TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE UMPQUA VALLEY
Winter 2021 · volume 10
A DOUGLAS COUNTY LEGEND SINCE 1964. 5 DOUGLAS COUNTY LOCATIONS These days you can eat just about any kind of pizza, and if pear and arugula is your dream pie, more power to you. But our customers want the same things our customers wanted back in 1964 – delicious traditional pizza, with toppings to the edge®, and a fun, casual environment. If we sound a little old fashioned, that’s kind of the point. Born in Douglas County, we are as local as it gets around here.
Order at Abbys.com
A Legendary Pizza Tradition®
WINTER 2021
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Dick Baltus
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Tyler James
CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Thomas Boyd
PHOTOGRAPHER
Robin Loznak
DESIGNERS
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
PUBLISHED BY
Michael Williamson, Sara Kubler, Claire Osborn
Jim Hays
Brittany Arnold, Don Gilman, Jennifer Grafiada, Nate Hansen, Jim Hays, Hollye Holbrook, Miki Markovich, Nancy Rodriguez, Geoff Shipley, Sarah Smith, Brian Staffield, Erin Wilds Jonathan Cummings, Brian Staffield
ADAMS, HULL + MACCLUER, INC. 603 S.E. Jackson St., Roseburg, OR 97470 ahmbrands.com
UV Magazine is grateful for our advertisers and the generous support of our sponsors:
LIFESTYLE + TRAVEL MAGAZINE OF THE UMPQUA VALLEY
UV Magazine copyright 2021. 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 express written consent.
Table of Contents FOOD & DRINK
EXPERIENCE ROSEBURG
36
FEATURE
Shining Brightly Through the Haze Community members demonstrate their giving spirit in support of victim’s of the Archie Creek fire.
8 Cat Skiing Mount Bailey New to Roseburg or thinking of visiting? Here’s a guide to what’s happening this winter.
11. Where Memories Grow on Trees 12. When It Rains It’s Indoors 14. Unique Boutiques
UMPQUA LIFE
18. Antiquing the Umpqua 20. When the Salty Air Beckons 22. Free Reads 24. Festival of Trees
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28 Brewed for Success K.C. and Savannah McKillip have used hard word, grit and desire to turn Backside Brewing into a growing success story.
26. Secret Wine Society
42
30. Holiday Menu
When Hollywood Came to Town
FEATURE
Writer Erin Wilds was just a kid when the Fire in the Sky crew came to town, but the alien film has been part of her life ever since.
FEATURES: SHINING BRIGHTLY THROUGH THE HAZE/WHEN HOLLYWOOD CAME TO TOWN/DEFENSE ATTORNEY DAVID TERRY
BUSINESS
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FEATURE
David Terry For the Defense A local attorney looks back on his career defending people accused of crimes — and almost always winning.
68 It’s a Jungle in There A mother-and-daughter team creates a unique plant oasis called Rainforest Northwest.
74 Artful Solutions to a Pandemic The Umpqua Valley Arts Association gets creative to ensure residents still have access to local art and programming.
64. Business is Booming at Quiet Con-Vey 66. Papa Curt’s Salsa 70. Fight Back Against Cyber Attacks HEALTH
CHI Mercy Health brings three new specialists to town to serve Umpqua Valley residents.
CULTURE
58. Dr. Jenni Nix, Surgeon
76. Kindred Spirits of the West
59. Dr. Alex Willoughby, Eye Specialist
On The Cover:
60. Dr. Charles McGlade, Interventional Radiologist
UV writer Erin Wilds photographed by Robin Loznak
NO. 10 & COUNTING
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Editor’s Letter Time flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? No, I’m not saying 2020 is flying by. (If 2020 is China’s Year of the Metal Rat — and it is; I looked it up — this must be America’s Year of the Old Wounded Slug.) What I’m saying is it’s hard to believe it has been three years since we started publishing this magazine. You are reading the 10th issue of UV. That may not seem like a lot to you, but it does to me (and not just because I’ve had to proofread them all). I’ve always hoped we could keep the magazine going as long as we had people wanting to read it. But producing a magazine is kind of a big deal.
CONTACT ME editor@TheUVlife.com
We have no full-time staff. Every person who makes UV happen has something else that occupies most of his or her time. They contribute stories or photographs or sell advertising because it’s an opportunity to exercise their skills in support of their community. Without them we’d be sunk. Then there’s the expense. We weren’t going to take on this project unless we could do it right, and that costs money. Without the support of CHI Mercy Health, Anvil Northwest, the City of Roseburg, my employer (AHM Brands) and our advertisers, again, we’d be sunk (prepare for
more water-themed references. It’s raining as I write, and I am easily influenced). With all this help, we were able to stay afloat through our first two years, and then comes COVID-19, virtually shutting down our state at the precise time we publish our Spring issue. But we’ve done it, and judging from your responses we’ve been pretty successful at it. And judging from how quickly those three years have passed (this year notwithstanding) I’ve had a blast captaining this ship (sorry, still raining). On behalf of UV’s entire “non-staff,” I want to thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please keep your emails coming with any thoughts and, especially, with any story ideas. P.S. To commemorate or 10th issue, we’ve introduced some new design enhancements this issue. We hope you like them.
Dick Baltus Editor in Chief
No. 10 & Counting
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UV . WINTER 2021
A VISITORS GUIDE BROUGHT TO YOU BY EXPERIENCE ROSEBURG
By Brian Staffield | Photos by Jonathan Cummings 8
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A cat skiing trip on Mount Bailey will take you far away from the typically crowded slopes and down some of the most pristine snow you’ve ever carved a ski or board into.
There is a snowcapped gem hidden within the Cascades. A mountain with no ski lifts and no groomed runs. An alpine oasis with nothing but fresh powder, 11 other people and, if you’re lucky, you. Mount Bailey is well known as the backdrop for memorable summer excursions to Diamond Lake, but during the winter it transforms into a 6,000-acre backcountry skiing paradise. Located near Crater Lake National Park, Bailey averages around 600 inches of snowfall per year. Skiers and snowboarders
who want to carve up some pristine sheets of that fresh snow have two options for getting to it: hike in or take the snowcat. A fully tracked vehicle capable of grooming trails and carrying people, a snowcat enables skiers to reach great spots without having to use a lift or helicopter. The cat skiing operation at Mount Bailey is the only one of its kind in Oregon. It’s managed and run by Diamond Lake Lodge, where many visitors stay the night before their cat ski trip to ensure a full day on the mountain. NO. 10 & COUNTING
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he alarm goes off at 5 a.m. because breakfast is at 5:30. The room is warm but outside is all snow, ice and sub-freezing temperatures. The walk to the main lodge is dark and cold, but the grand room inside is warm and inviting. Skiers sit around the fireplace sipping coffee, making small talk and patiently waiting as the kitchen staff arrives. Anticipating what the day has in store for them, everyone orders a carb- and protein-centric breakfast. Framed by the dining-room window, Mount Bailey begins to illuminate from the glow of the rising sun. Once the last sips of coffee have been drunk and gear is loaded into the shuttle van, we leave the lodge and make our way to the snowcat loading area, anticipation growing as we go. Once the snowcat is loaded with people and gear, we head toward the top of Mount Bailey. The vibe feels more like a field trip with close friends than just another ski trip, a notion that is only reinforced during the safety briefing. That’s when we all learn that each of us will be equipped with an electronic beacon in case an avalanche gets triggered and someone ends up buried under snow.
No groomed trails to follow, just fresh powder and zigging and zagging between snow-dusted conifers. The conditions are perfect — bright sun, blue sky and a foot of new snow. Then it’s back in the snowcat and up the mountain again for a downhill trip through avalanche country. Following the guides, we all eventually make our way to a hidden cabin near the base of the mountain. We all gather around a small woodstove in the cozy cabin, eat the lunches we packed and reminisce about the morning runs. After lunch, eager to get back on the mountain while the sun is still shining, we plan the rest of the day and decide we’ll take a couple shorter runs through the alpine trees, then save the biggest run for the end of the day. Even though it’s a perfect day on the mountain and we’re all having a great time skiing or snowboarding, the most memorable part of the trip is the time spent in the snowcat discussing the previous epic run. Increasingly, this trip is feeling like a group bonding experience that happens to include skiing, even though we all agree the quality of that skiing is unparalleled in our experience and maybe in Oregon.
Seeing Mount Thielsen on the other side of Diamond Lake is enough to make one forget that the purpose of this trip is to ski, not stand and stare, slack-jawed.
Getting off the mountain safely is everyone’s first priority today, the guides explain. Having fun in the fresh, pristine snow is second. The cat continues its determined climb toward that snow and that fun, chugging along at 12 mph. Finally, at the top of Mount Bailey, it turns around on a space that seems barely large enough to park a small car on and we are treated to a view that, on this perfectly clear day, is breathtaking. Seeing Mount Thielsen on the other side of Diamond Lake is enough to make one forget that the purpose of this trip is to ski, not stand and stare, slack-jawed. The first run of the day is an easy one as we all get a feel for the lay of the land. Down into the bowl we go and then, one by one, figures dip below the tree line.
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As the snowcat makes its final slow ascent to the top of Mount Bailey, we prepare for our last run of the day. This will again take us through avalanche country, but on a much, much steeper trajectory. As a guide leads the way, one-by-one each skier drops off what seems like the edge of the mountain. After a full day enjoying the best backcountry skiing in the region, the best run of the day truly was saved for last. Now it’s back into the snowcat one last time to discuss every little detail of the day. Out of nowhere, a bottle of local wine appears followed by red Solo cups. We raise a toast to the incredible day, then start making plans for next year when we will return to cat ski Mount Bailey again.
WHERE THE TREES ARE Most of the farms and lots below open around Thanksgiving. Call or check their Facebook pages for more information.
By Brittany Arnold
I
grew up in the suburbs surrounding Portland, Ore. Christmas was always packed with many holiday traditions — including getting that fat, green Noble fir that would shine in my parents’ living room for more than a month. Once I started dating, my father was eager to hand down the hand saw that every year, with some sweat and sap, knocked down the annual u-cut from some small, local tree farm. Having all girls, my father was desperate for us to find someone to take over such burly tasks. He also decided this was the ultimate test of whether this boyfriend could properly care for his daughter. The first couple of boyfriends didn’t prove successful. They rarely were even dressed to get dirty. My father would give some instruction, hand over his pair of gloves and that flimsy hand saw and hold a tight smirk as he waited to see what would happen. I almost always turned my attention away, embarrassed I couldn’t find a man that could succeed at my dad’s one requirement of a future husband. For years after, and a few different boyfriends, no one succeeded, and my dad would remain the only true man in my life — which he fully enjoyed. That is until 2009. That year for Christmas, my family joined me and my new guy in Roseburg for an unforgettable tree-getting experience. We headed out into the gorgeous Umpqua National Forest, took hours deciding what tree was best, drank hot cocoa, and my father finally didn’t have to do any of the work. That was the year I married a logger. Needless to say, he passed the test. It's also needless to say that Douglas County knows how to do Christmas trees. Surrounded by lush forests and family farms, and with no shortage of people who know their way around a saw or an ax, like my husband, this is where lifelong holiday traditions, like ours, begin.
OAKLAND TREE FARM: 106 Green Valley Rd., Oakland. More information at 541-459-1488 or Facebook @OaklandTreeFarm. UMPQUA FAMILY TREE FARM: Open daily in the parking lot of Sherm’s Thunderbird Market on Northwest Stewart Parkway in Roseburg. More information at 541-632-2805 or Facebook @umpquafamilytreefarm. G R O T H ’ S T R E E FA R M : G r a n d , D o u g l a s , and Nordmann fir trees as well as Scotch Pines. 529 Wild River Dr., Roseburg. More information at 541-740-1831 or Facebook @grothstreefarm. 4-H CHRISTMAS TREE LOT: Near Dutch Bros. on Northwest Stewart Parkway in Roseburg. More information at @4HDouglasCounty or 541-672-4461. GEORGE’S U-CUT CHRISTMAS TREE FARM: Douglas and Grand Fir trees. 1076 Starveout Creek Road, Azalea. More information 541-476-7999 or at www.jfpchristmastrees.com/oregon-tree-farm. COWBOY TREE YARD AND GARDEN CENTER: 592 N.E. Chestnut Ave. Roseburg. 541-672-0906. ROBERTS CHRISTMAS TREE FARM: 639 Cattle Drive, Roseburg. 541-430-1990. PORTER CREEK MERCANTILE: Located at 6721 OR-42 in Tenmile. Check the Facebook page @portercreekmercantile for details and hours. FOREST PERMITS: Christmas tree permits for the Umpqua National Forest will be available through www.recreation.gov or available to purchase at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Roseburg, Idleyld Trading Post, Diamond Lake Resort, Dry Creek Store, Myrtle Creek City Hall, Canyon Market in Canyonville, Glide Store, Get & Go Grocery in Cottage Grove and Java Run locations in Roseburg and Green. Additional locations will be updated on: http: //www.fs.usda.gov/umpqua. As of October 2020, the Umpqua National Forest does not plan to sell any permits in office. Due to continual and rapid changes with regulations, please check the Facebook page @UmpquaNationalForest or https://www.fs.usda.gov/umpqua for up-to-date information. For additional questions, call 541-957-3200 or 541-496-3532. As part of the Every Kid Outdoors program, fourth-graders will receive one free Christmas tree permit. These passes will be given out through their local school or they can be found at https://www.everykidoutdoors.gov. NO. 10 & COUNTING
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Douglas County Museum
Create and Sip Studio 12
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Ten Down Bowling Center
If raindrops are falling on your head during a visit, f o rg e t t h e u m b r e l l a (it’s not our style). Just head inside to find the fun if there’s no sun. By Brittany Arnold Photos by Jonathan Cummings
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hile Roseburg is an epic outdoor playground during our sunny months, that doesn’t mean when the infamous Oregon rain clouds roll in there still isn’t plenty of fun to be found. Whether you and yours are in the mood for something educational, inspirational, scenic or sweaty – you can enjoy all sorts of dry entertainment without opening an umbrella (not that you’d ever do that anyway if you are a true Oregonian). Here are just a few examples: The Douglas County Museum has an impressive array of artifacts, antiques and historic displays to engage both children and adults. Museum curators have been collecting, preserving and exhibiting naturally and culturally significant items from the region for more than 50 years. The museum boasts the largest natural history display in Oregon as well as the state’s second-largest historic photograph collection. Popular features include a saber-toothed cat skeleton, a woolly mammoth skull and tusk, and skulls from an American lion and ancient bison. The Douglas County Museum is located adjacent to the Douglas County Fairgrounds off I-5, Exit 123, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 541-957-7007 or visit umpquavalleymuseums.org. The Great Umpqua Food Trail will lead you on a culinary cruise through Roseburg and the surrounding area, connecting you with more than 40 local establishments. With many farms closed during the winter months, visitors can taste the local harvest at the array of wineries, breweries and restaurants along the trail. Download the trail map here: experienceroseburg.com/great-umpqua-food-trail. Drive in and lace up for a classic, nostalgic date night. If you’re feeling nostalgic and longing for the
days when life was a little simpler, here’s a great way to temporarily transport yourself back in time. Head to the iconic Pete’s Drive-In restaurant for a burger, fries and a shake, then roll over to Parkview Skating Center. After a few laps around the rink, all those fuzzy middle-school memories will come racing back into focus. Or, if bowling and arcade games are more up your alley, head to Ten Down Bowling Center on Diamond Lake Boulevard. There you’ll find Splitz Family Grill and the center’s sports bar, which features a large selection of cocktails, craft brews and pub grub. Pete’s Drive-In is at 1270 W. Harvard Ave. and open Monday through Saturday; Parkview Skating Center is nearby at 1151 N.W. Stewart Parkway and open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, and afternoon to evening Saturday and Sundays. Feeling artsy? Offering instructional painting classes in a fun group setting, downtown Roseburg’s Create and Sip Studio will have you getting in touch with your creative side in no time. Get a group together and a bottle of wine (or two) and you’re guaranteed a fun time as well as a painting you’ll be proud of. Visit createandsipstudio.com for more information. Gallery Northwest is also nestled in quaint, downtown Roseburg. The art gallery is owned and operated by 15 local artists featuring original paintings in a variety of media and offers studio space for classes, workshops and open studio time. Visit https://roseburggallery.com for more information. The Roseburg art community revolves around the beautiful Umpqua Valley Arts Center at 1624 W. Harvard Ave. For more information on the center’s current activities and attractions, visit uvarts.com. NO. 10 & COUNTING
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boutiques By Brittany Arnold | Photos by Brian Staffield
and Jonathan Cummings
TOP LEFT & BOTTOM RIGHT: New screenprints on display at The 1257. TOP RIGHT & BOTTOM LEFT: Sarah Gallino, owner of Whiskey Creek Rustics, gets ready to open her shop for the day. 14
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The Spunky Steer is teeming with high-quality western and bohemian-style clothing for men and women, furniture, children’s items, accessories and much more. Pick up anything from cowgirl boots to bourbon cologne to a cozy Pendleton blanket.
Big-time shoppers know the best f inds come in the small packages that are Roseburg’s collection of one-of-a-kind boutiques. If you’re searching for rich sources of unique treasures that you’ll never find scrolling around Amazon, look no further than Roseburg’s array of quaint boutiques. Step into any of them and you’re bound to find a high-quality, authentic and distinctive item for that special person on your holiday gift list. (Or for yourself. No judging here.) In addition to finding one-of-a-kind items, you will also be getting off the couch — a huge win for 2020 — and supporting the local economy. Boutiques are vital to any community. They are, of course, among the many small businesses that help small towns thrive. But they also often support local vendors and other small companies. In Roseburg, talented crafters, artisans, carpenters and entrepreneurs are showcasing their skills and sharing their niche products in a number of unique shops. So give the phone a rest and take a break from the bigcorporation, online shopping. Instead, spend the day discovering Roseburg’s fun and original boutiques. Here are some places to start: The 1257 boutique features Oregon- and outdoorthemed clothing and unique items for women, men and children, as well as accessories and bath and body products. The store prides itself on designing and screen printing onsite so customers are often able to customize an item to match the color, style or size they want. The 1257 boutique is also selling a variety of “Small Town Proud” shirts with the proceeds benefiting the victims of September’s devastating Archie Creek Fire. Located at 1257 W. Harvard Ave. in Roseburg, the store is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information and online shopping are available at the1257.com and Facebook @the1257boutique.
The Spunky Steer is located at 2395 N.W. Stewart Parkway in Roseburg, and online at spunkysteer.com and on Facebook @ SpunkySteerStore.. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Whiskey Creek Rustics is all about “rustic,” “reclaimed” and “repurposed,” featuring clothing, gifts, accessories, children’s items, signs and small furniture pieces. Owner Sarah Gallino is passionate about sourcing her merchandise from Oregon and Northwest companies and crafters, including herself. Whiskey Creek Rustics is open Wednesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 368 N.E. Ward Ave. in Roseburg. Also find the shop at etsy. com/whiskeyCREEKrustics and on Facebook @whiskeyCREEKrustics. Northwest Lifestyles boutique has been a favorite shopping spot for local women for more than 17 years. Located in historic downtown Roseburg, the boutique offers high-quality clothing and prides itself on bringing in hard-to-find brand names —in addition to highly personal customer service. Visit Northwest Lifestyles Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 445 S.E. Jackson St. in Roseburg or online at www.northwest-lifestyles.com. Real Deals is an aptly named boutique featuring farmhouse-chic furniture and seasonal decor as well as fashionable clothing and accessories at affordable prices. Open Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Real Deals is located at 4119 N.W. Stephens St. in Roseburg and on Facebook @realdealsroseburgor. The Wildwood Boutique features trendy and quality women’s clothing and accessories. The boutique opens mostly by appointment and offers personal sessions, styling and boutique parties. You can also shop online at www.shopwildwoodboutique.com or visit Facebook @wildwoodboutiquevip for special hours and more information. NO. 10 & COUNTING
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28TH ANNUAL
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CALL ME FOR A FREE MARKET ANALYSIS OF YOUR HOME’S VALUE. 541.391.9486 Cell | 541.673.4417 Office MistyRossRealEstate.com 2245 NW Stewart Parkway Roseburg, Oregon Each office is independently owned and operated.
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OLDE NEWS / WHEN SALTY AIR BECKONS / FREE READS / FESTIVAL GOES VIRTUAL
Olde News If you’re looking for something new to accent your home or accessorize yourself, treasures from the past abound in Umpqua Valley antique shops. Story by Miki Markovich Photos by Thomas Boyd
O
pen the door to virtually any antique shop and it hits you — the scent of a life well-lived.
With notes of aged wool and silver polish, a touch of dust and perhaps just a hint of a perfume discontinued decades ago, it’s easy to recognize that you’ve opened a portal overflowing in possibility. There are many practical reasons to shop area antique and vintage stores, including a desire for value, a quest for greener living and an appreciation for quality from days gone by. There’s also the thrill of the hunt. Perhaps you’re looking for the perfect gift for a loved one, that favorite glass you remember fondly from childhood, something Bohemian to update your living space or a care package for your soul. The Umpqua Valley is home to all manner of eclectic venues, providing a wonderland in which to rediscover the past while creating a more colorful and unique present.
If your schedule allows for only one destination but your heart desires an entire shopping excursion, head to Jackson Street in the heart of Roseburg. With Round 2 Redux, Roseburg Merchant Mall, Little Red Barn of Antiques and Decor and Farmhouse Decor all calling Jackson Street home, offerings spanning the gamut within a few steps of each other. At Farmhouse Decor, says co-owner Tammy Henderson, “We take well-built antique furniture and bring it back by refinishing 18
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Tammy Henderson welcomes customers to Farmhouse Decor in downtown Roseburg.
it into a piece people would love to add to their home to create a modern farmhouse style. We love creating something from something else to create a one-of-a-kind piece.” Henderson points to a wine bar that was repurposed from a bedside nightstand/cabinet, a vintage desk transformed into a kitchen island and an antique ironing board turned into a workspace. Stroll into the Roseburg Merchant Mall for that quintessential antique shop feel. Opened in 2018, this shop offers a vast array of items ranging from vintage glasses and beaded bags to autoharps and furniture and including trunks, décor, multi-use pieces, clothing and much more. After browsing the shops on Jackson Street, continue your search at From Days Gone By, just one block west on Rose Street. If you are in the market for furniture, Roseburg Resale is right next door.
A sample map to guide your treasure hunt: Winston-Dillard Roseburg Shingle Towne Antique Village 9029 Old Hwy. 99 S. Winston’s Now-NThen Antiques Mall 120 W. Douglas Blvd.
The Umpqua Valley is home to all manner of eclectic venues, providing a wonderland in which to rediscover the past while creating a more colorfuland unique present.
Oakland Olde Town Antiques 110 Locust St. Oakland Antiques 212 Locust St. Funky Antiques 116 Locust St. Oakland Flour Mill 132 N.E. 1st St.
Round 2 Redux 509 S.E. Jackson St. Roseburg Merchant Mall 507 Jackson St. Little Red Barn of Antiques and Decor 516 S.E. Jackson St. Farmhouse Decor Gathered Old + New 549 S.E. Jackson St. Roseburg Resale 648 S.E. Rose St. From Days Gone By 630 S.E. Rose St. Frazer Resale 827 S.E. Cass
Hill, who owns the venue with his wife, Tracy, has been somehow involved in the business since he was 8 years old. “My dad actually taught me a lot, as well as other people that we used to deal with,” says Hill. “But I always wanted to open up my own mall.”
W
hether a serious treasure hunter or a novice picker, there are plenty of finds in nearby communities, including Winston and historic Oakland.
At Shingle Towne Antique Village in Winston, riches abound at pauper prices. From a $5 Beatles LP to an entire area dedicated to Christmas, every nook and cranny, twist and turn holds something compelling. Perhaps the vintage tea towels still “new” in their original boxes will make the perfect holiday gift for your favorite neighbor, or maybe that necklace sparkling in the glass case will pull your New Year’s Eve look together – even if you’re not leaving the house to celebrate. A tip to the wise shopper: open cabinets and investigate drawers, as artifacts of yore are stored everywhere. Now-N-Then Antique Mall in the Winston Shopping Center offers an extensive collection of, well, almost everything. Larry
In the market for a totem pole? You’ll find it here. Need a vintage phonograph in great condition? You can find it right next to the jukeboxes. Stay warm this winter after cruising the quilt section, and be ready for quiet winter nights in with a classic board game or a mandolin. “We have 65 different vendors here, so you’re shopping at 65 different stores under one roof,” says Hill. “We don’t sell just the antique stuff, we also sell the modern stuff here. This way, we cater to both the younger and the older generations at the same time.” Each Friday, sometime after closing, Tracy Hill broadcasts live from the business’ Facebook page so collectors, customers and enthusiasts can learn about new arrivals to the mall. “We put new items on the live video so people know what’s come in,” says Larry Hill. “If they’re interested, they’ll usually call us or message us on Facebook to ask us to hold it.” If you’re ready to start your treasure hunt, embrace your inner 90-year-old or inner artist and program your GPS for the many fantastic antique and vintage shops the Umpqua Valley has to offer. NO. 10 & COUNTING
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Umpqua Life
When the Salty Air Beckons While forests and rivers get much of the credit for Douglas County’s reputation as a scenic and recreational paradise, the county’s coastline is equally impressive and entertaining. Story by Jennifer Grafiada
The aftertaste of clam chowder, the salttwisted hair, the volatile, undulating Pacific Ocean. We endlessly seek the sea, if only to take in a breath of its air. Inclement weather may threaten — and most often does — but we still can’t help ourselves. Douglas County’s scenery is nonstop eye candy, whether passing through on Interstate 5 or heading east along Highway 138-E as it follows the North Umpqua River past dozens of waterfalls to Diamond Lake and Mount Thielsen. (How could 5,000 square miles of land have gotten so lucky?) But there is even more to be found to the west, on the county’s little slice of the Oregon coast. Creamy scalloped sand dunes are framed by glossy evergreen foliage. White herons and children’s kites swoop this way and that above the boundless white-flecked gray-blue. Pines sway around perfectly quiet freshwater lakes. Now this is a place you could go back to over and over again. Its solace is only about 90 minutes away from the city proper, an easy day trip or weekend getaway. The drive alone is worth it. Highway 138-W heads out of Sutherlin, hugging mountains and the Umpqua River as it races with you to the sea. On your way, make a stop at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area to watch these stately animals peacefully sample the grass in their natural habitat.
In Reedsport, the Umpqua Discovery Center features interactive exhibits showcasing the cultural history of the native local tribes, as well as early explorers, pioneers and cannery workers of this colorful tidewater town. Something sweet or savory at Leona’s Sugar Shack Bakery will keep your spirits up as you head south on U.S. 101 and arrive at Winchester Bay. Here is your destination for world-class crabbing, along with copious amounts of fish (salmon, lingcod, shad, striped bass, rockfish, perch, halibut, sturgeon), clams and oysters. If you don’t have a boat, or a friend who owns one, Winchester Bay Charters can hook you up. Crabbing is a popular attraction here, and you can catch plenty of the Dungeness variety right off the dock. Salmon Harbor Tackle & Marine has what you need: the $9 shellfish license for Oregon residents ($26 for non-residents) will cover a daily limit of Dungeness crab, as well as other types of clams and shrimp (call the shellfish hotline for up-to-date information at (1-800-448-2474). Umpqua River Lighthouse.
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In this section: OLDE NEWS / WHEN SALTY AIR BECKONS / FREE READS / FESTIVAL GOES VIRTUAL
Traps can be rented, and bait shops have the fish heads, sand shrimp and chicken meat used as lures. The best time for crabbing is generally a couple of hours before and after high tide, when the currents are weakest.
If oysters are your thing, Umpqua Aquaculture grows Umpqua Triangle Oysters, renowned for their sweet, clean taste, in the triangular breakwater of the Umpqua River and the Pacific Ocean.
People will often put the traps down early in the morning, then return later in the afternoon to check out the haul. Make sure you know the rules and regulations on size and limits. Regulars along the dock are usually happy to share their tips and tricks, and it is considered a relaxing, social activity that can include picnics and wine.
Take a dozen of these home to share with friends and you’ll have them thinking you’re a Michelin star chef in the making. If you prefer to get your oysters on the run, Double D’s on the Rocks serves up a delicious Umpqua Triangle Oysters Rockefeller in a come-as-you-are atmosphere.
Photo by Robin Loznak
Crabbing is a popular attraction here, and you can catch plenty of the Dungeness variety right off the dock. If you are done fishing or waiting to pull up your pots, head up the hill to the Umpqua River Lighthouse, built in 1892. Whether or not you make it to the top of the 65-foot lighthouse, you can marvel at the view from various vantage points on the bluff.
the Bay without a stop at BJ’s Old-Fashioned Ice Cream (it’s open late).
Watch the incoming boats gliding in the surf and the ATVs tracing lines in the sand below. Break out the binoculars for seasonal whale watching. A gray whale migration happens every year in December and January as they head south to Mexico to their breeding grounds, and then again around March and April as they head back north to feed in Alaska.
If you are spending the night or weekend, Half Moon Bay Campground is a popular spot for RV camping, and there are several tent campgrounds, cabins, yurts and motels around.
A small pod lives year-round nearby, so it is always possible to spot one. Right around the corner you will find Lake Maria, a sparsely populated spot to hike, fish and picnic (but note that black bears are around). Back down the mountain, head to Ziolkouski Beach Park to walk in the sand and hunt for shells and driftwood. By this time, you may be feeling the quintessential coastal chill, but don’t leave
For dinner, Harbor Light Family Restaurant is a favorite for clam chowder and coastal comfort food.
There is plenty more to do in Douglas County’s coastal region. Hike, horseback ride or ride ATVs through miles of sand dunes; drop a line for a day in a freshwater lake or go into town for unique gifts at places such as the Myrtlewood Gallery and Ellie’s Chainsaw Carving Gallery. If you don’t check everything off your list, don’t worry. You’ll be back. Visit MyODFW.com for information on fishing, crabbing or clamming on the Oregon Coast. NO. 10 & COUNTING
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Umpqua Life
Free Reads Through its Select Books free library program, The Ford Family Foundation is helping build local communities by fostering literacy. Story by Sarah Smith Photos by Thomas Boyd
In an age when so much reading occurs online and electronic devices are becoming the dominant vehicle for casual reading, an actual, physical book, to some, may seem outdated; however, its presence sends a clear message that knowledge is crucial to the development and sustainability of communities. In short, reading matters. But how do you extend support for literacy beyond school walls and into the community? In Douglas County and elsewhere, The Ford Family Foundation is helping answer that question. Established in 1996, the private, nonprofit foundation awards grants to public charities and agencies benefiting communities in rural Oregon and Siskiyou County, Calif. In addition, the foundation designs, manages and funds programs that aim to improve the well-being of children, families and communities. Those efforts include a program called Select Books, through which titles covering education, art and community leadership are made available at no charge to interested readers. The goal of the program is to encourage personal growth by offering free access to books aligned with the foundation’s mission to support rural communities. “We want to give people tools they need to understand their communities and engage informed citizens,” says Casondra Reeves, program director. “We want all Oregonians to have access to high-quality information without necessarily having to pay for it. This includes high-quality data about our state and communities. ” In 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts published Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America. This detailed study showed that Americans in almost every demographic group were reading fiction, poetry and drama — and books in general — at significantly lower rates than 10 or 20 years earlier. The declines were steepest among young adults.
Select Books Program Director Casondra Reeves 22
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In this section: OLDE NEWS / WHEN SALTY AIR BECKONS / FREE READS / FESTIVAL GOES VIRTUAL
George Washington said, “To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.” More recent findings attest to the diminished role of voluntary reading in American life. The data revealed three unsettling conclusions: Americans are spending less time reading; reading comprehension skills are eroding and these declines have serious civic, social, cultural and economic implications. “Our board of directors approved the Select Books program in August 2000 as a ‘How to Build Your Community’ free library,” Reeves says. “Until 2013, requested books arrived to us via U.S. mail. But in 2013, the program moved online where it became very popular and was expanded to reflect all the strategic areas of the foundation.” Since Select Books’ inception, 31,500 books have been distributed, benefiting an estimated 28,500 people. Advertised through Blue Zones Project events across Oregon, leadership conferences, classrooms, book clubs and community activities, Select Books promotes literacy growth because reading is critical to developing productive and active adults and healthy communities. George Washington said, “To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.” Literacy opens doors and is the key to a community’s future development. With Select Books and its many other programs. The Ford Family Foundation is doing its part to foster the growth of local communities and the individuals who comprise them. Learn more about Select Books and browse and order selections at tfff.org/select-books
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Umpqua Life
Festival Goes Virtual Mercy Foundation’s popular Festival of Trees fundraiser moves online this year in response to COVID-19 restrictions. Story by Jim Hays
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ust as it has affected about every aspect of life in the Umpqua Valley, the COVID-19 pandemic put a big crimp in one of the area’s most joyous public holiday events.
The Mercy Foundation’s 27th Annual Festival of Trees kicks off Nov. 27 and runs through Dec. 5. The holiday gala and silent auction is the foundation’s primary fundraiser for the bevy of children’s health programs it finances that touch the lives of countless Douglas County residents.
Festival fundraising is particularly important this year, Platt says, because of the limits COVID has placed on the foundation’s normal efforts. “The festival funds a lot of our programs,” Platt says. Programs supported by Mercy Foundation funding include:
The 26 previous festivals have raised more than $4.5 million through silent-auction sales of spectacularly decorated Christmas trees, gifts and other displays and items exhibited at Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville, a presenting sponsor of the festival along with Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians.
• Healthy Kids Outreach Program, which for the past decade has provided health education, dental screenings and connections to health care for Douglas County youth.
But COVID forced changes for the festival’s 2020 edition. The biggest? Moving the fundraising piece online.
• Child Abuse Prevention Coalition, an alliance of more than 30 Douglas County agencies and CHI Mercy Health devoted to preventing child abuse and neglect locally.
The festival typically attracts some 5,000 people to Seven Feathers for its luncheon, gala dinner and an up-close look at as many as 20 or more elaborately assembled holiday trees. But COVID-related restrictions on attendance forced the foundation to scale back, says Lisa Platt, Mercy Foundation executive director. The festival’s many volunteers began planning and coordinating in March, when it became clear that COVID would affect public events throughout the area for an indefinite time. “We were still planning to hold the event when the governor’s office put the limit at 250 people,” Platt says. “But when the limit dropped down to 100, we felt it wouldn’t be a good return on our investment. So we decided to do a virtual festival.” The number of trees available for this year’s silent auction was reduced to eight, and prospective bidders will be able to view them at individual locations (see box) or online, along with other auction packages for bidding. By
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registering an account on the website, people can either bid on one or more of the packages or simply donate.
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• Children’s HealthCare Fund, set up to help local families with ill children.
• Youth Diabetes Initiative, a partnership of Mercy, Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center, Evergreen Family Medicine and Douglas County Education Service District that serves local parents and children with Type 1 diabetes. • The Learning Child, a Mercy Foundation committee that purchases school supplies and backpacks to help needy children prepare for school. Platt recognizes the demands COVID — and this summer’s devastating wildfires — have placed on the generosity of donors and stresses the foundation’s frugality in assuring every donated dollar goes where it is most needed. “One hundred percent of the money we raise goes back out in the form of community benefits,” Platt says. “Through the pandemic our most disenfranchised families and their children still need our help. Probably now more than ever.”
In this section: OLDE NEWS / WHEN SALTY AIR BECKONS / FREE READS / FESTIVAL GOES VIRTUAL
Sponsors Seven Feathers Casino Resort Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians Centennial Medical Group Douglas County Forest Products Evergreen Family Medicine TMS Call Center Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation Umpqua Bank
Mercy Foundation 27th Annual Festival Of Trees When: Nov. 27 through Dec. 5. Where: Online at mercyfdn2020.ggo.bid/ A Little Pizza Christmas Location: Umpqua Bank — Garden Valley Designers: Jamie McElmurry & Robyn Boyd Enjoy the Umpqua Location: Roseburg Country Club Designers: Tonya Ferber & Abby Savage A Woodland Christmas Tree Location: The Landing Designers: Christine Rose & David Tolle
Staycation for Two Location: Hot Tub Factory Outlet Designers: Traci Palmer & Diane Rebuck A Red and Gold Christmas Location: Mercy Medical Center Designers: Lynda Vigue & Carol Kangiser A Traditional Christmas Location: Evergreen Family Medicine Designers: Evergreen Family Medicine Staff
Wish I Was Fishing Location: Banner Bank — Garden Valley Designers: Michael Briggs & Annie Rucker Modern Meets Retro Christmas Location: Seven Feathers Casino Resort Designers: Jason Byers & Joni Byers You Had Me at Merlot (Holiday Wreath) Location: Melrose Vineyard Designer: Barbara Hagadorn
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SECRET WINE SOCIETY / BREWED FOR SUCCESS / HOLIDAY MENU
Robert Douglas pouring sake for a customer.
Food & Drink
The Secret Wine Society’s shelves are stocked with unique varietals from around the world.
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A Well-Kept Secret With his extensive knowledge of wine and unbridled enthusiasm for it, Robert Douglas is working hard to ensure The Secret Wine Society is an unhidden treasure. Story by Dick Baltus Photos by Thomas Boyd
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here’s no shortage of wine enthusiasts in the Umpqua Valley, and maybe you consider yourself one of them.
But sit down with Robert Douglas for, oh, about 40 seconds and he may have you reassessing your definition of the term. Also, you may find those 40 seconds have become a couple of hours at the end of which you’re leaving Douglas’ presence a little poorer in the personal finance department but a lot richer in wine and knowledge thereof.
Douglas, who with his wife, Dawn, owns The Secret Wine Society in Oakland, is the possessor of both an encyclopedic knowledge of wine and a literal boundless enthusiasm for sharing it. One minute he’s seated at a table in his new business opining on the notes of a Bosnian wine or the story behind a particular sake, the next he’s making a beeline for his impressive wall of wine, as if
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guided by GPS, to retrieve a “killer” bottle from the hundreds on display that “needs to be tasted.” (Needs such as these, by the way, help explain how 40 seconds turn into two hours.) It certainly doesn’t take the full two hours to discern why a guy who came to the Valley 13 years ago for the opportunity to operate his own pharmacy took this particular detour midway through his career lifespan. It’s tough to imagine Douglas ever being as passionate about, say, Lipitor as he is the “amazing orange/ amber color” of a particular wine. It’s a color, he describes, that “God has never revealed to you before.” In his other life, the Ohio native’s love of chemistry led him to a graduate degree in pharmacy from The Ohio State University, then jobs in Chicago (where the winters were too cold), Hawaii (where they were not) and Chehalis, Wash. Douglas and Dawn moved to Roseburg after buying Hometown Pharmacy, which he ran until he had enjoyed as much of the pharmacy industry as he could stand.
“Wines should taste like where they are from. Some of the wines my customers love most are the ones that taste like nothing they’ve ever tasted before.” — Robert Douglas “A lot of things go on in the industry that aren’t fair to small businesses,” he says. “It’s a tough row to hoe.” Last year, after finding a buyer for the pharmacy he ran for 12 years, Douglas was suddenly free to get serious about turning his longtime passion for wine into a new business pursuit. He chose Oakland as his location for its authenticity, charm and the historic building on 1st Street the Douglases were able to purchase and renovate into a unique wine bar and tasting lounge. There, fellow wine enthusiasts (or at least fans, depending on how you wind up defining that term) can gather comfortably and sample or purchase varietals from around the region and far beyond. Using his expertise and industry connections, Douglas has amassed a “hyper-curated” collection of wines and sake and is able to tailor his recommendations to wine club members and repeat visitors based on his memory or notes of their buying patterns or likes and dislikes. “I learn about all these wines from research and the industry people I know,” he says. “It takes a lot of time to get these bottles in here because, first, I have to find them, then I have to taste them. It’s almost like they have to complete an obstacle course to get onto the shelves.” The Secret Wine Society’s collection is extensive, yet Douglas says he can describe every bottle he offers.
“I need to be able to accurately describe what each wine is and how it is going to taste,” he says. “I want to be able to say, ‘I love this, here is why and this is what you are going to get out of it.’ Wine shouldn’t be a lot of work. People should be able to just enjoy it. The work is our job.” The “our” whose job he’s referring to also includes Dawn and Chris Miller, who manages the shop. Dawn’s business and organizational acumen has helped The Secret Wine Society weather the impact of the pandemic, while Miller, who shares Douglas’ knowledge and enthusiasm for wine, is another great resource for the shop’s customers and club members. Douglas says he wants the wines he sells to transport people to the regions where they were made, whether that is the Umpqua Valley or Rhone Valley. “Wines should taste like where they are from. Some of the wines my customers love most are the ones that taste like nothing they’ve ever tasted before.” Up he pops now to fetch a wine he says reminds him of green olives. (Unusual? Yes. In a bad way? Nope.) Moments later he’s back with a red he claims is delicious, well-priced and tastes like blueberries. (It’s all of those things.) Uh oh, now’s he’s diving into the shipment of sakes that is occupying most of the real estate atop The Secret Wine Society’s ornate bar. “Oregon is the top market in the country for sake, if you can believe it,” Douglas says. “You can really go down a rabbit hole with these, learning the stories behind each one, the history of the glass-making, the cultural aspects.” And off he goes again, this time in the direction of that rabbit hole, driven deep down by an enthusiasm for wine with which you are likely unfamiliar but may want to get to know.
The Secret Wine Society is located at 110 S.E. 1st St. in Oakland. For hours and more information, visit thesecretwinesociety.com.
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Food & Drink
Brewed For Success Starting from scratch and with no knowledge of the brewing industry, K.C. and Savannah McKillip have used hard work, grit and desire to build Backside Brewery into a growing success story. Story by Don Gilman Photos by Robin Loznak
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ackside Brewing sits relatively isolated in a large, transformed former building supply facility one block off busy Diamond Lake Boulevard. But don’t let the unassuming façade and the outbuilding that could double as a farm-machinery barn fool you. Inside – and, when weather permits, outside as well – the brewery is typically hopping. The sounds — laughter, conversation and often live music – spill out onto Northeast Odell Street, and the smell of brick-oven pizza fills the air. Since its beginnings eight years ago, Backside Brewery has been a staple of the Umpqua Valley beer crowd and a go-to stop for out-of-towners. Offering 15 beers on tap as well as wine, liquor and a popular brewpub menu, the business is now in full stride. But owners K.C. and Savannah McKillip haven’t forgotten the struggles of the early years, nor the hard work and dedication it took to get to this point. At the tender age of 23, K.C. was already an entrepreneur who owned multiple businesses. But he also was questioning his future.
“The passion side wasn’t there,” he says. “I started wondering what I could see myself doing that I’d really enjoy. I knew nothing about running a brewery or making beer, but the idea of owning a brewery was really appealing to me.” Together with a friend, McKillip started learning the craft of beer-making, but admits he was naïve. Initial samples weren’t what he hoped for. Despite the shaky start, he decided to make the leap and, with his other businesses doing well and no family obligations at the time, he could afford to take the chance. The original idea was to keep it simple, but before long he had purchased the long-vacant former Gerretson’s building and begun to transform it into a into a rustic brewery, pub and event space. About a year later, he and Savannah began dating. When she first came to the brewery, “It wasn’t even open to the public (inside),” Savannah says. “It was just a little bit of service on the patio and Old Soul Pizza doing the food.” Soon Savannah was helping out around the bar, a natural role for her. Born and raised in Roseburg, her parents had always owned businesses and instilled in her a strong work ethic. Today, family and work ethic are key traits of the Backside culture, she says. “K.C.’s mom works here and siblings have worked here, along with lots of cousins and even an uncle,” she says. For the first two years of their dating life Savannah attempted to juggle her work at the brewery with her career at a local dental clinic. “It just really started breaking me down,” Savannah says. “K.C. said ‘I think we need you here full time.’ We were very set on our future together, so I felt comfortable making the jump and haven’t looked back.” Married in January 2017, K.C. and Savannah are busy plotting the future of Backside. In the fall of 2019, an acquaintance suggested to them that a vacant historic building in Sutherlin would make an excellent brewery. But the McKillips weren’t looking to expand. That doesn’t mean they hadn’t talked about the possibility someday. By the time 2020 rolled around, the McKillips were thinking about it seriously enough to check out the building on Central Avenue, the old Culver’s Deli built in the early 1900s. After
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In this section:
SECRET WINE SOCIETY / BREWED FOR SUCCESS / HOLIDAY MENU
K.C. and Savannah McKillip, owners of Backside Brewery.
“I think Backside is a great brand, one to be reckoned with in Oregon. When people talk about must-go-to businesses, I think that’s where Backside Brewery is headed.” —Heidi Underwood, Owner, My Coffee
driving halfway back to Roseburg in silence, the couple looked at each other. “I said, ‘Are we starting another brewery? What is happening?’” Savannah remembers. “We both had the same feeling.” “It was too good to say no to,” K.C. adds. “It was perfect.” The next time they visited, an entourage of the property owners, City of Sutherlin representatives and local realtors joined them to encourage their expansion. The McKillips signed the papers for the new location in February.
“Those kids are amazing,” she says. “They are seriously two of the hardest-working entrepreneurs in our community. They are full of grit, and I look up to them as mentors even though they’re half my age. They still inspire me. They just get in and get the job done.” She adds that seeing the McKillips grow from industry neophytes to owners of a second location in less than a decade is the sign of a bright future. “I think Backside is a great brand, one to be reckoned with in Oregon,” Underwood says. “When people talk about must-go-to businesses, I think that’s where Backside Brewery is headed.”
Building renovations are currently under way with the new Backside location expected to be open in late 2020. Family friend and My Coffee owner Heidi Underwood says she has nothing but admiration for the McKillips.
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Food & Drink
A Holiday Taste of the Umpqua Once again this year, we asked local chef and wine expert Nancy Rodriguez to prepare a holiday menu for our readers. This year she pairs award-winning local wines with her delicious creations. Story by Nancy Rodriguez
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his year we begin the celebration of food and wine with a savory tart that brings pears to play with a sparkling wine, scented with white floral notes and citrus. Our journey through wine country will encompass all the variegated hues in a glass, ranging from a sunlit gold to a swirl of deep garnet and with a waft and tease of summer. Our traveling companion is the bounty of the harvest that will take us from the Farmers’ Market and into the vineyard. The aromatics and spices will lend their scent to the savory or sweet menu items and bring together the tastes that define the season.
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Holiday Menu Pear and Leek Galette with Goat Cheese and Roasted Hazelnuts 2019 Brandborg Vineyard & Winery Petillant Naturel Gewurztraminer
Butternut Squash Saffron Risotto with Smoked Apple Sausage 2018 Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards Malbec
Blue Cheese Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Braised Fennel 2013 Girardet Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Pomegranate Panna Cotta 2019 Abacela Grenache RosĂŠ
In this section:
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PEAR AND LEEK GALETTE WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ROASTED HAZELNUTS Ingredients
Directions
Filling
Crust
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• 2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2. Mix together dry ingredients for crust. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly.
• 2 Anjou pears, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4.5 oz. butter, unsalted
3. Whisk together egg and 2 tablespoons of water; combine with dough forming a ball. Flatten dough and wrap in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.
• 6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• ½ t salt
4. Sauté thinly sliced leeks in melted butter until tender. Add in cream, mustard and rosemary.
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 egg, beaten • 2 T water
• ½ cup hazelnuts, roasted, skinned and chopped • 2 T rosemary, finely chopped • 1 T dijon mustard
5. Over a low heat, reduce cream mixture by half. Cool and adjust seasonings. 6. Roll out dough into a 14- to 16-inch round, transfer to parchment paper lined sheet pan. 7. Spread cooled leek and cream mixture on dough, leaving a two-inch border. Crumble goat cheese over top and arrange thinly sliced pears in concentric circle over filling. Sprinkle with additional rosemary and chopped hazelnuts. 8. Fold border of dough over filling and brush with egg wash. Bake for 30-40 minutes until crust is golden. Allow to slightly cool before slicing. Serves 6.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH SMOKED APPLE SAUSAGE Ingredients
Directions
• 2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• 1/2 lbs. smoked apple sausage, casing on
2. Dice butternut squash into ½-inch cubes, toss with olive oil until coated, place on sheet pan in single layer, season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes until tender, set aside. Sauté’ sausage, cut into small dice size, set aside.
• 6 cups chicken stock • 1.5 cups Arborio rice • 6 T unsalted butter • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese • 1 tsp. saffron threads • Freshly ground black pepper • Kosher salt • Olive oil • Sage leaves
3. Heat chicken stock on stove top in Dutch oven or heavy bottom sauce pan. Bring to low simmer. 4. Melt butter in sauce pan, sauté’ rice coating grains with butter until golden in color. Add simmering stock to rice by the ladle full, stirring continuously until all stock has been absorbed. Approximately 30 minutes. Remove from heat. 5. Add into rice the butternut squash, sausage and Parmesan cheese, mix well. Garnish with sage leaves. Serves 4 to 6.
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Food & Drink
BLUE CHEESE CRUSTED BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH BALSAMIC-BRAISED FENNEL Ingredients
Directions
Balsamic Braised Fennel
1. Cut fennel bulbs into wedges; toss until completely coated with seasoned olive oil.
• 3 lg. fennel bulbs, cut into wedges • 2 cups balsamic vinegar, reduce by half • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper • Freshly ground black pepper
2. Sauté fennel bulb wedges until caramelized. Cover and reduce heat, cooking until tender, approximately 10 minutes. In a sauce pan over low heat, reduce balsamic vinegar by half. 3. Remove caramelized fennel bulbs from pan, drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve with the beef tenderloin.
• Kosher salt • Fennel fronds for garnish
Blue Cheese Crusted Beef Tenderloin
Directions
• 2.5 lbs. beef tenderloin
1. Combine breadcrumbs, parsley, chives and crushed peppercorns with olive oil to make a paste.
• ¼ cup bread crumbs • ¼ cup Italian parsley • ¼ cup chives • ¼ tsp. crushed black peppercorns • 1 T olive oil Wine Reduction • 2 cups beef stock • 1 cup red wine • 3 T butter, unsalted • 1 shallot, finely chopped • Sprig of thyme
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2. Slice beef tenderloin into 6 medallions, approximately 1 1/2 inches thick and 3 inches in diameter. Heat olive oil in skillet and sear medallions until browned on both sides. Arrange in a roasting pan and coat each one with the blue cheeseherb paste. Roast for 6 – 8 minutes for medium rare. 3. In a sauce pan, reduce the beef stock by half. Serve with wine reduction and braised fennel. Sauté shallot in separate pan, add wine and sprig of thyme, reduce by half. Add to beef stock and reduce again. Strain the wine reduction to remove shallot and thyme. Serve as sauce with beef medallions.
POMEGRANATE PANNA COTTA Ingredients • 1.5 tsp. powdered gelatin • 2 cups heavy cream • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar • ¼ tsp. fine sea salt • ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt • ½ cup unsweetened pomegranate juice • 2 T white granulated sugar • Fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish • Mint leaves for garnish
Directions 1. Lightly coat 6 ramekins with cooking spray. 2. Sprinkle gelatin over 2T of water in small bowl, allow to soften and dissolve. 3. Combine heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in sauce pan, heat over low heat, stirring continuously until sugar is dissolved, and stir in gelatin. Remove from heat. Strain and pour into ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours. 4. In sauce pan, bring pomegranate juice and white sugar to boil. Reduce heat, cooking until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and cool completely. 5. To unmold, dip ramekin in hot water (do not submerge). Loosen edge with knife and invert ramekin over serving plate. Drizzle with pomegranate sauce, garnish with fresh seeds and mint leaves. Serves 6.
The Chef in Wine Country Nancy Rodriguez began her career in the wine business after attending culinary school in Portland. She worked with wineries in Yamhill County before following the wine trail to the Umpqua Valley. She is involved in the local wine community and passionate about telling stories of bringing wine to the table. She currently works for the City of Sutherlin and owns the Rose Hill Bed & Breakfast in Lorane.
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Photo by Robin Loznak
She was just a kid when a production crew converged on Oakland and other local sites for the filming of “Fire in the Sky� but the experience and movie left indelible impressions on our writer.
By Erin Wilds
for “a place where Main Street fits into a single camera shot” writers scouted Silverton, Colo., and Paris, Idaho, before choosing Oakland to stand in for Snowflake’s “idyllic small-town country charm.” 44
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H
ow do you get to Hollywood? First, a leisurely jaunt through space and time, followed by a brief layover in rural Oregon.
As I got older, I grew more interested in the events that inspired the story and gained a new appreciation for the film adaptation and how it fits into Walton's tale.
That’s how it worked in the early 1990s, or at least that’s how it seems when you look back at local history. In the span of just a few months, two other-worldly movies were filmed in Douglas County.
While that took place almost entirely in Arizona logging country, save for a few blurry memories aboard a spacecraft, an updated edition of his book The Walton Experience revealed that the real Snowflake was ultimately rejected as a filming location because it had grown and modernized too much in 15 years. In their quest for “a place where Main Street fits into a single camera shot” writers scouted Silverton, Colo., and Paris, Idaho, before choosing Oakland to stand in for 1970s Snowflake’s “idyllic small-town country charm.”
First, an independent flick released in 1992 starred Jeff Daniels and had segments filmed in Oakland and Drain. The movie has gone by numerous titles, including Timescape, Grand Tour and Disaster in Time, as well as a few iterations featuring random portions of those titles stitched together. The resulting name confusion and the fact it was released straight to video in most markets did not help this film’s chances of success, but it maintains a small, cult-like following online even today. For locals, the hoopla surrounding the film’s production was just setting the stage for an even grander tour to come to town. I was barely pushing toddlerhood in September 1992 when the second film crew set up camp in Roseburg and for several weeks transformed pockets of Oakland, Sutherlin, Winston, Idleyld Park and Myrtle Creek into Snowflake, Ariz., and surrounding areas to adapt Travis Walton’s memoirs of alien abduction into a major motion picture. Regardless of my own place in space and time, as far back as I can remember there is no time when Fire in the Sky fandom did not exist in my life. Growing up in a pre-Internet, no-cableor-satellite househould limited viewing options to rented VHS tapes, and Fire in the Sky was a household favorite. I remember my parents pausing the film strategically to look for familiar faces — no easy feat with a VHS tape.
And what better way to celebrate idyllic country life than by interspersing a little Hollywood here and a little Hollywood there? Actor D.B. Sweeney, then possibly at the height of his career, landed the lead role of Walton. Fresh off his breakthrough role in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Robert Patrick was cast in the supporting role of Walton’s best friend Mike Rogers. According to IMDb, it was this role that would catch the attention of The X-Files creator Chris Carter and lead to Patrick being later cast as FBI Special Agent John Doggett. The real standout, not only in resume, but as a fan-favorite among locals, was the late James Garner, who played the composite character, Lieutenant Frank Watters. Walton described Garner as having a genuine affinity for his fans. According to current Oakland resident Kent Rochester, it was not uncommon for Garner to stop by the set to visit with fans and sign autographs even on days when he wasn’t shooting.
Clockwise from top left: Actor Peter Berg between takes; James Garner and Robert Patrick face off in a scene from the film (photo provided by Jamison Slater); Patrick with current Oakland resident and movie extra, Kent Rochester; casting fact sheet (provided by Terrilu Guillen). NO. 10 & COUNTING
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Rochester signed up to appear as an extra in the film and received his first call from casting associates asking if he knew how to cut down trees with a chainsaw. According to Rochester, the voice on the other end sounded disappointed that someone who lived in such a rural area did not have experience logging. Rochester ultimately makes an appearance in the final cut of the film in a town hall scene filmed at the Sutherlin United Methodist Church. In the same scene, the real Travis Walton makes a cameo appearance in the crowd. While Oakland and Sutherlin comprise the town sequences for Snowflake, the filmmakers needed a more rural location to appear as the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, the site of Walton’s disappearance. Boomer Hill in Riddle would fill in nicely for an epic abduction sequence, which is a high point in the film. An apparently thriving Mac’s Place in Idleyld Park makes an appearance, as does the old Brockway Store in a climactic moment as Walton is returned to a gas station just outside of Heber, Ariz., in a nighttime downpour.
Jason Hink was playing football at Douglas High School at the time and recalls the hot, sunny day of practice when nearby production crews were propping up industrial sprinklers to simulate the rainfall. “We could see it all from the football field,” Hink remembers. “Our coaches got angry because we kept getting distracted, so they made us turn the other way so we’d pay attention to them instead of the motion picture across the street.” When the film was complete, an early screening at Act III theatre in Roseburg was offered as a thankyou to locals who had participated in its making.
The film went on to enjoy moderate box-office success, while earning 2.5 out of 4 stars from Roger Ebert and nominations for four Saturn Awards. Clearly, Fire in the Sky did not take the 1993 Academy Awards by storm, and the storytelling deviates from Walton’s own account. But a good alien movie is hard to find, and this one is well-worth at least one watch. Because of the “local filter,” I always had in my head, like rose-colored glasses, as I watched and re-watched the movie as a child, it was years before I came to realize the Walton story is actually one of the most famous accounts of alien abduction of all time. And, if you like alien stories, it’s quite the doozy. The short version is that Walton, Rogers and the rest of their seven-man logging crew were making their nightly 48-mile commute home from their worksite near the Mongollon Rim back to Snowflake on Nov. 5, 1975, when they came upon a “yellowish brilliance” glimmering through the trees. Pulling the truck closer for a better look, the crew discovered what appeared to be a flying saucer floating about 15 feet above a pile of logging slash.
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Writer and superfan Erin Wilds. Photo by Robin Loznak
In his book, Walton describes the fear of missing the chance of a lifetime to satisfy his own curiosity as his reason for climbing out of the truck to get a closer look. After pleading unsuccessfully for him to return to the safety of the cab, Walton’s co-workers watched in horror as a foot-wide beam shot from the craft and struck Walton in the face and chest, hurling him through the air. In a moment of panic, the rest of the logging crew tore away in the truck, leaving Walton behind.
Sutherlin. However, it did have the same small-town charm that was a deciding factor in filming.
By the time the crew realized they had abandoned him and returned to the scene to search, both he and the saucer were nowhere to be found, sparking a five-day search and aftermath that would leave extraterrestrial fanatics and skeptics alike fascinated for decades to come.
She and her nearby companion chuckled politely and replied, “Oh, all the time.”
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n September 2019, on a road trip through the Southwest, I decided to take a detour off the Interstate 40 East at Holbrook, Ariz. Half an hour of desert driving later, I passed through Snowflake without stopping. After another halfhour I was in Show Low at the foothills of National Forest (clearly, I had way too much time on my hands during this trip). Always fascinated by parts unknown, I spent a chunk of the afternoon exploring the nearest trail while debating with myself the prospect of navigating miles of forest service roads to Walton’s actual abduction site (or alleged abduction site, depending on how one views his story). I decided against it for the sake of time, but ultimately pointed my car back toward Snowflake, vowing to one day return to the site of the incident.
I stopped at a gift shop in town to get some souvenirs and learned the woman behind the counter had lived in the area for a long time. I bit my tongue until I couldn’t help myself anymore. “Do tourists ever come through here asking about Travis Walton?” I asked, deftly distancing myself from such tourists.
I told her I was from Oakland. She had seen the film and seemed genuinely amused that I had come to check out the area. She told me that the Heber gas station is enshrined in local lore, and further delighted me with stories of Walton himself having spoken at an event in Show Low a few years previously. Regardless of my own beliefs about what may be out there in the universe, I have always admired the tenacity Travis Walton has shown in standing by his story, despite the relentless criticism he has faced over the last 45 years. Whether you’re hoping to just escape to another galaxy for 90 minutes or just enjoy some scenes of our area on film, Fire in the Sky is an entertaining lesson in friendship and truth and bravery. It should be remembered fondly in local history for the close-up of Hollywood it gave our quiet little region for an exciting few weeks nearly 30 years ago.
Snowflake didn’t strike me as being particularly modern, nor did it strike me as being very similar in appearance to Oakland or
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Terrilu Guillen got a behind-the-scenesand sometimes under-the-table-look at the making of a Hollywood movie when the Fire in the Sky crew came to town. Story by Dick Baltus
While the recent addition of Fire in the Sky to the Amazon Prime movie library gives locals the opportunity to watch, or re-watch, the alien flick filmed in Oakland and surrounding areas, you can bet Patrick Guillen won’t be streaming it any time soon. It’s not that he has anything against the movie itself. It’s more, says Guillen’s wife, Terrilu, “I’m not very fun to watch it with.”
Photo by Robin Loznak
In the summer of 1992, Guillen (then Fuller) was a 24-year-old rental car manager for Parkway Ford (now Lithia) when she was asked to come to the film’s production office to talk about the crew’s vehicle needs. She left with an offer to double as Emelin, whom she resembled in size, coloring and “big bangs,” Guillen says. Her boss at Parkway gave her the time to pursue the “once-in-alifetime opportunity,” and suddenly Guillen was one of the film’s seven stand-ins, raking in minimum-wage pay in exchange for long days on set and the opportunity to hide under tables and mingle with Hollywood stars. Those included D.B. Sweeney, Robert Patrick, James Garner, Peter Berg and Henry Thomas, the kid from E.T. “I was dressed just like Georgia,” Guillen remembers. “If the script said Georgia had to run up and check something out, the crew would set up all the lighting, then I’d run up and be Georgia.” Guillen rattles off memories of the experience as if they occurred last summer. The stand-ins got to hang with the actors and eat the same food they were served. She became friends with Emelin and got to hang out with and talk to the other actors.
Actress Georgia Emelin (left) next to her stand-in Terrilu Guillen .
Hired as a stand-in for the film’s female lead, Georgia Emelin, Guillen got an up-close look at the making of a large Hollywood production. But it wasn’t always the kind of insight that enhanced the viewing experience, she says. “Every time I watch it with someone, I’m talking all the way through it,” she says. “I’m saying things like, ‘OK, in this scene I was hiding under that table because they started filming and I had to get out of the way.” 48
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Robert Patrick wanted to buy the truck being used in the film and asked Guillen to ask her boss for a discounted price. “I had to tell him that my boss said he was a movie star and could afford to pay full price,” she says. Guillen even came close to being in the film, standing in for Emelin in a car scene with Sweeney as the driver. “I had a huge crush on D.B.,” she says. “At one point on the set he walked over and said, ‘Hi, I’m D.B. Sweeney.’ I said, ‘Hi, I’m Terrilu. I rented you your car.’” Unfortunately for Guillen, the scene didn’t make the film’s final cut. You can bet that didn’t break her husband’s heart.
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Shining Brightly Through The Haze This summer’s Archie Creek fire burned thousands of acres and darkened the Umpqua Valley sky for days. But the giving spirit of local community members was a bright spot through it all. Story by Jim Hays Photos by Robin Loznak
Wildfire is something many of Douglas County’s rural residents have learned to live with, but this year’s season was especially devastating. In September, the Archie Creek fire consumed more than 130,000 acres of federal, state and private land northeast of Glide, shrouded the region in a smoky haze for days and wasn’t declared officially contained until late October. The fire destroyed or damaged an estimated 150 homes, displaced many residents and left many seeking temporary shelter and aid. Recovery will take years. But in a bleak time, the people of Douglas County stepped up to help their neighbors, friends and even complete strangers cope with lives jolted by the nearby inferno. Scores of individuals pitched in to help when the emergency began. Here are some of their stories.
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apt. Kristy Church represents the Salvation Army in Douglas County. When the fires struck, her organization went into action to assist evacuated individuals and families housed at three Roseburg hotels and the Douglas County Fairgrounds, where trailers and RVs provided temporary shelter.
With the assistance of Greater Douglas County United Way and Feeding Umpqua (formerly UCAN Food Bank), plus donations from other individuals, organizations and restaurants, Church and her team coordinated preparation and delivery of some 500 meals to evacuees daily at the peak of the emergency. “We prepared the meals at Salvation Army headquarters and packed them into containers, then volunteer drivers delivered them,” Church says. Hotels providing shelter in Roseburg included the Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn and Holiday Inn Express. “We could not do what we did without all of the help from the community,” Church says. She says her organization will provide support for as long as it’s needed. “It’s bad that we have to experience this sadness,” she says. “But all the people — even kids — who have come out and helped have made this an eye-opening experience. We are a small community, but we are mighty.”
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A
bbie Malek is a self-described “pushy mom” who lives near Dixonville, where she and her husband own several hundred acres.
Geography kept Malek and her family largely untouched by the fire, but others were not so fortunate. When help was needed, she jumped in. During the fire emergency, she was been a facilitator of contacts between local residents and public agencies for friends and strangers to help see that whatever aid was needed got to where it was needed.
“The situation just rolled from one thing to another to another,” she says. Malek is among those who helped create GlideStrong, a volunteer group aimed at helping people access what they need in the aftermath of the fires — whether it be food, clothing, shelter, disposing of fire debris on their property or myriad other needs. “Our donations have come from all over,” she says. “We’ve worked with local families, but we’ve also had help from Helping Hands, United Way and The Ford Family Foundation.” Malek, who was contacted in October on a day when she was trying to connect people in need of temporary shelter with camp trailers donated for the purpose, was also working with a sense of urgency. While she and others were grateful for the rainfall that tamped down the fire and made it easier to contain, she knows the weather change cuts the other way, too. “After evacuation alerts were lifted, you could return home – if you had a home to return to,” she says. “But with the weather turning, people are running out of time to rebuild.”
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lison Doty is president of Glide Revitalization, an all-volunteer nonprofit created in 2014 to help stimulate economic development and beautification. In the wake of the fires and evacuations, Doty became a key coordinator of the community’s recovery effort. Using the old Glide Middle School as a headquarters of sorts, Doty and a network of volunteers converted the school’s gymnasium to a clearinghouse providing clothing, shelter and food, plus assistance with
other services — such as helping people replace vital records lost in the fire. “When I got involved, we were collecting names of people who had lost their homes,” Doty says. “We wanted to reach out to them and find out what their needs were.” Doty and other volunteers learned many people were without shelter, power, water, septic, food, clothing and household items. To help their neighbors, the group assembled tents, sleeping bags, soap, clothing, towels, sheets, groceries and other items. The school became the hub for both donations and distribution.
has about 35 active members — helped assemble information about individual residences in the fire area. Using online records, plus databases from the county sheriff ’s and assessor’s offices, the group compiled a list of local property owners. Then they hit the phones, trying to contact each resident to ask what help they needed, if animals needed to be moved, what hazardous waste the fire had created and more. Sudden demand can produce shortages, but Doty says the generosity of people, both local and outside the area, was significant.
Through word of mouth and networking, Doty and others made people aware of both the need for materials and where evacuees could find help. But they didn’t stop there.
“Most of the donations came from individuals,” she says. “But we got help from other entities. Columbia County Fairgrounds in St. Helens sent a truckload of items and United Way in Salem sent us things from their warehouse.”
Doty and volunteers — Glide Revitalization
Evacuees’ priorities included drinking water, bedding, towels and soap. Glide Revitalization also coordinated efforts with GlideStrong, an informal group of friends and neighbors formed to help the relief effort.
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hristina Hill and her husband, Aaron, opened the 138 Grill a year ago on the North Umpqua Highway at the east end of Glide.
At the time, they certainly didn’t anticipate their restaurant becoming the staging area for an effort to collect and distribute clothing, food and other supplies to evacuees while also feeding firefighters, first-responders and people displaced by the Archie Creek fire. But the Hills embraced the opportunity to help their neighbors and, at the emergency’s peak, were serving as many as 1,200 free meals daily. And it started almost by happenstance. “We evacuated the first night of the fire, then came back to check on the restaurant,” says Christina. “I happened to see a lady sitting on the
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opposite side of the road and I just went over and asked her if she would like a meal. “Then some friends who work search-and-rescue came in and we fed them. After the first couple of days, we started preparing for a mass amount of people.” That meant bringing in more supplies. Hill cleaned out her coolers and storerooms. She also got help from her regular food supplier and Pacific Power. Their donations kept the grill going when the need was greatest. Help came from closer to home, too. When word got out about the Hills’ efforts, volunteers began showing up to assist them and their 10 employees, which include two of the couple’s five children. “People in Glide have been awesome,” Christina says. “They brought sisters, brothers, friends. They were helping wipe tables and cleaning bathrooms and doing whatever they could to help out. Even before I knew I needed something, there it was.”
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arla Clark owns and operates Strawberry Mountain Mustang Rescue, a nonprofit all-breed rescue and rehabilitation facility on 110 acres near Dixonville. She is also an animal-control volunteer for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department who, during the Archie Creek fire, helped locate and evacuate more than 600 head of livestock from threatened areas — then returned them when the danger had passed. Goats were the most frequent evacuees, followed by cattle, horses, sheep, swine, rabbits, llamas and alpacas. As a large-animal rescue operation working with the sheriff’s office, Strawberry Mountain is used as a destination for many farm animals in emergency situations. The fire kept a parade of trucks and trailers streaming to Strawberry Mountain as
well as to the Douglas County Fairgrounds and Saving Grace Pet Adoption Center for temporary shelter. “The great thing about this local livestock community is that they all know each other and know each other's stock,” Clark says. “There was a sense of urgency with these fires, but there was no panic, no drama. People just saw the need, and we knuckled down and got it done.” Strawberry Mountain took in seven horses, and Clark’s corps of volunteers gave temporary shelter to many more. “You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in our community who did not take in some sort of fire refugee, be it human or animal,” Clark says.
arrival, the approaching Archie Creek fire — which came within five miles of their ranch — caused a Level 2 evacuation alert. The Clarks dispersed additional animals to safer shelter. Strawberry Mountain had laid in more than 60 tons of local hay during the summer, which came in handy with extra equine mouths to feed. Additional feed shipments that came from Coquille and Sunriver were passed on to other volunteers. As the situation eased, animals were returned to their owners — some within days, most within two weeks.
She and her husband got a brief scare when, within 12 hours of their evacuated horses’
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DAVID TERRY FOR THE DEFENSE Over the course of 40 years and nearly 1,300 jury trials (all but a handful of them wins), David Terry has committed his career to ensuring justice is served fairly to individuals accused of crimes. Story by Dick Baltus Photos by Thomas Boyd
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T
he vanity plates weren’t his idea; David Terry was not a vanity plate kind of guy.
They weren’t even his, originally. They belonged to a colleague who had decided to auction them off at an attorneys’ conference Terry was attending. At the time, he was several years into his career as a Roseburg criminal defense attorney and riding a hot streak during which he had won all but a couple cases. His success had caught the attention of his attorney friends, who were now pressuring Terry to bid on the plates that read NT GLTY. He wouldn’t, so they did, and that bold statement, which took on added meaning later in his life, has graced Terry’s gray Toyota Tundra ever since. “Initially, I was uneasy about having them,” Terry says. “But once the Feds tried to take me down, I have carried them with pride.” There are worse things to be known as than the NT GLTY defense attorney, and for a few years Terry was known as one or two of them by a few individuals sporting federal badges and armed with ill intent. But with those “dark days” behind him, he now sounds mostly content and totally grateful for a rewarding career and the nearly 1,300 opportunities he’s had to convince juries to ensure justice was served fairly for his clients.
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erry was born in Denver to a journalist mother, Dorothy Jean, and clinical psychologist father, Jim. His family relocated to Roseburg in 1954 after Jim landed his first job at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. It was there he learned to hate clinical psychology and to love Roseburg. By 1955, the Terrys had relocated to California’s San Fernando Valley, but their hearts never left the Umpqua Valley.
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“We took one family vacation a year,” Terry recalls, “and for years my parents, two sisters and I would make the nine-hour drive to Steamboat Inn, where we’d always take Cabin 6.” While his father was attracted by the fly fishing and opportunity to reconnect with the Steamboat Inn’s owners – Frank and Jeanne Moore, whom he had befriended while living in Roseburg – Terry was captivated by the adventures of youth. “That’s where I drove a car for the first time, Frank’s ’47 Jeep Willys,” Terry says. “That’s where I shot a gun and kissed a girl for the first time. All my firsts happened at Steamboat.” In 1968, Terry’s parents purchased property along the North Umpqua, where it bends away from then back to Highway 138, and built a house where the family moved after Terry completed his senior year of high school.
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im Terry wanted his son to go to Harvard or, if not there, another private school in the East. It would not be there. Terry remembers mailing his application to Harvard on a Sunday and receiving a rejection letter only three days later. “It’s like they knew it was coming and were ready,” he quips. Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Ct., was more welcoming. Terry chose the school, in part, for the opportunity to play football. He would join a team that included a fellow freshman named Bill Belichick, now coach of the New England Patriots.
Terry’s plan was to become a veterinarian, following in the footsteps of two uncles. But standing in his way were two major barriers called math and chemistry. One day after sophomore chemistry class, Terry’s teacher approached with a question. In his retelling of the story, Terry adopts a gentle Southern drawl to play Miss Ruth Tyson’s role. “She said, ‘David I know you’ve got your heart set on being a veterinarian, but I’m not sure you understand that course is going to require a lot of science and a lot of math. Have you ever thought about doing something else?’” Terry replied, “Well, when my mom and I used to argue, she’d get annoyed and tell me, You know David, you’d make a damn good lawyer.” “David,” Miss Tyson responded, “I believe you would.” “With literally no more thought than that,” Terry says, “I made the decision to be a lawyer.”
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erry was trying cases in Douglas County even before he had earned his law degree. After college, he moved back to the family home on the North Umpqua and took a job pulling green chain at Sun Studs while waiting to hear from the several law schools to which he had applied. He finally learned he had been accepted to Willamette University the day before he was supposed to be on campus. After completing his second year, in 1977, he was eligible to try
Terry remembers mailing his application to Harvard on a Sunday and receiving a rejection letter only three days later. “It’s like they knew it was coming and were ready,” he quips.
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cases under the supervision of another lawyer, and Terry found his accomplice in Bill Laswell, then Douglas County’s district attorney. On the afternoon of his first day as an intern, he was trying his first case, guided less by his studies than his intimate familiarity with the courtroom tactics of a popular TV attorney. “A group of us students watched Perry Mason all the time,” he says. “So I knew that, as the prosecuting attorney, I had to go first. And when I was done presenting my case, I knew I was supposed to say, ‘No further questions, your honor.’ I was pretty proud of myself.” Terry took on 54 jury trials that summer, losing only two. By the time he’d graduated from Willamette and passed the bar exam (on his second try), Terry already had developed something of a golden boy reputation. It was enough to land him a position in the Union County DA’s office in LaGrande in the summer of 1979. He wouldn’t make it to fall. Early on, Terry landed a case in which two detectives had arrested a man after a search of his car turned up four pounds of cocaine. In their report, the detectives claimed the man had given consent to search. After they revealed to Terry on the day of the trial they had lied, he moved to dismiss the case — to the dismay of the judge — on the grounds they had violated the defendant’s rights, citing not only the law but also his ethical obligation. Terry’s boss tried to fire him as soon as he returned to the DA’s office, but he was too late. “I told him I’d already quit as I was walking across the street,” Terry remembers. He drove back to Roseburg, opened his private practice the next day, Aug. 5, 1979, and restarted his career – this time committed to defending the accused.
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erry’s career took off quickly. “I was winning, and I thought my life was set,” he says.
Little did he know, however, how little he knew about his profession. Terry remains forever grateful for the two friends who called that to
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his attention, retired attorneys, Jim Arneson and Tom Bernier. “I met Tom and Jim about a year and a half into my practice. They were two unbelievably gifted and instinctive defense lawyers who basically did an intervention on me one Friday over burgers and drinks,” Terry says. While praising Terry for his unique talent for communicating with juries, Arneson and Bernier also called him out for relying too much on his natural gifts. “They said, ‘You don’t understand the work you need to put in to truly advocate for a person accused of a crime,’” Terry remembers. “I went from thinking I knew everything to realizing I knew nothing. Those two instilled in me what it meant to truly carry the water for the unfortunate folks who end up on the wrong side of a criminal prosecution.” Years later, Bernier has high praise for his friend and former colleague. “David’s a good talker, but he’s also got a very big heart,” he says. “He not only gives his clients emotional support through a case, but often times they are still calling him years later asking for his advice. There are lot of people walking around now who owe a huge debt of gratitude to David.” Count among them the owner of First Strike Environmental Co. and the families of eight firefighters killed in a head-on collision in Malheur County in August 2003. The company was indicted on 11 counts of reckless endangerment after initial blood tests showed alcohol levels in the firefighters well above the legal limit. Terry all but moved his office into the company’s Roseburg headquarters and immersed himself in the case. His research turned up the results of a study of burn victims that showed fire had caused the sugar in their blood to ferment, producing blood alcohol levels that were wildly divergent and changed over time. Terry successfully moved to have the First Strike firefighters’ blood retested and, when the results came back significantly different from the original levels, got the case dismissed.
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n his nearly 30 years in practice, Richard Wesenberg has had a front-row seat for many of Terry’s legendary courtroom performances. “David is a masterful trial lawyer, brilliant with juries,” says Wesenberg, now Douglas County’s district attorney. “It’s always a fascinating lesson to watch him at work.” According to Wesenberg, in the courtroom “the only people David is talking to are the 12 individuals who comprise his jury. They are the only ones who matter to him because they decide his client’s fate.” Wesenberg gives Terry credit for not shying away from the most serious or complex cases, which was never more apparent than when he agreed to represent an accused arsonist named Tammy Meredith. In 1998, Meredith was working as a fire protection officer for Tiller Ranger District when she was arrested on charges of starting a series of fires throughout the region. “She was indicted on 34 counts of first-degree arson, but they only had evidence that she started two of them, and those were small fires that would have just gotten her probation,” Terry recalls. Using evidence from 104 hours’ worth of dispatch tapes and 65 witnesses called over the course of a seven-week trial, Terry received a judgment for his client that was even less punitive than the plea bargain he had proposed — and the district attorney had scoffed at. “She may have set all of those fires, but I knew the government couldn’t prove it. So I offered a reasonable plea bargain, but it was rejected,” Terry says. “I have represented plenty of people who were wrongfully accused but were the victims of an instantaneous conclusion that someone had drawn. Therefore, they felt they had to tailor their investigation to ratify their unfounded, unobjective belief that this person is guilty. But you’ve gotta do it by the book. People have to do their jobs.”
David Terry under the canopy of “The Courthouse Elm,” where he often awaits a jury verdict.
“He didn’t have a prayer of winning that one,” says Joan Seitz, the retired Douglas County judge who presided over the Meredith trial. “It
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“Being a trial lawyer is an art form, really, and David is quite gifted at reading people and in telling stories. He does it artfully, carefully and theatrically.” —Retired Judge Joan Seitz
was a very complex case, but he did a masterful job of creating reasonable doubt. Being a trial lawyer is an art form, really, and David is quite gifted at reading people and in telling stories. He does it artfully, carefully and theatrically.”
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arger than life is a phrase often ascribed to Terry, and his association with a like-minded client more than a decade ago almost cut him down to size. Terry was representing, and sometimes socializing with, a local named Kent Jones who would wind up arrested (and ultimately convicted) on charges of leading a massive international drug ring. Terry’s association with Jones earned him the suspicions of federal prosecutors and the epithet “Attorney A” in court documents and media reports, including a banner headline in
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The News Review that read “Local Attorney Eyed in Federal Drug Probe.” Despite not having a trace of evidence, the federal probe went on for years and cost Terry $75,000 in attorney fees and untold emotional hardship. “Imagine what that does to your life,” he says. “I was married, had kids in school. It was a nightmare. Ultimately, the matter just went away, but it certainly taught me some modesty.” Which is not to say David Terry doesn’t still have a little vanity. But now it’s attached to the bumper of his truck, reminding him daily of all the times he’s won for people with so much to lose and the time he escaped that fate himself.
Never Say Never NEVER SAY NEVER / IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT / UNCOMMON EXPERTISE
Surgery was the last specialty Dr. Jenni Nix had in mind during medical school. Now she can’t imagine practicing anything else. Story by Dick Baltus Photo by Thomas Boyd
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t was during her third year of medical school when Dr. Jenni Nix experienced the “little existential crisis” that changed the course of her career. Fortunately for Roseburg residents requiring future surgeries for a range of conditions, that moment came and went quickly. Roseburg’s newest surgeon says she had wanted to be a physician since she was a child growing up in Culdesac, Idaho, a tiny town of 300 near Lewiston. But after graduating from the University of Idaho with a degree in chemistry, Dr. Nix’s career path started in a different direction.
Health
She headed for Austin, Texas, and a job as a chemist with a large corporation in the pollution control technology and waste product management industry. It was an interesting job, Dr. Nix says, “but about a year into it, I realized I didn’t want to do it for the rest of my life.”
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A year and a half later, she entered medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans. While earning her medical degree and master’s in public health and tropical medicine, Dr. Nix served a series of clinical rotations in several specialty areas. “I had been thinking I would be a family physician or internist, but during my medicine rotation I realized it was not for me,” she says. “I had decided to save the surgical rotation for last because I was convinced I’d hate it. I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to be a surgeon.” It wouldn’t be long before Dr. Nix learned the answer. “Surgery’s where I found my people,” she says. That’s also where she found something of an identity crisis. “I had always thought this was something I really didn’t want to do and suddenly I really wanted to do it.
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I’m kind of a control freak, and I couldn’t figure that out,” she says, laughing. “Finally, I called a mentor and he talked me down.” Dr. Nix was drawn to surgery for the opportunity it gave her to be the ultimate patient care problem solver. “As a surgeon, when patients come to you with a problem, you can fix it. You don’t have to call someone else,” she says. After medical school, Dr. Nix completed a five-year residency-training program in general surgery at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. She and her husband, Steven, wanted to head west to be closer to their families. He’s from southern Idaho and her parents had moved to Dallas, Ore., while she was in college. She also has siblings in Monmouth. Through a colleague, Dr. Nix heard about an opening at Centennial Surgery, where Dr. Mark Donovan, who had also trained in Santa Barbara, was practicing. “Steven and I saw this as a chance to get back to the forests and a beautiful river and to a small town,” she says. Dr. Nix has been seeing patients since August, providing general surgical services with a special interest in breast cancer surgery, hernia repairs and management of thyroid and parathyroid disease. She’s a firm believer in a whole-person approach to health. “Patient education is very important to me,” she says. “If your nutrition is poor, if you’re not active, if you have mental distress in your life, those all affect your ability to get well.” Dr. Nix says she’s looking forward to rediscovering all the pastimes she used to enjoy before her intensive training schedule required her to set them aside. Those include baking, hiking, exploring the region’s wineries and breweries and, at some point, starting to hunt again.
invitation to visit the area and discuss a practice opportunity with Umpqua Valley Eye Associates. Given their desire to find a new practice site that checks all of their professional and lifestyle boxes, many physicians will accept similar invitations from several communities until they find the right fit. But for Dr. Willoughby and his wife, Sally, Roseburg fit like a glove. “Over the phone, Dr. Seeley told me this was a beautiful community, that the medical community was great and that he loved having a career here,” he says. “That was enough to convince us to visit.” When the Willoughbys arrived, the outdoors lovers were treated to a tour of the community and a guided — and highly successful — shad-fishing trip. “Afterwards, Sally and I talked and determined right then this was the exact kind of setting we wanted,” Dr. Willoughby says. He canceled all his other scheduled job interviews, signed a contract on the spot and was seeing patients Aug. 3. In between, the Willoughbys and their beagle, Boone, spent five weeks on a road trip to national parks throughout the Northwest in a van he had converted to a camper during his residency. Dr. Willoughby didn’t need any time to get acclimated to smalltown living. He grew up in Hettinger, N.D., whose population hovered around 1,000. “I went to a school where kindergarten through high school classes were all in a single building,” he says.
It was Love at First Sight New Roseburg eye specialist, Dr. Alex Willoughby, knew a good thing when he saw it, committing to practice here on his first visit. Story by Dick Baltus Photo by Thomas Boyd
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r. Alex Willoughby’s decision to move to Roseburg last summer to establish his first eye-care practice is testament to the value of the first impression.
Nearing the end of his residency training at University of California, Davis, Dr. Willoughby received a call from Roseburg ophthalmologist Dr. Brad Seeley with an
With an internist father and pediatrician mother, Dr. Willoughby spent much of his youth around the local hospital. A career in medicine wasn’t necessarily a given, but the influence was undeniable. He left town to attend the University of Montana, then medical school at Duke University in North Carolina before heading back west to complete his specialty training at UC Davis. “I chose ophthalmology because it’s a specialty in which you can perform a really short procedure and change a patient’s quality of life forever,” Dr. Willoughby says. “For example, I can do a cataract surgery in 10 minutes that helps a person for the rest of their life.” In his practice, Dr. Willoughby provides comprehensive general ophthalmology care, including preventive care, such as routine annual and diabetic exams, and medical and surgical treatment for conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma. He brings to the community specialized training in microinvasive glaucoma surgeries (called MIGS), which are performed to help patients with mild to moderate glaucoma slow the disease’s progression and decrease their use of medicated drops to relieve eye pressure. When not in his practice, Dr. Willoughby and Sally plan to spend as much time as possible in Roseburg’s great outdoors.
Appointments with Dr. Alex Willoughby can be made by calling 541.672.8288.
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treat a range of conditions, including end-stage kidney disease, heart disease, cancer and PAD (peripheral artery disease). After caring for patients in the Eugene area for nearly 30 years, Dr. McGlade is now bringing his special expertise to patients in the Umpqua Valley to expand the already considerable capabilities of the Shaw Heart team. “We’re providing care and performing some techniques at Shaw Heart that aren’t even available in Eugene,” Dr. McGlade says. Among those benefiting from his presence will be patients on dialysis. That’s because of a new procedure that represents a vast improvement in care and is available nowhere else in Oregon and at only one other site on the West Coast. Dr. McGlade calls the new advancement “the first significant breakthrough in dialysis care in decades.” Called the “Ellipsys Vascular Access System,” it’s an improved method of creating what is known as a percutaneous arteriovenous fistula (pAVF) for patients needing dialysis, Dr. McGlade explains.
Uncommon Expertise After practicing in Eugene for 30 years, Dr. Charles McGlade is now providing a range of minimally invasive procedures to Roseburg-area patients. Those include an exciting new advancement for dialysis patients that’s not available anywhere else in Oregon. Story by Dick Baltus
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he newest member of the Mercy Shaw Heart and Vascular Center medical staff offers a unique set of skills and state-of-the-art techniques that promise to help improve the quality of life for many local patients on dialysis, with arterial diseases and many other conditions.
Dr. Charles McGlade is a specialist in interventional radiology, a a specialty that uses minimally invasive surgical techniques to
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“Hemodialysis requires access to the patient’s bloodstream, which is often created by establishing a permanent connection between an artery and a vein in the arm known as a fistula,” Dr. McGlade says. “Traditionally, fistulas are created during an open surgical procedure by suturing an artery and vein together. This new system instead uses a small needle puncture, instead of surgery, and a catheter to accomplish the same connection.” Dr. McGlade says the new procedure is quicker to perform than the traditional method, far less invasive, more cost-effective and results in greater patient comfort and better cosmetic outcomes. “I think this will be a great asset that will significantly improve the quality of life for patients needing dialysis,” he says. Dr. McGlade’s expertise in interventional radiology expands Shaw Heart’s capabilities in other areas as well. This includes a new procedure that uses shock waves to clear heavily calcified blood vessels similar to the way another procedure called lithotripsy has been used for many years to break up kidney stones. The specialist’s expertise in this area is such that he was recently asked to lead a videoconference explaining the procedure to colleagues around the country. Dr. McGlade’s use of interventional techniques provide often dramatic results for patients who might otherwise require surgery or, in the instance of patients with peripheral artery disease, even amputation. “I’m very excited about the potential of these and other procedures we are performing to improve the quality of life for many people in this region and beyond,” Dr. McGlade says. “Any time we can save a patient from having to leave the community for care it’s of great benefit to them and their families.”
® procedure offersdialysis sooner. works. way to Here’s accesshow theiritbloodstream for ys stick - no incisions, an easier procedure replaces surgery with a needle stick - no incisions, nnary begin their life-saving ecovery. Quicker recovery means patients can begin their life-saving Directed by ultrasound, a doctor inserts a Directed by ultrasound, a doctor inserts a ow it works. small needle into the vein and advances
1
, a doctor inserts a ein and advances , then inserts a lipsys catheter
ery, and a
2
small needle into the vein and advances it to an adjacent artery, then inserts a wire to introduce the Ellipsys ELLIPSYS catheter and guide it into place.
Once it’s inside the artery, the catheter is closed and activated. This creates a permanent connection between the vein and artery.
1
1
it to an adjacent artery, then inserts a wire to introduce the Ellipsys catheter VASCULAR ACCESS and guide it into place.
Directed by ultrasound, a doctor inserts a small needle into the vein andOnce advances it to anthe artery, it’s inside adjacent artery, then inserts a wire to is introduce the catheter closed and the Ellipsys catheter and guide it into place. activated. This creates a permanent connection between the vein and artery.
2
rtery.
2
Once it’s inside the artery, the catheter is closed and activated. This creates a permanent connection between the vein and artery.
3
The catheter is removed and blood begins to flow through the newly created “super vein” (also known as a fistula). No sutures or implant required.
3 3
4
The catheter is removed and blood begins to flow through the newly created “superleaves vein”with just a Band-Aid The patient (also known as a fistula). No and can return to normal activities the next day. sutures or implant required.
4
The patient leaves with just a band aid and can return to normal activities the next day.
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4
The catheter is removed and blood begins to flow through the newly created “super vein” (also known as a fistula). No sutures or implant required.
The patient leaves with just a band aid and can return to NO. 10 & COUNTING normal activities the next day.
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Million Dollar Club Douglas County PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
Patrice Glasscock
Walt Gayner Real Estate 541-817-5536
Kayla Wehe
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-580-2376
With A Proven REALTOR®!
SECRETARY
Kerry Jo Edwards
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-430-5000
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Jonna Wagner
Cutting Edge Real Estate 541-530-3184
Courtney Alford Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-232-2243
Patti Archambault RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-784-8340
Gail Azpeitia G. Stiles Realty 541-430-8474
Julie Bancroft CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-680-1484
Tim Bare G. Stiles Realty 541-391-3372
Anthony Beckham Harris Realty 541-236-2662
Beverly Beier G. Stiles Realty 541-430-2556
Tammy Blanck Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-643-3164
Carol Block Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-643-8852
Jeff Boyter CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-430-2062
Jodi Brecht Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-670-2616
Sherri Brown CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-580-3385
Shirley Byrd-Solem CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-430-9795
Lisa Carter RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-670-9272
D’Ann Caylor RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-363-7653
Mike Chartier Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-643-5678
Louise Connolly CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-784-8180
Ken Cooper CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-643-0345
Patricia Cooper CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-580-1352
Micah Davis RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-430-1258
Jassamyn Denney RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-671-7560
Chris Drake Home Quest Realty 541-580-5688
Kerry Jo Edwards Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-430-5000
Bertha Egbert Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-784-8808
Tammi Ellison eXp Realty 541-680-2030
Christina Esterbrook Trueblood Real Estate 541-643-2549
Virginia Everard Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-707-7706
Cliff Farley Mossy Oak Properties Oregon Field and Stream 541-670-7723
Diana Fletcher CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-784-8088
Kathy Flowers RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-531-0225
Kelly Forney Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley, Mast-Forney RE Group 541-580-7056
Kristin Fregoso Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-643-2331
Walt Gayner Walt Gayner Real Estate 541-580-7100
Mary Gilbert Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-371-5500
Patrice Glasscock Walt Gayner Real Estate 541-817-5536
Randy Grimes CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-430-2350
Tom Gulan RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-530-1687
Paul Haddock Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-430-4806
Joseph Hajos Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-430-7072
Marvin (Marv) Hash Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-430-7757
Victoria Hawks Hawks & Co., Realtors 541-673-6499
Lindsey Heard CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-430-4825
Bev Heyer Safari Properties Investments, LLC 541-637-9400
Ben Horlings RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-680-2552
Diana Horlings RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-580-1880
Neil Hummel CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-673-4417
Linda Jacobson RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-680-0459
David Jaques Alpine Real Estate 1, LLC 541-580-8085
Bonnie Jenkins G. Stiles Realty 541-430-0139
Gregory Johnson G. Stiles Realty 541-672-1616
Janet Johnston Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-430-2885
Marilyn Kittelman Cutting Edge Real Estate 541-580-8988
Jennifer Kramer Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-580-6767
Nancy Kruger Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-643-8111
Denny Kruse G. Stiles Realty 541-580-2616
Bob Lamonte Bob Lamonte Group at Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-670-3365
Visit our Website for links to the best in the business! 62
Experience Success
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www.douglascountymilliondollarclub.org
In this section:
NEVER SAY NEVER / LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT / UNCOMMON EXPERTISE
Todd Lindbloom RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-784-7374
Carol Lindner eXp Realty 541-680-0200
Elena Mackey eXp Realty 541-900-0789
Muriel Madden CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-430-2748
Cindy Mahaffy CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-733-8833
Jason Mann J Mann Realty 541-733-0121
Judy Markovich RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-580-1205
John Marsh G. Stiles Realty 541-378-5770
Angie Martinsen-Hunt G. Stiles Realty 541-430-8012
Nataly Mattox RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-580-2051
Emily McCurry Harcourts Integrity Team Real Estate Services, LLC 541-673-3334
Diane L. McKillop Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-580-6516
Jeanne Meador Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-430-5180
Cynthia Mills Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-670-1344
Patti Moffitt CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-530-8007
Najla Morgan Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-391-2028
Tami Morin CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-784-6311
Lou Ann Osborn Trueblood Real Estate 541-863-5777
Karissa Pangelina Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-378-8694
John Parker Currico Real Estate Inc. 541-430-4102
Destiny Polamalu Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-480-7164
Rick Richtik CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-530-3241
Christina Ronk Harcourts Integrity Team Real Estate Services, LLC 541-643-7203
John Salvadori RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-671-8442
Brad Schaffer Mossy Oak Properties Oregon Field and Stream 541-733-9727
Troy Schuyler Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-643-1131
Benjamyn Seamans RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-530-4109
Catherine Shipley Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-643-5650
Chelsie Siemens RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-530-0440
Angel Lu Smith Trueblood Real Estate 541-680-4553
Joan M. Smith G. Stiles Realty 541-643-6332
Shannon Smith Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-680-7533
Tim Smith RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-673-3272
Roger Snyder Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-430-1156
Andy Stoner Roseburg Homes Realty 541-580-2582
Janet Stringfellow RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-643-4037
Benjamin Tatone Roseburg Homes Realty 541-580-2211
Carol Thompson RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-580-1531
Linda Tipton RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-670-8344
Mark & Kelley Townsend Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 541-430-6857 541-580-2274
Dawn Trapalis RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-580-0411
Velda Traylor CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-430-6306
Amy VanCleave Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-643-4214
Emily Volk Karen Volk Realty 541-580-8549
Karen Volk Karen Volk Realty 541-637-6363
Deidre Waddell Keller Williams Realty Umpqua Valley 510-712-0870
Bernis Wagner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-643-3906
Jonna Wagner Cutting Edge Real Estate 541-530-3184
Kayla Wehe Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-580-2376
Spencer Wertz eXp Realty 541-900-0778
Lisa Wescott Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals 541-802-6161
Carol Williams CENTURY 21 The Neil Company Real Estate 541-580-1591
Lacey Williams Trueblood Real Estate 541-863-0208
Nancy Wood RE/MAX Professional Realty 541-430-3442
Dani Wright Trueblood Real Estate 541-315-5092
Thank You to our wonderful affiliates for their support! Remember them when you are making referrals: American Home Lending • AmeriTitle • Coast Range Carpet Cleaning/Two Sisters Cleaning • Craig Ferber Appraisal First American Title Company • Gearhart Mortgage • Good News Home Inspections • Re/Max Professional Realty Riverhawk Appraisal • Superior Northwest Home Inspections • Wells Fargo Home Mortgage • Western Title The Million Dollar Club of Douglas County was created and established in 1985 under the sponsorship of the Douglas County Association of Realtors. Each member closed a minimum of One Million Dollars in 2019 with most far exceeding the original standard set for membership. We are committed to the REALTOR® values of honesty, fairness and professionalism and we are dedicated to promoting, preserving and protecting Home Ownership Rights for all! Contact a Million Dollar Club Member or Affiliate and work with the best of the best!
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www.douglascountymilliondollarclub.org NO. 10 & COUNTING
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QUIETLY BOOMING / THE SPICE OF LIFE / IT’S A JUNGLE IN THERE / FIGHT BACK AGAINST CYBER ATTACKS 64
Quietly Booming It may be one of Roseburg’s quietest companies, but Con-Vey is also one of the region’s biggest business successes. Story by Nate Hansen Photos by Robin Loznak
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here is no shortage of successful companies with familiar names in the Umpqua Valley, but one of the area’s most innovative businesses may also be one of its least recognized.
Con-Vey has been engineering massive mechanical projects for the industrial sector since 1946 but, according to CEO Dave Larecy, “We’re the best-kept secret in Douglas County.”
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Founded as Keystone Machine Works, Con-Vey originally served Roseburg’s booming timber industry of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, providing machinery and repairs to local mills. In recent decades, the company has shifted to a more global approach and now sells and services industrial equipment in 17 different countries. The company also offers mechanical repairs and servicing to local clients in diverse industries, from Wildlife Safari to Umpqua Dairy Products. Like many Con-Vey employees, Larecy grew up in Roseburg. He had a summer job at Con-Vey in his youth before heading off to Southern Oregon University. After graduating, he entered the mechanical manufacturing industry and later served as first mate on a sailboat in the Caribbean Sea. Following his maritime adventure and a brief stop in Portland, Larecy and his family made their way back to his hometown. The move was partially inspired by the opportunity to go back to work for Con-Vey. In August, Larecy celebrated his 25th year with the company. Con-Vey not only employs numerous Roseburg natives, many of them represent the second or third generations of their families to work for the company. “Many of our employees grew up in Roseburg, went away to college for a few years, and came back to start their families,” Larecy says.
Con-Vey’s commitment to innovation has facilitated its expansion into material handling and robotics for other building products. Many of Con-Vey’s employees are Roseburg natives. Con Vey CEO Dave Larecy celebrated his 25th year with the company last summer.
A handful of Con-Vey team members got their start in the industry courtesy of the company’s support of STEM education (an approach to learning that integrates science, technology, engineering and math with real-world experiences), which includes sponsoring local robotics teams, welding and shop classes and apprenticeship programs at Umpqua Community College and several Douglas County high schools. Con-Vey’s commitment to innovation has facilitated its expansion into material handling and robotics for other building products, automation technology, bulk and biomass handling, environmental projects and agricultural processing. As a global company, Con-Vey has faced myriad challenges serving clients through the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales and tech staff typically spend long stretches of time in cities around the world, overseeing machine set-up and maintenance. The inability to travel forced the company to adapt its business model dramatically.
if not weeks, facilitating similar start-ups, they successfully managed this one entirely via remote access to the customer’s controls network and onsite camera footage. The Con-Vey sales team has also had to pivot how they do business, though Larecy says he noticed many clients starting to anticipate a return to whatever semblance of normal is possible. “When things slowed down last spring, a large backlog of client orders built up,” he says. “Now we’re getting ready for a crazy 2021.” While the current environment makes it impossible to predict what next year will bring, Larecy is confident his team has the experience, flexibility and mindset to handle whatever comes their way. “We’re cool nerds,” he says. “We’ll plan for what we can, and be ready to adjust as we need to.”
In September, Con-Vey team members oversaw the virtual startup of an automated wood processing line in Alberta, Canada. While the company’s installation team typically spends days, NO. 10 & COUNTING
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The Spice Of Life After a heart attack, Curt Crook turns to salsa-making and finds peace and passion in equal measure. Story by Don Gilman Photos by Thomas Boyd
“I dropped over ‘dead’ of a heart attack,” he says. Crook woke up in a Eugene hospital bed, where he would remain for three days. Overweight and recovering from surgery to insert a stent to keep open a clogged artery, Crook knew he needed to make a change. To that end, he turned to a hobby he began pursuing 23 years earlier as pastor of the Open Door Christian Fellowship — salsamaking. Over the next five years, Crook would focus enough attention on his avocation to turn it into the successful vocation that is now Papa Curt’s Salsa.
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urt Crook’s life changed in July 2015, courtesy of an event that colored his outlook forever.
A day before departing on what was to be a seven-day motorcycle road trip, Crook and a friend set out from Roseburg to get their tires changed at a Eugene shop. By the time they reached Sutherlin, Crook had to stop when he was overcome by nausea. Once back on the freeway, he had to stop again at the next exit to Oakland.
Finally arriving at the Eugene shop, Crook requested some water. When he stood to get it, he collapsed.
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In the early days, Crook would make his salsa 10 gallons at a time, enough to feed 300 people at Super Bowl and Civil War parties. He credits one of his parishioners, Shaun Konopaski, with providing the motivation to see if he could find a larger audience for his product. “We were sitting around the Crooks’ dinner table and Curt had made some of the salsa,” remembers Konopaski, who later would design the logo for Crook’s business venture. “I jokingly said ‘You should start a salsa business; this is amazing.’” Crook got more encouragement after he started attending another church and served his salsa at another Super Bowl party to another unofficial focus group.
In this section:
QUIETLY BOOMING / THE SPICE OF LIFE / IT’S A JUNGLE IN THERE / FIGHT BACK AGAINST CYBER ATTACKS
When Curt Crook isn’t making salsa chances are he’s delivering it to one of many retail outlets.
Papa Curt’s is now producing about 1,200 pints (150 gallons) of salsa each week and going through about 3,000 pounds of tomatoes a month.
“When we started, we thought three to four hundred pounds of salsa was a big deal,” Crook says. Roger Frank, Crook’s friend and property manager for Kunert Electric, has watched Papa Curt’s grow from a micro-business into one poised to take off. “He kind of got a glimmer of hope a few years ago and just grew from there,” Frank says. “He has just been growing like crazy ever since.” Already sold in Sherm’s Thunderbird, Nickabob’s, Backside Brewery, Southgate Market in Roseburg as well as outlets in Glendale, Grants Pass and Medford, Crook also has been in discussions with Costco and Walmart. A fifth-generation Roseburg native, Crook says spending summers working with his grandfather was a powerful influence.
“They said, ‘Man, you ought to sell this stuff,’” he says. Crook got the message. Before long he was taking his salsa to Two Shy Brewery, where he would give it with chips to customers willing to fill out a response card asking, “If you could change two things about this salsa, what would you change and why?” Over the course of three weeks, he collected 750 responses, using the information to refine his product. A second survey, asking respondents how often they would buy the salsa if it were available in retail outlets, gave Crook enough confidence to push forward and in 2017 Papa Curt’s Salsa was in business. Crook uses all-natural ingredients with no added sugar, a recipe he says makes Papa Curt’s unique among many other brands. “Most companies use vinegar, xanthan gum and five different preservatives,” he says, adding that after about a week, vinegar can create bitterness in the salsa. His flavors range from mild to one spicy enough to be called Scorpion, named after the Scorpion pepper, an import from Trinidad. Crook uses habanero and jalapeno peppers for his hot and medium varieties. His business is now producing about 1,200 pints (150 gallons) each week and going through about 3,000 pounds of tomatoes a month.
“My grandpa had an 11-acre garden and a little fruit-and-garden stand [Umpqua Greenhouses] for 42 years up in Glide,” he says. “I used to spend all my summers up there as a kid.” Crook says he loves the opportunity salsa-making provides to explore his creative side. He constantly tweaks and tightens his recipes while also developing new ones. “I get bored producing the same thing all the time,” he says. Crook adds that he knew after six months in business he had found a winning product line and credits the feedback he received from those Two Shy customers. “I adjusted it to the responses from those people. When they said ‘It’s perfect; don’t do anything else, that’s when I stopped,” he says. Crook says his experience with salsa truly has been life-changing. Knowing he needed to lose weight after his heart attack, Cook changed his diet and eating regimen. After 4 p.m., he would eat only salsa with rice crackers, celery and cucumber slice. “In eight months, I lost 78 pounds,” he says. “It’s the most lifechanging experience I’ve ever had.” Crook decided from that point on he would focus only on his passions. The rapidly growing number of fans of Papa Curt’s are glad salsa is one of them.
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It’s a Jungle in There A mother-daughter team is turning a plant obsession into a rapidly growing business venture and having a blast in the process. Story by Hollye Holbrook Photo by Thomas Boyd
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t’s nearly 11 p.m. when she drills a hole in the bottom of the final pot.
Standing up, Braelee O’Connor wipes the sweat from her brow and steps back to scan the array of darkmarbled terra cotta vessels at her feet. She smiles and envisions the greenery they’ll soon hold. For tomorrow is delivery day, her favorite day of the week. O’Connor and her oldest daughter, Sierra Fox, weren’t planning to start a nursery; they were simply collecting plants for their homes. But before long it became an obsession, sending them off to local shops to scour for the best plants. “We were the ones out back when the shipments came in, pulling them apart,” O’Connor says, laughing. She and her daughter were particularly interested in rare plants. “But we just couldn’t find any,” she says.
Rainforest Northwest, the nursery O’Connor and Fox opened, isn’t exactly home, but you can see it from there. So they directed their search online, turning it into an ongoing game of friendly bidding wars, competing with other buyers for plants. Within six months, their collection of houseplants had grown from 30 to 200. “It was a lot of fun,” says Fox. “I’ve always been super intrigued by house plants. It was my dream to one day sell them from my home.” Rainforest Northwest, the nursery Fox and her mother eventually opened, isn’t exactly home, but you can see it from there. Planted unassumingly at the end of the gravel driveway leading to the family home, the nursery is only a few feet off busy Harvard Avenue in Roseburg. But stepping through the door feels like being transported to a welcoming, vital oasis. 68
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“Plants are beneficial not only to the environment but to our health,” says Fox. “It’s cleaner air in our shop. Some people come and stay for an hour, walk around and just talk with us. It’s fun being able to do what we love all day and provide people from our community with plants.” Plants, indeed. There are hanging plants. Plants on shelves. Tall plants. Small plants. Easy-care plants. Delicate plants. Solid plants. Variegated plants. Rare plants. Healthy plants, of course; all of them. “As soon as we get the plants in, we inspect every single one,” says Fox. “We pre-treat and wipe down every leaf. We want to make sure that everything we bring in is something we would personally buy. My No. 1 wish-list plant is the variegated monstera adansonii (Swiss cheese plant), which sells for $3,000 to $4,000 for just one leaf!” It’s clear what O’Connor and Fox offer goes well beyond selling plants. The care and attention they put into every plant in Rainforest Northwest are extended to every person who visits. “One thing Mom said when we started out that I really loved is she wanted to build a relationship with everybody who walked through the door,” says Fox. “We’ve met a lot of super cool individuals.”
In this section:
QUIETLY BOOMING / THE SPICE OF LIFE / IT’S A JUNGLE IN THERE / FIGHT BACK AGAINST CYBER ATTACKS
Mother and daughter and Rainforest Northwest co-owners Sierra Fox (left) and Braelee O’Connor have deep roots in Roseburg.
Fox mentions the young girl who came in with her lemonade-stand profits and a dream of turning her room into a jungle. “We sent her away with some goodies,” says Fox. There was the older gentleman who was simply looking for something to help cheer him up and the 10-year-old boy who knew more about cacti than anyone in the room. “We really enjoy making those connections,” says O’Connor. “I always try to make people feel at home. If we can help you out, one way or another, we will.” Adds Fox: “If there’s something we’re not familiar with, we’ll go research it. If there’s something you’re looking for, we’ll do our best to get it in or we will send you in a direction to get one. We’ll even re-pot plants you already have at home.”
With such an encouraging start to their business, O’Conner and Fox are already contemplating what’s ahead for Rainforest Northwest. “There are so many different avenues we could take,” says Fox. “The potential is huge. We want to sell plants online. We want to open a second location. We want to offer more services — designing spaces, setting up and taking care of plants, renting out plants for events and offices. We want to sell our pots and housemade potting mix. We want to turn our barn into a greenhouse and offer more inventory. We’re dreaming; we’re thinking big.” “We’ve found something Douglas County needs,” adds O’Connor. “Our roots are deep here, which makes it even more exciting to continue to grow them.” Find Rainforest Northwest at 2692 West Harvard Ave. Roseburg, online at rainforestnorthwest.com and on social media @rainforest_northwest. NO. 10 & COUNTING
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Business
Fight Back Against Cyber Attacks As incidents of ransomware attacks explode globally, a local network security expert provides 10 tips for protecting yourself or your business. Story by Nancy Laney Photo by Thomas Boyd
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ouglas County is home to hundreds of small businesses, which together comprise the economic backbone of the region.
Unfortunately, they also represent a rich target for cyber attackers. In 2020, ransomware attacks around the world skyrocketed a whopping 700 percent, and more than 70 percent of those were aimed at small business, according to StaySafeOnline.org. 70
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Worse yet, an estimated 60 percent of small businesses go bankrupt within six months of a cyber attack. Of course, this is not just a small-business problem; there’s that other 30 percent. Cyber attacks also pose a risk to home Internet users, large corporations, critical infrastructure‌virtually every business, organization and individual connected to the Internet. Here are the top 10 ways hackers infiltrate computers and tips for how to avoid becoming a victim:
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QUIETLY BOOMING / THE SPICE OF LIFE / IT’S A JUNGLE IN THERE / FIGHT BACK AGAINST CYBER ATTACKS
Hackers take advantage of poorly trained employees. Employees are the No. 1 vulnerability for business networks. If they don’t know how to spot a scam, they could compromise your entire network. It can happen by simply opening and clicking a phishing e-mail that’s designed to look like a legitimate e-mail from a trusted source. They take advantage of company computers being used for personal business. We strongly recommend imposing policies that limit the websites employees can access with work devices and enforcing them with contentfiltering software and firewalls. They thrive on weak passwords. We recommend a pass phrase that is 14 characters long and composed of a few words. Requiring a cell phone passcode will go a long way toward preventing a stolen device from being compromised.
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They love networks that are not protected with the latest security upgrades. It’s critical to patch and update systems frequently. If you’re under a managed IT plan, this can all be automated for you so you don’t have to worry about missing an important update.
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They attack networks with no, or single, backups. A good backup will also protect you against an employee accidentally (or intentionally) deleting or overwriting files, natural disasters, fire, water damage, hardware failures and a host of other dataerasing disasters.
The goal of a phishing email is to get you to give up your login information to a particular website or to click and download a virus. 6
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They exploit networks with employee-installed software. One of the fastest ways cyber criminals access networks is by duping unsuspecting users to download malicious software by embedding it within other downloadable files, games, or other “innocent”looking apps. They attack inadequate firewalls. A firewall acts as the frontline defense against hackers, blocking everything you haven’t specifically allowed to enter (or leave) your computer network. But all firewalls need monitoring and maintenance. This too should be done by your IT person or company as part of regular, routine maintenance.
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They attack your devices when you’re on public Wi-Fi. It’s not uncommon for hackers to set up clones of public Wi-Fi access points in an attempt to get you to connect to their network. Never access financial, medical or other sensitive data while on public Wi-Fi. Also, don’t shop online and enter your credit card information unless you’re absolutely certain the connection point you’re on is safe and secure.
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They use phishing emails to fool you into thinking you’re visiting a legitimate website. A phishing e-mail is a bogus e-mail designed to look like a legitimate request (or attached file) from a site you trust. Their goal is to get you to give up your login information to a particular website or to click and download a virus.
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They use social engineering and pretend to be you in order to reset your passwords.
Nancy Laney is president of Roseburg-based Peak IT Security & Solutions, which offers a range of technology consulting and network security services. For more information, visit www.peakitss.com.
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ARTFUL SOLUTIONS TO A PANDEMIC / KINDRED SPIRITS OF THE WEST
Artful Solutions To a Pandemic Like every other organization, business and individual in the region, the Umpqua Valley Arts Association had to get creative in order to keep its art in front of its patrons.
Culture & History
Story by Jim Hays Photos by Robin Loznak
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hen COVID-19 hit Douglas County last spring, the Umpqua Valley Arts Association — like so many other local organizations and businesses — quickly started exhibiting symptoms of the virus.
Galleries shuttered or limited to small gatherings; cancelled programs and classes; traditional summer and fall events called off. Sudden and multiple restrictions virtually crippled one of Douglas County’s most important cultural resources. State COVID restrictions required shutting down what would have been UVA’s 52nd annual Summer Arts Festival, the organization’s most important fund-raiser. Then, as if COVID’s impact wasn’t harsh enough, the historically horrific wildfires that swept through the region in September made a casualty of UVA’s scheduled “Umpqua Plein Air” celebration of Umpqua Valley landscapes. At the UVA gallery, too, activities had to be put on hold — for the time being, anyway. “When the COVID restrictions came down, we immediately closed our doors to the public,” says Sandee McGee, UVA’s gallery director and interim executive director. "We wanted to be sure to do our part in keeping the community safe. That said, we also knew the community needed art and art experiences more than ever.” As in-person events and activities shut down, the UVA team started looking for ways to keep its audience engaged. In other words, they did what people involved in art do — they got creative. And, spurred by necessity, they designed better avenues for artists and audiences to reach one another without putting either at potential risk. Growth in programming that could make positive differences beyond Covid. Lessons learned.
UV WINTER 2021
“We quickly pivoted to virtual online programming. We started a whole new way of working and serving our community.” Sandee McGee, UVA gallery director and interim executive director The UVA staff, from left to right, Sarah Holborow, Sandee McGee and Stella Moon, Arts in Education coordinator.
The focus was straightforward: If people couldn’t get to the arts and programs, could the arts and programs get to its audience and patrons? If so, how?
“We quickly pivoted to virtual online programming," says McGee. “We started a whole new way of working and serving our community.”
With art education and expression integral to UVA’s mission, ideas that were implemented included a plan to get free “art kits” — a starter set of essentials — into the hands of as many local kids as possible. The number distributed started at 100 free kits, then doubled as word got out.
The pivot was tested during a segment of the gallery’s exhibitions of local art, this one featuring Cow Creek youth. State COVID restrictions came down as the gallery was transitioning to the new exhibit.
“We had parents lining up for more than an hour,” says Sarah Holborow, UVA community outreach director. “The kits were gone in 15 or 20 minutes.” The association also made itself more accessible and interactive on Instagram and Facebook, encouraging local youths to post project photos. A dedicated YouTube channel went up so that art lessons could be conducted online.
“We had to make a quick decision," McGee says “We decided to go ahead and hang the show even though the community might not see it in person.” “So then it was ‘How will we get this to the community?’ We partnered with volunteers to do virtual tours of the show. And we have some members who were able to come take photographs.” The resulting success of the “virtual” show demonstrated that McGee and team were on the right track. But those
preferring to see the work up-close were never left out. Once UVA developed COVID-prevention protocols, it began allowing small numbers of visitors into the gallery by appointment. In addition, UVA ran “Art in the Park” during the summer, an outdoor workshop series featuring local Umpqua Valley artists and makers. The community responded in a big way, Holborow says. “We sold out five workshops,” she says. “We had never done that before.” What’s made it all work, says McGee, is the strong, diverse UVA team, the dedication of local artists and the support of a strong membership base. Plus, she says, “We have art on our side. It’s where people connect with one another and tell their stories. We want to be here for that.”
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Culture & History
The Slow Ponies left to right: Susan Applegate, Melissa Ruth, Shannon Applegate, Esther Stutzman, Linda Danielson, Liz Crain, Stacey Atwell-Keister
Kindred Spirits of The West Through song and story, the Slow Ponies bring the history of the American West to life and make it resonate with listeners. Story by Geoff Shipley Photo by Leah Nansel
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ore than 150 years ago, when Charles Applegate met with Camafeema (Chief Halo) of the Kalapuya people to negotiate the peaceful settlement of the Yoncalla Valley by the Applegate families, the two men could have scarcely imagined that their great-great-granddaughters would one day come together to entertain—and educate—audiences with timeless tunes inspired by the wagon trains, sagebrush-studded trails and personalities of America’s Old West. That spirit and heritage is captured in a new album by the Slow Ponies, a collection of live tracks recorded during two concerts at the Yoncalla Community Center in 2018, not far from where Applegate and Camafeema held their fateful meeting. “We want the meaning behind that bond to resonate through our music,” says Susan Applegate, visual artist, vocalist and one of the four founding members of the Slow Ponies along with cousin Shannon Applegate and longtime friends Esther Stutzman and Linda Danielson. The album provides the next best thing to a front-row seat into how a multigenerational, multicultural group of local musicians can make a statement about the present through songs, tales and finery inspired by the past. “We have a real affinity for each other,” says Stutzman, Slow Ponies’ vocalist, native storyteller, Oregon Governor’s Arts Lifetime Achievement Award honoree and great-great-granddaughter of Camafeema. “It’s about coming from different places and backgrounds and really getting along and celebrating that.” On the Live & Kickin’ album, that celebration is in full bloom on classics such as “Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds” and “They Call the Wind Maria” and on fresh originals such as “Pancho” and “Song of the Aging Cowgirl”. All are songs that would feel right at home sung around the old-time cattle drover's campfire. 76
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And just as those rustlers and Old West characters sought to expand their horizons in ways both literal and figurative, this album has a knack for broadening perspectives — whether it’s learning that “Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds” wasn’t originally about tumbleweeds at all, or hearing the lyrical flourishes that give voice to those whose role in the story of the American West is often overlooked. “It was important to honor the contribution of women and using their voices and stories to put twists on songs,” says Shannon Applegate, Slow Ponies’ vocalist, acclaimed author of the locally inspired Skookum novel and another Oregon Governor’s Arts Lifetime Achievement Award honoree. “People might think of the West and all of the men, but there were lots and lots of women right there too.” Same goes with the band, where Stutzman and Susan and Shannon Applegate partner with the old-time fiddling of educator and historian Danielson, the high harmonies of Yoncalla city council member and educator Stacey AtwellKeister, the guitar and high harmonies of touring musician and award-winning music educator Melissa Ruth and the upright bass work of Liz Crain. A multi-instrumentalist as well as a rancher, Crain also happens to be the only member of the Western group who actually owns a horse. While educating through art is important to the Slow Ponies, make no mistake, Live & Kickin’ will have listeners stomping and swaying in their boots while reimagining the cowboy mystique captured in the Silver Screen era by the likes of Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gene Autry, Rose Maddox and other classic Western music luminaries. “We wanted to pick music that was comfort music,” says Susan Applegate. “Like (musical) mashed potatoes and gravy or macaroni and cheese.”
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ARTFUL SOLUTIONS TO A PANDEMIC / KINDRED SPIRIT OF THE WEST
Listeners will be forgiven, though, if their own sing-along attempts at hitting the harmonies and traditional yodels showcased on Live & Kickin’ don’t go down nearly as smoothly as those hall-of-fame dishes. Like a cherished herd of prized palominos, the Slow Ponies’ vocal talents represent serious investment. “We spent a lot of time getting it just perfect,” Stutzman says about the group’s vocal ambitions. “We wanted to tackle the task of good harmony,” Shannon Applegate adds. “Almost like a surfer when they’re in what they call the ‘green cathedral’ and everything is perfect.” The Slow Ponies also want to use the power of music and story to help their audience gain a better understanding of themselves, one another and their connection to history and the American West.
The Slow Ponies use the power of music and story to help their audience gain a better understanding of their connection to the American West. “One of the most rewarding things is when we sing these old songs and people sing along,” says Stutzman. “We’re actually eliciting memories from the audience.” The Ponies don’t shy away from memories that sometimes sting, as when Stutzman leads the group in a bristling rendition of “Custer (The General He Don’t Ride Well Anymore)” that views the demise of General Custer through the eyes of Native Americans.
It’s one of many poignant turns that — along with the playful song introductions, stage banter and crisp production — capture the musicality, intelligence, humor and cowpoke spirit of a Slow Ponies’ performance. “This music represents ties to the past and the things we value,” says Shannon Applegate. “We need these things to sustain us and connect us to where we live and to each other.” For Stutzman and the Applegates, recording their first live album didn’t even ruffle their skirts, perhaps owing to some 20 years of Slow Ponies escapades and decades more of singing together and apart. “The live album, that was Melissa’s idea,” says Stutzman. “We all thought it sounded fun, so why not?” That cowgirl confidence has been part of the Slow Ponies since the day they passed on “The Old Gray Mares” in favor of their current name. “We’re slower, but we’re still ponies,” says Susan Applegate with a laugh. Though social distancing guidelines have kept the group apart lately, the individual members are still practicing and, says Susan Applegate, “still finding materials to explore and expose.” If Live & Kickin’ is any indication, when the day comes to get back together, it won’t be much different than returning from a lonesome trail ride. Or as Stutzman puts it, “We just need to get together and shake off the dust.” Saddle up and download Live & Kickin’ at www.slowponies.com
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Culture & History
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