, it’s time. If you have inspired suggestions for improvements, I’d love to hear them. Of course, if you would like to volunteer I’m ready to put you to work! If you are interested or have questions about downtown, don’t hesitate to contact me at downtownroseburg@gmail.com

UV . WINTER 2019

3 QUESTIONS

CONGRATULATIONS

to UV magazine on its First Anniversary! UV brings stories of remarkable people and beautiful locations of the Umpqua Valley to all who read this great magazine.

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