12-4 to 12-8-2017
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LOOKS LIKE THE MONUMENT WILL SHRINK
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke recommends Cascade Siskiyou Monument be reduced in size. From the report: “The boundary should be revised through the use of appropriate authority, including lawful exercise of your discretion granted by the Act, in order to address impacts on private lands and to address issues concerning the designation and reservation of O&C Lands as part of the monument and the impacts on commercial timber production.” Here’s a link to the report
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Bill’s Guests for: Friday, December 8, 2017:
6:35: Chris Hall, a local cannabis activist chats with Bill today. We’ll discuss statistics concerning Josephine County’s ban on commercial marijuana growing in rural residential zones. Hall says that this ordinance is misguided and is doomed to fail.
7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors himself from RogueWeather.com, calls in to bring to you the Friday, Water World Boat & Powersport Outdoor Report.
7:35: Jeffrey Small, President of Arbor Financial and author of the book: “Turning Financial Planning Right-Side Up,” chats with Bill this morning. With the U.S. Household Debt at all time highs… Is this a problem?
We’ll also talk about Jeffrey’s book in detail:
“We’re in a time when we need good financial information and excellent financial advice. We’re not getting it, and that’s a huge problem. Life expectancy is longer, medical costs are rising, Social Security is tenuous, and markets are rocky. The information that enters our homes, whether it is through the mail, the TV, or the internet, is dubious at best. The smiling investment guy in the suit offering to help may not be any better. This book was written so opportunities won’t be lost behind everything else you’re bombarded with concerning your finances — and so you can put your interests first.It will clear up a lot of misconceptions, stop the leaks, and provide a clear view and best path to viable options. Although I work exclusively with retirees and pre-retirees, Turning Financial Planning Right Side Up is invaluable to people of all ages. As a financial advisor, I help everyday people prepare for what my staff and I call “the art of financial self-defense.” Their retirement funds are designed so they pull out as much income as they can, but leave their assets intact and avoid losses.”
Jeffrey’s book will be released to the public on December 12th. You can pre-order his book by clicking HERE.
8:45: Representatives from ScienceWorks joins Bill in studio to promote the museum’s 15th birthday celebration which will be taking place this weekend.
When: Saturday, December 9, 2017. Festivities begin at 10am, and will conclude at 5pm.
Where: ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum. 1500 E. Main St, in Ashland.
Admission is FREE!!!
Bill’s Guests for: Thursday, December 7, 2017:
6:35: Eric Peters, automotive journalist, libertarian thinker and force behind EPAutos.com talks with Bill. Today we’re talking about how a Volkswagen engineer is being sentenced to prison for defying the almighty EPA, but an illegal alien can kill a young American woman, and get off scot free. You can read the article for yourself at EPAutos.com.
“The Crucifixion of Oliver Schmidt.”
Don’t forget to check out EPAutos.com for Eric’s reviews of the latest cars, trucks and bikes.
7:10: Emily Taylor, an Independent Program Attorney for U.S. Law Shield talks with Bill. Emily is one of the leading voices on the Second Amendment in the country, and is here today to talk about the DOJ’s review of the “bump stock.”
Check out more at: USLawShield.com.
7:35: Oregon State Senator Alan DeBoer calls in to chat with Bill. So what about the Healthcare Tax? Senator DeBoer is for it. Bill is not for it. An interesting conversation is on the horizon.
Bill’s Guests for: Wednesday, December 6, 2017:
7:10: Todd Gaziano, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Law at the Pacific Legal Foundation talks with Bill.
On Monday, President Trump moved to reduce two massive national monuments in Utah, one of which President Obama established in the waning days of his presidency. (Tuesday the Secretary of the Interior released a report recommending the Cascade Siskiyou Monument also be reduced in size.) The controversial monuments put millions of acres off limits to economic development and recreational use.
Environmental groups and outdoor recreation corporations such as Patagonia have promised legal action, with the first lawsuits filed yesterday. Of course, their lawsuits will be fruitless.
As PLF’s Todd Gaziano explains, “There are many hard or uncertain questions in the law, but this is not one of them. President Trump’s action was completely legal.”
7:35: Sgt. Julie Denney of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office joins Bill, live in studio for The Crimestoppers Case of The Week.
8:10: Kim Komando, “The Digital Goddess,” calls into the show. The Kim Komando Show will be joining KMED’s Saturday lineup, from 7am to 10am, starting on January 7th. You can learn more about Kim at: Komando.com.
8:45: Mike G, from the Britt Festival drops by the studio to talk about a new way of rolling out the lineup announcements. See more at: BrittFest.org.
Bill’s Guests for: Tuesday, December 5, 2017:
6:35: Curtis Ellis, Senior Policy Advisor for America First Policies talks with Bill.
President Trump Overrules Deputy, Ditches U.N.’s Pro-Immigration Treaty
President Donald Trump overruled objections by his United Nations ambassador when he directed the U.S. leave the “Global Compact on Migration” treaty, which is intended to promote mass-migration into countries regardless of national laws and voters’ preferences.
The migration treaty is akin to the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal, which Trump trashed when he was inaugurated. The TPP treaty would have allowed companies to export U.S.-based factories to low-wage countries around the Pacific, and also to import low-wage employees from the Pacific rim into workplaces around the United States.
If approved by national political leaders, the “migration compact” would have allowed U.N. bureaucrats and judges to subordinate national laws — such as laws that exclude illegal immigrants — to pro-immigration rules. The treaty would help developing countries to dump much of their fast-growing populations into Americans’ classrooms and neighborhoods, welfare lines and training classes, workplaces and jails, so helping the establishment in the developed countries keep power via their divide-and-rule “diversity” strategy.
Learn more at America First Policies. You can also have a look at more at: AmericaFirstActionCommittee.com.
7:10: Kasie Brill, Senior Director of Brand Protection at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center in Washington, DC chats with Bill. Today we discuss the rising tide of online product piracy. Counterfeit merchandise means more than getting ripped-off by $25 Rolexes and knock-off designer purses. It can mean lead in your kids’ toys. It can mean mercury in your make-up. It can mean unwittingly funding terrorist groups.
That’s why the US Chamber of Commerce is alerting consumers to watch out for Christmas shopping scams. Learn more about Kasie and her accomplishments right HERE.
7:35: Jim Ludwick, from Oregonians for Immigration Reform chats with Bill today. What’s going to happen now, with the acquittal of Kate Steinle’s killer? What will now become of sanctuary cities, and states who proclaim themselves “sanctuary states?” And, what does it mean for Oregon? Learn more at: OFIR.org.
8:35: Brent Homan from Advanced Air & Metal join Bill in studio for today’s edition of “Whose Business Is It Anyway.”
Find out more at AdvancedAirandMetal.com, or call them up for a free quote: 541-772-6866.
Bill’s Guests for: Monday, December 4, 2017:
6:15: Rick Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government brings you an update from The Swamp, aka Mordor on The Potomac. Also, could Jeff Sessions be preparing to move against sanctuary cities?
See more at NetRightDaily.com and GetLiberty.org.
7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors from RogueWeather.com calls in to bring to you the Monday, Water World Boat & Powersport Outdoor Report.
7:35: Capt. Bill Simpson, retired U.S. Merchant Marine officer and emergency preparedness expert talks with Bill today. Capt. Bill has posted an article on MyOutdoorBuddy.com. Could future deer hunting seasons be threatened by a dwindling number of harvestable deer in the woods? Captain Bill is here to talk about it.
Read more from Capt. Bill: MyOutdoorBuddy.com, and The Western Journal.
8:10: Dr. Dennis Powers, retired Professor of Business Law and local historian joins Bill, in studio, for this week’s edition of “Visiting Past & Present. Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Dr. Powers’ new book: “Where Past Meets Present: The Amazing People, Places & Stories of Southern Oregon,” at Hellgate Press.
Ghosts, Spirits, and other Apparitions
By Dennis Powers
Ghost stories and spiritual adventures have been part of mankind dating back to the caves. This belief—or concept—is based on the ancient idea that a person’s spirit exists separately from ones body with a continued existence after death. Haunted locations typically connect with a happening in the ghost’s past, often where one died or a former home. Aside from actual sightings, signs of their presence range from strange noises, lights, odors or breezes to objects that move, windows that slam, and doors that open.
The Roman author and statesman Pliny the Younger recorded in the first century A.D. one of the first notable ghost stories in his letters, which became famous for their vivid account of life during the height of the Roman Empire. Pliny wrote that an old man’s ghost with a long beard and rattling chains was haunting his Athens home. Southern Oregon is no different.
A few of the memorable ones—and you will have yours as well—start with the Plunkett Center in Ashland. Southern Oregon University acquired the old structure in 1966 and uses it for alumni and development functions. It is also known as the Swedenburg House for the doctor who lived there from 1919 until his death in 1937. Several believe that a ghost resides there, including a professor, a group of students, their teacher, and the head of campus security.
From the beginning, the campus security guard in the 1980s had a strong sense that he was being watched when inside and decided to announce himself before entering. Later driving by the house, he and another guard spotted a woman that the porch light illuminated. She was sitting beside a window in a first floor office, but the apparition suddenly vanished. The men searched for her inside but found nothing. The building was empty and all of its doors locked.
The Oregon Caves is the setting for another famous presence. Couples who have stayed in or beside the infamous Room 310 report being awakened at night by the sounds of someone walking in the hall—or from actually inside the room. The tale goes that a young couple in 1937 was spending their wedding night at the hotel. After the bride caught her husband in an embrace with a hotel employee, the bride (named Elizabeth) took her life. Employees tell of strange occurrences in room 310: the room’s furniture will be rearranged, or on rare occasions, even placed out in the hallway. Guests have reported unpacking—and on returning from dinner—find that their bags have been repacked. On occasion, the baby grand piano in the lobby plays by itself.
The Oregon Vortex is another site for continued paranormal investigations. John Lister arrived in the early 1900s to conduct mining surveys, only to discover the strange anomalies in the magnetic fields at this Sardine Creek location. Famous for its strange effects—for example, two people can change place, and then become taller or shorter simply by that—Lister became obsessed with the place. Brooms seem to stand upright at an angle and balls roll uphill inside an old assay shed. After Lister’s death in 1959, numerous visitors tell of seeing him standing at the top of the sloping floor of the House of Mystery, the assay shed that rests at weird angles. Tour guides report the same sightings, but no one is around.
Gold Hill’s Beeman-Martin house is another ghost center. The wealthy Josiah Beeman built this fine home in 1901, and it still is standing, now as the center of operations for the Gold Hill Historical Society. Volunteers insist that the sounds they hear in an upstairs attic, the cupboards that slam, or furniture that changes is owing to the apparition of a friendly ghost that they named “Willie”. The spirit is either that of Bill Hay, who spent time there, or a handyman of the same name who died in a room.
From the green mists of the nearby Rock Point Cemetery to old structures in Grants Pass and the mining ghost towns of the present, the stories are abundant.
Sources: “History.com: History of Ghost Stories” at Ghosts and History; Jeff Davis’s “Ghosts and Critters,” at Plunkett House and Oregon Vortex Stories; Dennis Powers, “Ghost stories haunt Oregon Caves Chateau,” Ashland Daily Tidings, October 11, 2017, at Oregon Caves Story; see also: Dennis Powers, Images of America: Gold Hill, Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2010, pp. 42, 56.
Bill’s Guests for: Friday, December 1, 2017:
6:35: Liberty McArtor, columnist at The Stream talks with Bill today.
SCOTUS: the First Amendment on trial! The Stream’s Liberty McArtor breaks down one of the most anticipated Supreme Court cases of the term, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The case is whether a Christian, Colorado baker can be compelled to violate his conscience.
In 2012, a gay couple asked Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, to bake a cake for their wedding. Phillips, a devout Christian, does not bake cakes that are contrary to his beliefs, i.e. Halloween cakes, cakes with alcohol, cakes that celebrate divorce, anti-American cakes, racist cakes, etc… When Phillips told the couple he could not bake their wedding cake, the couple reported him to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
How the Supreme Court rules on this case will be very significant for religious liberty. You can read the article right HERE.
7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors himself from RogueWeather.com calls in to bring you the Friday, Water World Boat & Powersport, Outdoor Report.
7:35: Joe Guzzardi, President and Founder of Californians for Population Stabilization joins the show.
The individual, accused in the shooting death of Kate Steinle in San Francisco was acquitted of any murder charges yesterday afternoon, though he’d been deported from the country five times. Joe Guzzardi is here to talk about the situation.
Read more from Joe at Californians for Population Stabilization’s website: capsweb.org.
8:10: Lewis K. Uhler, President & Founder of the National Tax Limitation Committee talks with Bill this morning. Lewis is a nationally recognized expert on tax and budgetary issues. We’re talking about the versions of the tax reform bill from the House and Senate, and the Pros and Cons. You can read the Committee’s collaboration with The Heartland Institute, Roadmap for the 21st Century also. And, you can see more at: LimitTaxes.org.
8:45: Mark Daly from Thunderstruck Custom Bikes talks with Bill about the 37th Annual Southern Oregon Toy Run .
When: This Saturday, December 2, 2017: Social Hour begins at 10AM. Parade leaves at high noon.
Where: Start: The Touvelle Lodge, 9367 Table Rock Rd, in Central Point. End: Eagles Lodge #2093, 2000 Table Rock Road, in Medford.
Rain or shine!!
Bill’s Guests for: Thursday, November 30, 2017:
7:10: Ross Day, Attorney for F.A.R.M.S. aka Farming and Agricultural Rights Management Society talks with Bill today. F.A.R.M.S. is fighting for marijuana growing rights in Josephine County. The group met yesterday, and we’ll dig into the controversy over Rural Residential zoning and Cannabis production.
7:45: Michael Strickland, a video blogger from the YouTube channel “Laughing At Liberals,” from Portland, convicted of gun crimes, many believe unjustly, after being menaced by a Black Lives Matter mob. Michael joins Bill today to tell his side of the story.
You can check out Mike’s You Tube channel Laughing At Liberals to see more. And, follow Mike on Twitter: @LaughAtLibs You can help out Mike with his legal fund. You can go to the Oregon Firearms Federations’ website: OFF.org.
8:10: Mr. X, crack researcher and expert on all things Gang Green, leaves the safety of his hidden Southern Oregon bunker, and joins Bill in studio.
At a recent town hall meeting, State Senator Alan DeBoer mentioned that KSWild should be in charge of forest/science issues. Mr. X brings the information forward today on why this should NOT be the case.
If you’d like to conduct your own research on the entire subject here: Follow Mr. X’s advice, and check out this good starting point: ForestandRangelands.gov.
8:45: Taneea Browning, President of the Central Point Chamber of Commerce joins Bill in studio. Christmas festivities are happening this weekend, and we’ll tell you all about what they are and when.
Bill’s Guests for: Wednesday, November 29, 2017:
6:35: Dr. Harlan Ullman, Senior Advisor at Washington D.C.’s Atlantic Council, and author of the book: “Anatomy of Failure: Why America Has Lost Every War It Starts,” talks with Bill today. We’re talking about the tax reform Bill and what it could mean for the country.
Dr. Ullman Says:
- These [tax reform] bills will not achieve these objectives for several reasons. The key assumptions and promises are that by cutting corporate tax rates and closing loop holes, the economy will grow at a rate fast enough to generate sufficient revenues to offset the approximately $1.5 trillion in projected budget deficits that will accumulate. And unemployment will be reduced. Sadly, as a combination of history and reality demonstrates, this will not happen.
- Tax cuts may produce a short-term increase in growth. But to the degree history counts, this has never been sustained. With unemployment at record lows of about 4%, it is difficult to see how that figure will be further reduced. Moreover, there are no guarantees that average wages will rise. And it is almost certain that the deficit and debt will grow.
- Another assumption is that interest rates will remain low. But what happens when for example rates climb to a modest 5%? With a debt of about $20 trillion, interest payment would soar to about $1 trillion and consume roughly 20-25% of the Federal budget.
- It is too late for Congress to reverse course. But if it were to do that, here are three fixes that would actually achieve the aims noted above. While many oppose cutting corporate tax rates to 20%, there is a better alternative. Why not keep the current rate and make dividends tax deductible?
Pick up your copy of Dr. Ullman’s new book today by clicking here, and follow Dr. Ullman on Twitter: @harlankullman.
7:35: Deputy Chief Brett Johnson of the Medford Police Department joins Bill, in studio, to bring to you the Southern Oregon Crimestoppers Case of The Week.
8:10: Lowell Ponte, author, political pundit and radio talk show host, talks with Bill today. Is our population not really replacing itself? Lowell Ponte, says yes, and his article backs up, why we need to continue having children.
Read: “Our Need For Breeding,” on pontificationblog.wordpress.com, and learn more about Lowell HERE.
You can also check out Lowell’s books right here.
8:45: Arlene Wedsted, Event Coordinator and Dave De Rurange from the Providence Festival of Trees joins Bill in studio.
The 2017 Providence Festival of Trees:
When: Wednesday, November 29, thru Sunday, December 3.
Where: Medford Armory 1701 S Pacific Hwy, Medford, OR 97501
Click here to find out more about the specific events and admission prices.
See pictures and more at the festival’s Facebook page.
Bill’s Guests for: Tuesday, November 28, 2017:
6:35: Steven W. Mosher, a leading authority on China, President of the Population Research institute, and author of the book: “Bully of Asia – Why China’s Dream is the New Threat to World Order,” joins Bill. We’re talking about China’s aspirations in that part of the world, and how it could affect us here at home.
Get your copy of Steven’s book right HERE.
7:10: Rebecca Bender, a survivor of human trafficking and CEO of the Rebecca Bender Initiative talks with Bill. Rebecca is here to talk about how:
SENATOR WYDEN REFUSES TO HELP CHILDREN COMBAT SEX TRAFFICKING
Sex Trafficking is talked about everywhere right now. But most of the time, we never see it. So, it must not be happening here in Oregon, right?
Wrong. Unfortunately, with the advent of the internet, traffickers and pimps have moved off the streets and are now selling their “product” on the internet – mostly young girls. Shocking, I know. But these children are just a click away. You can go right now on the regular web (not the dark web) and order a human for sex to your door within 15 minutes. And it happens in every town and city across the State of Oregon in numbers that would make your head spin.
It’s horrific, but we can no longer put our heads in the sand and pretend it’s not happening. We need to collectively wake up so that we can better protect our children.
So- you might now be asking, how exactly are companies getting away with creating these awful websites where people are bought and sold without any penalty? Well, it’s called the Communication Decency Act, specifically Section 230, also referred to as the CDA230. This law was passed back in 1996 before the internet was anything like it is today, to protect companies from being liable for third-party postings. Which made total sense. I don’t want some weirdo trying to sell drugs on the comments section of my blog, that wouldn’t be right for ME to get in trouble for that; nor do any of us want Facebook or Google in trouble for stupid postings people make every hour of every day.
But a lot has changed in the last 20+ years. There are websites out there which make hundreds of millions of dollars a year facilitating sex trafficking (and other illegal activity) and our laws haven’t caught up with them! So, a group of lawyers, survivors and activists got together with members of Congress and created an amendment to the CDA230 that would still protect all of our freedom and privacy while targeting ONLY the bad actors who are purposely creating companies and websites for illegal activity, especially when it comes to harming children. This narrow, surgical amendment to the CDA230 was titled SESTA: The Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act of 2017.
Companies that are criminally involved with sex trafficking should be prosecuted at the state and federal level. Companies that engage in this type of criminal conduct should also have to answer to civil claims. Recently, several sexually exploited children filed suit against one of these websites: Backpage, but their case was dismissed. The Court stated that even if Backpage were engaged in the crime of trafficking, it was nonetheless protected by Section 230. The court advised these survivors to seek a legislative solution. (Learn more about this trial in the Netflix documentary I Am Jane Doe.)
Forty-Eight Senators have signed on to this bill because it makes sense to amend such an outdated law in order to better fight human trafficking. Senator Wyden, however, is NOT supporting the bill and he actually went beyond just not signing on, he recently demanded a hold on this critical legislation! Having personally met with Senator Wyden’s staff on the need for victims to access justice, I am so disappointed by his announcement. Senator Wyden is not only opposing the bill, he alone is blocking this critical bi-partisan legislation from being voted on by the full Senate. Legislation that was unanimously passed by the Senate Commerce Committee just two weeks ago.
Survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation know the deep and profound harms caused by sex trafficking. We lead organizations that provide services and advocacy for exploited individuals, and continue to see first-hand the irreparable harm caused by online sex trafficking. It is time to hold these websites accountable for the harm that they cause, after all, we wouldn’t allow someone to sell a child for sex on the street corner, so why are criminals able to do this online and hide behind the CDA?
SESTA is needed to help disrupt the purchase of sex online with children and trafficked persons. Every day, thousands of women and children are marketed and purchased online with ease and impunity. It is as easy to order sex with children and exploited adults as it is to order a pizza. SESTA has been proposed to close this judicial loophole so that companies like Backpage can no longer operate with impunity.
Oregonians, we need you to take a stand! Please write in, call, email Senator Wyden and demand he support SESTA! Stand with us to provide victims of online sex trafficking with a pathway to justice!
He hasn’t listened to the outcry of survivors and activists, but he will listen to you.
You can click here to demand that Senator Wyden sign on to SESTA.
And, you can view the bill for yourself, right HERE.
7:35: State Representative Sal Esquivel calls the show to bring you an update from the latest, Legislative goings-on in Salem.
8:10: Dr. Roslyn Layton, a PhD Fellow at the Center for Communication, Media, and Information Technologies (CMI) at Aalborg University in Copenhagen, Denmark and a Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute’s Center for Internet, Communications, and Technology Policy, chats with Bill.
Dr. Layton was a member of President Trump’s FCC Transition Team, and is a supporter of the FCC’s efforts to deregulate the internet.
Learn more at: RoslynLayton.com.
Twitter: @RoslynLayton
Bill’s Guests for: Monday, November 27, 2017:
7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors himself from RogueWeather.com, calls in to bring to you the Monday, Water World Boat & Powersport Outdoor Report.
7:35: Eric Peters, automotive journalist and Libertarian thinker talks with Bill today about a recent article on his website: EPAutos.com. You can read the article for yourself:
You can also check out Eric’s reviews of the latest cars and trucks at EPAutos.com.
8:10: Dr. Dennis Powers, retired Professor of Business Law, author and local historian joins Bill, live in studio, for today’s edition of “Visiting Past & Present.” Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Dr. Powers’ new book:
“Where Past Meets Present: The Amazing People, Places & Stories of Southern Oregon,” at Hellgate Press.
Bert Webber: The Consummate Researcher and Publisher
By Dennis Powers
Born in 1921 in Maryland, Ebbert True “Bert” Webber was the first born; his father was in the military and his mother died when he was only six. He joined the Army Signal Corps in 1940 after his high school graduation. Stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, Bert developed a life-long passion for photography, which later brought him to the New York Eastman School of Photography. He was in Europe during World War II as an official Signal Corps photographer.
He and his wife, Margie, had first met in San Francisco as teenagers. Corresponding during World War II, they married in1944; Bert headed overseas to Europe, while Margie completed her training as a registered nurse. After the war, the two resided in Washington, where Bert earned his living in different ways: running his own retail store as a commercial photographer and photo-finisher for ten years, a “stringer” for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and selling typewriters for Remington Rand.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1965 at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, with a double major in Journalism and Secondary Education, and then moved to Lake Oswego as the high school’s librarian and social studies teacher. While there, he obtained in 1968 a master’s degree in library science from the University of Portland, while also publishing a bibliography on “The Pacific Northwest in Books”—and discovering his true calling.
Bert and Margie moved to the Rogue Valley in 1968 where he worked as a librarian at Medford High School. At this time, his fascination with Northwest history and love for research photojournalism drove him to publishing his own regional history books. Combining historical research, journalism, and librarian skills, from 1967 to 2003, Bert Webber authored 86 non-fiction books, the majority involving Oregon history. Many were collaborations with Margie and published through their Central Point business, the Webb Research Group and Pacific Northwest Books.
The books covered a remarkable diversity of subjects. From “Indians along the Oregon Trail” and “Battleship Oregon: Bulldog of the Navy” to “Flood: Ashland Devastated New Year’s Day, 1997” and “Railroading in Southern Oregon and the Founding of Medford.” He tackled dredging for gold, logging and sawmilling, and beachcombing to railroads, the city of Jacksonville, and lighthouses.
Describing the overland passage was a favorite with several books being transcriptions of pioneer diaries, annotations, and maps. Bert and Margie wrote books on the Oregon Caves, the Southern Oregon Symphonic Band (in which he played the baritone horn), Rajneeshpuram postal service, the lost Oregon coastal towns of Lakeport and Bayocean, covered bridges, and the DeAutremont train robbery of 1923.
Webber died in 2006 and his papers are in the Hoover Institution Archives at Stanford University. His family continues to manage the numerous publications that he created.
Sources: Edwin Battistella, “Oregon Encyclopedia: Ebbert T. (Bert) Webber (1921-2006),” at Bert Webber Background; “Obituary: Ebbert True (Bert) Webber,” Mail Tribune, at On Bert Webber.
Bill’s Guests for: Wednesday, November 22, 2017:
6:35: Melissa Henson, Program Director for the Parent’s Television Council talks with Bill, this morning. The Parent’s Television Council has released its 2017 Best and Worst Advertisers List. The list is designed to highlight companies who sponsor TV shows that are safe for children, and those that sponsor show that have harmful content.
You see the list for yourself at: ParentsTV.org.
7:35: Mr. X, crack researcher and expert on all things Gang Green, leaves the safety of his Southern Oregon bunker, and joins Bill, live in studio. So, what’s coming up next after last week’s Jackson County Commission resolution, regarding the fight against poor smoke, and wildfire management policies? We’ll discuss it.
Here’s a Fed site we discussed that illustrates the “Let It Burn” – Read it Now and read all the links and reports. Get in touch with Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, and let him know these policies are an intrusion, and hurting our health safety, and welfare…reference the fed site and documents to support your case.
8:35: Michael Campbell from SisQ Cellular drops by the studio, for today’s edition of “Whose Business Is It Anyway?”
Bill’s Guests for: Tuesday, November 21, 2017:
6:35: Dr. John Huber, clinical forensic psychologist and Chairman of Mainstream Mental Health joins Bill by phone today.
Teenage Depression & Suicide Are Way Up – And So Is Smartphone Use
In just the five years between 2010 and 2015, the number of U.S. teens who felt useless and joyless – classic symptoms of depression – surged 33 percent in large national surveys. Teen suicide attempts increased 23 percent. Even more troubling, the number of 13-to-18-year-olds who committed suicide jumped 31 percent.
In a new paper published in Clinical Psychological Science, my colleagues and I found that the increases in depression, suicide attempts and suicide appeared among teens from every background. All told, our analysis found that the generation of teens I call “iGen” – those born after 1995 – is much more likely to experience mental-health issues than their millennial predecessors.
You can read the story right here.
7:10: Scott LaFever, a resident of Rogue River joins Bill in studio. Mr. LaFever is concerned about the way some plea deals, basically, ignore the problems or rights of other crime victims, and would like to tell you about it.
7:35: Sgt. Jim Collum from the Oregon State Police joins Bill, in studio for the Crimestoppers Case of The Week.
8:35: Gene Pellham of Rogue Credit Union comes into the studio to promote the “Giving Tuesday,” event set for November 28th.
Bill’s Guests for: Monday, November 20, 2017:
6:35: Julio Rivera, Editorial Director for the Reactionary Times, and host of Reactionary Times TV talks with Bill. Today, were talking about the corruption which seems to be prevalent in Puerto Rico.
Read more about it at: ReactionaryTimes.com, and at Newsmax.com.
Follow on Twitter: @ReactionaryTms
7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors from RogueWeather.com calls in to bring you the Monday Outdoor Report.
7:35: Knute Buehler, GOP candidate for Oregon Governor talks with Bill today.
At least $186.4 million misallocated Medicaid funds revealed
Buehler says health care for low income Oregonians suffering from Governor Browns failed leadership and mismanagement
SALEM, Ore.— Bend physician and state Rep. Knute Buehler commented on the growing Medicaid scandal that now totals at least $186.4 million in misallocated funds saying it “undermines health care for Oregonians.”
“The continually growing Medicaid scandal under Gov. Brown undermines health care in our state. The governor is failing to provide leadership, unwilling to seek answers and refusing to provide solutions,” said Buehler.
The Portland Tribune’s Claire Withycombe reported that Allen documented two issues. Withycombe wrote those issues relate, “to $44.5 million in possible payment errors; and issues relating to the allocation of about $67.9 million of funds, which range from charging the wrong section of the state’s budget to claiming federal funds for certain procedures that cannot be paid for with federal money.”
Find out more about Knute and his ideas at: KnuteBuehler.com.
8:10: Dr. Dennis Powers, retired Professor of Business Law and local historian joins Bill in studio, for today’s edition of “Visiting Past & Present.”
Con Sellers
By Dennis Powers
The son of a handyman and a homemaker mom, Connie Leslie Sellers, Jr., was born March 1, 1922, in Shubuta, Mississippi. After high school, he enlisted in 1940 in the military and had a seventeen-year career. He married Mary Raineri in 1943 in New Orleans, and they became the parents of two sons, Leonard and Shannon.
Con Sellers experienced combat, primarily during World War II, and was decorated with medals from the United States (Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star), France, England, the Republic of Korea, as well as being awarded the Korean Medal from the United Nations (serving in Korea). While in the military, he began to write. Among other duties, he edited Army newspapers and served as a combat correspondent during the Korean War.
Leaving the Army in 1956, he began writing for a livelihood. In an interview given to Contemporary Authors, he said: “After general discharge from the army for alcoholism, I was thirty-five years old with a wife and two sons, dead broke, and in debt. With some ten years of army PR behind me, writing seemed my only out. I went to school (Monterey Peninsula College: 1957-1958) under the G.I. Bill, mostly to learn how to think like a civilian.”
His passion to earn a decent living started in the sordid trenches of the pulps and men’s magazines. He first wrote macho short stories and articles that were “hairy-chested shoot-em-ups” for men’s magazines, and then moved into the soft pornography, mass-market with quite sexually-liberal content and titles such as “The Business of Wife Swapping” and “Alcoholic Nympho Ward.” He commented that as to those books, there were “no four-letter words but lots of descriptions.”
Con Sellers wrote to make money, not to endear himself to literary critics. In an interview given to the Associated Press, he was quoted: “I can look back and improve on any of them. But I am not ashamed of anything I wrote. If there was a choice between sticking up a grocery store and (not) eating, I’d stick up the grocery store. I had a family to feed.” To Contemporary Authors, he quipped, “Am I ‘commercial’? Damned right; I leave art to the artists—who usually sell insurance or pump gas for a living.”
He and Mary moved to Southern Oregon at Wilderville (ten miles from Grants Pass) in 1961, where under the penname of Robert Crane, he wrote seven suspense books during the sixties about the adventures of a fictional Sargent Corbin during the Korean War. These works were moderately successful. He continued to churn out mass-market pulps to earn the money to live on, earning $750 per book and churning one out every ten days.
It was when he found his agent, Jane R. Berkey, that his writing career turned into real success. Sellers wrote the movie tie-in book in 1970 for the Cliff Robertson and Michael Caine film, “Too Late the Hero,” in which an American Army Lieutenant is assigned to a rag-tag British unit with the mission of destroying a Japanese radio setup on a Philippine island. Eight years later, Sellers was asked to write the tie-in book for the television series, “Dallas,” which he did—and this serialization sold 400,000 copies.
Once his financial fortunes had significantly improved, he could greatly improve their 60-acre ranch named “Bella Maria,” in Wilderville on the Redwood Highway. There, he raised, trained, and showed Morgan horses, and for which he won numerous red and blue ribbons at horse shows that decorated most of one wall in his home office. Having been an Army lightweight boxing champion and an AAU welterweight champion, he also trained and managed boxers in the Tacoma-Seattle area.
In 1977, Con Sellers began teaching a writing class to would-be authors at Rogue Community College in Grants Pass. He told them that if they wanted “to be heard,” that they had to write what people were reading. Over 12 years, his students sold 27 books with advances from $4,000 to $40,000.
Sellers did this himself, changing titles, plots, and characters to suit even competing publishers in making a sale. Sellers continued to write books, but then began working in the 1980s on mass-market, historical romance novels. By then, he was grossing annually $100,000 at a minimum from his writing.
When he had published his last work, Sellers had authored more than 230 novels—mostly historical romances and steamy love stories—under 94 pseudonyms, both female and male, including many that were under his own. He had written hundreds of short stories and screenplays while using more than 60 aliases, this giving him greater flexibility on what he wrote and regardless of the mores of the time.
Con Sellers died on February 2, 1992. Among other media and newspaper coverage, the Associated Press, Washington Post, and Washington Times printed his obituary. He loved this area and lived at his ranch for nearly 25 years until his death. His books were popular in supermarket checkout lines but not literary circles; knowing what it meant to be poor, he wrote for money. And he was quite successful.
Sources: “The University of Southern Mississippi—McCain Library and Archives: Sellers (Con L. papers), at Biography; Jane Seagrave, “Author Con Sellers: The Name Says It All,” Associated Press, January 13, 1983, at 1983 AP Interview; “Author Con Sellers Dies at 69,” Associated Press, The Lewiston Tribune, Feb. 3 , 1992, at Con Sellers Background.
Be sure to grab a copy of Dr. Powers’ new book, “Where Past Meets Present: The Amazing People, Places & Stories of Southern Oregon.”
8:45: Dr. Chris Cannon, Providence Heart Institute cardiologist talks with Bill, live in studio. Today, were talking about new blood pressure guidelines.
High blood pressure redefined for first time in 14 years: 130 is the new high
American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Guidelines
Highlights
- High blood pressure is now defined as readings of 130 mm Hg and higher for the systolic blood pressure measurement, or readings of 80 and higher for the diastolic measurement. That is a change from the old definition of 140/90 and higher, reflecting complications that can occur at those lower numbers.
- In the first update to comprehensive U.S. guidelines on blood pressure detection and treatment since 2003, the category of prehypertension is eliminated.
- While about 14 percent more people will be diagnosed with high blood pressure and counseled about lifestyle changes, there will only be a small increase in those who will be prescribed medication.
- By lowering the definition of high blood pressure, the guidelines recommend earlier intervention to prevent further increases in blood pressure and the complications of hypertension.
Bill’s Guests for: Thursday, November 16, 2017:
6:35: Revrend Rob Schenk, an ordained evangelical minister and President of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute talks with Bill today. In the aftermath of the church massacre in Sutherland Springs, Texas, some pastors and congregation members have resorted to carrying firearms in church. Is this a good thing? Or no?
Learn more about Reverend Schenk at: RevRobSchenk.com, and check out the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute at TDBI.org.
7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors himself from RogueWeather.com, calls in to bring you a special edition of The Water World Boat & Powersport Outdoor Report.
7:35: Colleen Roberts, Jackson County Commissioner joins Bill, live in studio. The Board of Commissioners issued an order at Wednesday’s meeting, detailing its policies to combat smoke and fire miseries that we endured this past summer. We’ll discuss where this could take us.
8:45: Mary Robsman of the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society is coming by to talk about the incredible library that we have here locally as well as personnel that can aide the search for what makes you “YOU”. Researching ancestry is a great pastime made easier with more and more online resources and knowing where to look. For a community our size, our genealogical library is quite exceptional, with books on many local families and resources. Volunteers at the library are well versed on the growing number of online research vehicles such as Ancestry.com and Family Search.
JACKSON COUNTY LIGHTS A FUSE in THE FIRE/SMOKE BATTLE
Gotta’ say It’s a great day! – watched the Jackson County Commission issue Board Order 201-17 this morning, and it’s a real “shot across the bow” against the current status quo on wildfire and smoke. This looks like the start toward reasserting county oversight over the failed green-dominated system we’ve endured for far too long. Board Chair Colleen Roberts joins me Thursday at 7:30 on KMED and KCMD with more details and a breakdown of where this could lead us. Here’s the document. Resolution_Wildfires_Order_No_206_17
Bill’s Guests for: Wednesday, November 15, 2017:
6:35: Rick Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government talks with Bill this morning on the latest goings-on in Mordor on The Potomac. We’ll look at the latest in the Jeff Sessions testimony, and other DC issues affecting you!
Learn more at: NetRightDaily.com.
7:10: Dr. Steven Greenleaf, “Steve The Marine,” retired psychiatrist talks with Bill on pinpointing violent behavior among the mentally ill, and how it could affect gun rights.
7:25: Frank Scarlucci, from the Medford Rifle and Pistol Club joins Bill, in studio to promote this weekend’s 2017 MRPC Turkey Shoot.
When: Saturday, November 18th. 10am.
Where: The Jackson County Sports Park Shooting Complex.
7:35: Lt. Justin Ivens of the Medford Police Department drops by the studio to bring you the Crimestoppers Case of The Week.
Check out more cases on Crimestoppers’ Facebook page.
8:10: Kevin Starrett from the Oregon Firearms Federation talks with Bill today. The shootings in Corning, California have brought forth the question, “Were the signs ignored?” We discuss it.
Learn more at OregonFirearms.org.
(Something tells me Gov. Brown hasn’t seen this)
Bill’s Guests for: Tuesday, November 14, 2017:
6:35: Jeff Kanter, Co-founder of My Academy of Health Excellence talks with Bill today.
What would Amazon, entering the Pharmacy world mean for healthcare? Bill and Jeff discuss.
Read the article on the subject: “Top Healthcare Analyst on How To Play Amazon’s Encroachment on the Industry.”
Learn more at: HealthExcellencePlus.com.
7:35: Oregon State Representative Sal Esquvel calls to bring you a legislative update.
8:10: Dr. Carole Lieberman, Board Certified psychiatrist and author of many books talks with Bill today about how distrespect for the flag and the national anthem, is causing the Army to fill spots by recruiting the mentally ill.
PSYCHIATRIST WARNS: RECRUITING MENTALLY ILL INTO ARMY IS DANGEROUS!
Renowned psychiatrist and terrorism expert, Carole Lieberman, M.D., M.P.H., has treated countless veterans and helped them get benefits for service-connected mental disabilities. She knows the psychological toll that serving in the army can take – especially for those troops who have pre-existing mental problems.
According to Dr. Lieberman, “Disrespect for the American flag and our national anthem has provoked a culture of anti-patriotism and is causing people to dismiss the idea of volunteering for the armed services. The Army has just announced that they are going to try to fill the gap by lifting the ban on waivers for recruits with a history of mental health issues. But, this is a very BAD IDEA.” She continues, “People with pre-existing mental problems are more vulnerable to battle fatigue, PTSD and the exacerbation of their underlying disorders. This makes them a danger to themselves and those who serve with them.”
Learn more about Dr. Carole and find copies of her many books and other accolades at: DrCarole.com. Also, check out Dr. Carole’s books here.
8:50: Sage Taylor from Wamba Juice & Deli drops by the studio for today’s edition of “Whose Business Is It Anyway?”
Bill’s Guests for: Monday, November 13, 2017:
6:35: Kirsten Tynan, of the Fully Informed Jury Association talks with Bill today. CBS Sunday Morning included a story about a group of people, known as the Ungers, who were convicted in trials that included a flawed, pre-1980 jury instruction given by judges to jurors.
They became known as the Ungers, after a 2012 Maryland Court of Appeals ruling overturning a conviction based on an instruction from the judge to the jury that read, in part:
“[A]nything which I may say about the law, including any instructions which I may give you, is merely advisory and you are not in any way bound by it. You may feel free to reject my advice on the law and to arrive at your own independent conclusions.”
Rather than accurately informing jurors of their right of conscientious acquittal-a right that is explicitly stated in Maryland’s state constitution-this flawed wording suggested to jurors that they were equally free to ignore the prosecution’s burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
University of Maryland law school professor Mike Millemann characterized it by saying the implication of the instruction about the constitution was that “It was ‘advice.’ That really nullified the rule of law. So these, in effect, were lawless trials.”
What is conspicuously missing from the report is what Maryland’s constitution actually said-and still says today-in Article 23 of its Declaration of Rights:
“In the trial of all criminal cases, the Jury shall be the Judges of Law, as well as of fact, except that the Court may pass upon the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain a conviction.”
What undermined the rule of law in the instruction was, in fact, not the part about jurors judging the law as well as the facts, but rather the Courts’ failure to “pass upon the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain a conviction” by instructing jurors properly regarding proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Whenever possible, I try to use the term “conscientious acquittal”, introduced to me by Nkechi Taifa some years ago. It stresses the unidirectional nature of jury nullification to protect individual rights as opposed to ignoring the law in order to throw people willy-nilly in jail who have done nothing wrong. I would love to see more people adopt this language, as I think it is a bit more clear on what we advocate.
For Liberty, Justice, and Peace in Our Lifetimes.
Learn more at FIJA.org.
7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors himself, from RogueWeather.com, calls the show to bring you the Monday, Water World Boat & Powersport, Outdoor Report.
8:10: Dr. Dennis Powers, retired Professor of Business Law and local historian, drops by the studio for this week’s edition of “Visiting Past & Present.” Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Dr. Powers’ new book:
“Where Past Meets Present: The Amazing People, Places & Stories of Southern Oregon,” at Hellgate Press.
Dead Indian Memorial Road
By Dennis Powers
First built as a wagon trail from near Ashland to past the Howard Prairie Lake area, Dead Indian Road is one of the oldest routes through Southern Oregon’s Cascades. An Indian agent with Klamath Indians built the pathway from there to the eastern base of the mountains and Wood River valley, to meet up with the wagon trail connecting with Fort Klamath and other points. This dusty wagon road was impassable during the winter, but it was an important connection between Bear Creek Valley and the Upper Klamath Basin, supplying the fort and the settlers in the region. It passed by Dead Indian Creek and Dead Indian Mountain on its way.
How this name came about is not entirely clear, but one account is that local settlers in 1854 discovered the bodies of two Rogue Indians in summer huts (or “wickiups”) in a meadow near the creek’s headwaters. Although it wasn’t known how they died—whether by another tribe, disease, or settlers—the name was given to the creek and mountain.
Another account held that one Fred Alberding was returning to the Oregon Territory and camped off the Applegate Trail in the Siskiyous. Waking up, he discovered that one of his horses was missing. He decided that Indians from a neighboring village were the culprits. He made his way to Ashland and found men who would help him take back his horse and give the Indians a “licking”.
Riding to the area, they intended to attack, but the Indians with their rifles shot first and quite accurately behind the trees. Two settlers were wounded and one died. The next day, soldiers from Fort Lane came to recover the body. Ironically, Alberding’s pony then appeared as it dragged a large tree branch caught in its harness—the same one he had tied the horse to before it disappeared. Buzzards in the air drew the contingent to an abandoned camp where they found at least two, perhaps more, dead Indians. It wasn’t clear who was responsible.
Regardless of which account is accepted, it is clear that in the early- to mid-1850s, the discovery of dead Indians gave rise to the name. The area became known as Dead Indian Prairie, and the when the settlers were working to build the road over the Indian trail, they named it Dead Indian Road.
As the Southern Oregon region developed and Crater Lake discovered, tourists got off the train in Ashland and hired a wagon driver for the ride over Dead Indian Road; traveling northerly (over what is now Highway 140), the visitors headed to the rim for its stunning views. The ride on this road was difficult and tortuous with tight curves, steep side slopes, and a long, rocky ride—even when paved much later. Owing to this, other roads developed over time that were easier to travel, such as Highway 62 from Medford to Crater Lake, or Highway 140 to Upper Klamath Lake.
Despite this, the present road was detoured to avoid the most difficult parts, including being moved as much as one-fifth of a mile away. The thoroughfare now starts from Highway 66 out of Ashland and ends at Highway 140 at the Lake of the Woods.
The name has been controversial for decades. When road markers began to be cut down in protest, the Jackson County Commissioners held hearings and decided in 1993 to change the name to Dead Indian Memorial Road. The commissioners recently decided to leave the name along after the issue was again brought to their attention. A marker has been erected in a gravel turnoff at its intersection with Highway 66 that explains some of the history.
Indians once graced the trail into the mountains, followed by settlers and wagons taking goods into the Klamath Valley. Visitors and tourists followed, as the road became a two-lane, paved highway that heavy log trucks barreled over before such logging was heavily curtailed. It is still a beautiful ride through pristine forests and lakes with history seen along the way.
Sources: Ann Staley, “The Oregon Encyclopedia: Dead Indian Memorial Road,” at About the Road; Bill Miller, “Legend of Dead Indian Memorial Road,” February 20, 2011, Mail Tribune, at Legends about the Name; Associated Press, “Dead Indian Road a Step Closer To Becoming More of a Memorial,” Seattle Times, March 14, 1993, at On the Name Change; Associated Press, “Jackson County opts not to rename Dead Indian Memorial Road,” The Register Guard, Nov. 3, 2017, at Name Change Declined.
Bill’s Guests for: Friday, November 10, 2017:
6:35: Bruce Tedesco, CIO at BGT Data Science in Chicago, a data scientist who specializes in AI (Artificial Intelligence), joins Bill today. Will the emergence of AI create, or kill jobs for flesh and blood human beings?
Read: “Rise Of The Machines: BPO’s Brace for Artificial Intelligence.”
And, you can also read, from RealClearMarkets.com: “Robots Won’t Kill Capitalism, They’ll Rev It Up.”
Like this subject, or have a question for Bruce? Follow him on Twitter: @BruceTedesco.
7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors himself from RogueWeather.com calls in to bring you the Friday, Water World Boat & Powersport Outdoor Report.
8:10: Capt. Bill Simpson, retired U.S. Merchant Marine officer, emergency preparedness expert and journalist with MyOutdoorBuddy.com and The Western Journal, talks with Bill. Today, we’re going to talk about a unique, household item, that just may save you if the power grid goes down.
Read more from Capt. Bill at MyOutdoorBuddy.com and The Western Journal.
Read the article: “An Awesome Survival Tool – The Rat Trap,” at MyOutdoorBuddy.com.
8:35: Timari Davis from Rogue Auctioneers, joins Bill, live in studio for today’s edition of “Whose Business Is It Anyway?”
See more at RogueAuctioneers.com.