From the Editor: Stories from the campaign trail

By Ariel Oliver
Springfield Beacon

We’ve all started to sense the early signs of an extremely important political year ahead of us. Although I’ve stated that I’m more concerned with promoting voter turn-out than personally endorsing parties or candidates in the Beacon, I will from time to time share stories from the campaign trail that I feel our readers may find of particular interest. This is one such story from Senator John McCain.

“As you may know, I spent five and one half years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. In the early years of our imprisonment, the NVA kept us in solitary confinement or two or three to a cell. In 1971 the NVA moved us from these conditions of isolation into large rooms with as many as 30 to 40 men to a room.

This was, as you can imagine, a wonderful change and was a direct result of the efforts of millions of Americans on behalf of a few hundred POWs 10,000 miles from home. One of the men who moved into my room was a young man named Mike Christian.

Mike came from a small town near Selma, Alabama. He didn't wear a pair of shoes until he was 13 years old. At 17, he enlisted in the US Navy. He later earned a commission by going to Officer Training School. Then he became a Naval Flight Officer and was shot down and captured in 1967. Mike had a keen and deep appreciation of the opportunities this country and our military provide for people who want to work and want to succeed.

As part of the change in treatment, the Vietnamese allowed some prisoners to receive packages from home. In some of these packages were handkerchiefs, scarves and other items of clothing. Mike got himself a bamboo needle. Over a period of a couple of months, he created an American flag and sewed on the inside of his shirt.

Every afternoon, before we had a bowl of soup, we would hang Mike's shirt on the wall of the cell and say the Pledge of Allegiance. I know the Pledge of Allegiance may not seem the most important part of our day now, but I can assure you that in that stark cell it was indeed the most important and meaningful event.

One day the Vietnamese searched our cell, as they did periodically, and discovered Mike's shirt with the flag sewn inside, and removed it. That evening they returned, opened the door of the cell, and for the benefit of all of us, beat Mike Christian severely for the next couple of hours. Then they opened the door of the cell and threw him in. We cleaned him up as well as we could.

The cell in which we lived had a concrete slab in the middle on which we slept. Naked light bulbs hung in each corner of the room. As I said, we tried to clean up Mike as well as we could. After the excitement died down, I looked in the corner of the room, and sitting there beneath that dim light bulb with a piece of red cloth, another shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian.

He was sitting there, with his eyes almost shut from the beating he had received, making another American flag. He was not making the flag because it made Mike Christian feel better. He was making that flag because he knew how important it was to us to be able to pledge our allegiance to our flag and country.

So the next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, you must never forget the sacrifice and courage that thousands of Americans have made to build our nation and promote freedom around the world.

You must remember our duty, our honor, and our country.” - Senator John McCain

From the Editor: Thank You Springfield!

Our first year: From a seed of possibility

By Ariel Oliver
Springfield Beacon

All of our readers have now gotten a taste of what we are all about. What a wonderful year of stories and events we’ve had the pleasure to share with our hometown! As the new year rolls over into 2008, our community newspaper marks its completion of our first year as well. On Dec. 21 we celebrated our 52nd edition and as editor, I found myself giving out a huge sigh of relief, quickly followed by a stirring of excitement for all the issues yet to be born.

For anyone who knows me they know I’m full of old adages. My favorite these days is: “Be careful what you ask for in life, you might just get it.”

Yes, I asked for this. All of it! This town that I’ve grown to love, the river that wakes me up every morning and comforts my soul before I go sleep at night, the strangers that treat me like I’m their long lost best friend… all of it!

The work load has been daunting at times but as with anything worthwhile in life, I’ve learned it’s not the load that breaks you down. It’s the way you carry it. Fortunately for all of us at the Beacon, our support for this hometown paper from our family, friends, neighbors and citizens has been so overwhelmingly positive that there is truly no other place we would rather be.

Of course it takes more than an editor to fill the pages of your newspaper week after week. I certainly haven’t done it alone. Our publisher, Erik Jonsson, has given not only me, but this entire city a gift of generosity in being willing to finance this endeavor. My assistant editor, Emily Panter, has been working with me side by side every issue. Her well-rounded skills and willingness to excel in whatever she does has been a cornerstone of this paper from the start.

My partner, Michael Twitty, an Oregonion through and through, who has mentored me throughout the entire process. My son, Bashi, an artist, graphic designer and far more skilled in computers than myself, helps us create the visual appeal that is truly the signature of our publication. I would also like to recognize Todd Peterson who first brought us the concept of “Fifty Artists: Fifty Weeks.” Todd is another one of those versatile and creative individuals who kept bringing us such wonderful ideas we had to hire him.

Additionally we are fortunate to live in a thriving artistic community where individuals like Chris Mihulka, Dorothy Velasco, Rachel Christ, Austin Berger, George Beres, Richard Reed, Daniel Wolfe, Sara VanOrsdell and cartoonist Christopher Carter all reside and have found their way to our front door this first year to help us out.

We are a small publishing family. Many of our readers aren’t aware of how small we actually are. Following in the footsteps of our predecessor, The Springfield News, most tend to think that we are still located in the same building on Laura Street, employing thirty or more with a budget similar to that of Lee Enterprises who owned it the last years before they closed down most of their Oregon weeklies.

I worked for Lee Enterprises and The Springfield News so I can share with you this. About the only thing we have in common is that we both have published a newspaper for this growing city. Lee is the fourth largest publisher in the U.S. and we have to be one of the smallest! Lee employed between 30 to 50 employees for The Springfield News and we employ two full time, three part timers and a handful of interns, volunteers and columnists who donate their hours freely.

I have always had the philosophy that “if you build it…they will come” and come they have! Journalism interns seek us out so that they can realize their dream of seeing their written words in print. Sheila and Sue, two community volunteers drop by on Tuesdays when they know we’re always in need of extra hands to fold, label and mail that weeks edition out, bringing with them the heart of what this paper is all about…. the voices of our own hometown.

Yes, we are proud how this seed of possibility is beginning to blossom. When we hear the comments our readers tell us, “I can’t wait to get our paper each week.” …” I read it from front to back and then pass it on to my friends.” …. “Your front page is so refreshingly positive.”…. “Your unbiased approach to journalism is a rare treat.”…. “Your sincerity shows.”….. and yes, it goes on and on, reminding each of us how fortunate we are to be a part of nurturing this Springfield community paper into full bloom.

As this first year has come to a close we just want to share with all of you, those we know personally and those we’ve never met, how honored we are to be living our dream with all of you in it!

Thank you to all the business owners who have chosen to support our newspaper with their advertising dollars! Thank you to our post office who has helped to expedite our mailed delivery! Thank you to our City leaders who have forgiven us for not being able to attend all of their meetings yet continue to take the time out of their own busy schedule to talk with us!

Thank you to our schools, our churches and our non-profit organizations who help us stay informed with upcoming events and stories of local people making a difference….. and most of all, thank you to our readers for letting us know how appreciated we are!

Happy New Year to all!