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Thornton packs it in By BUFFY POLLOCK CENTRAL POINT - Anyone who believes the old saying, "You can't fight city hall," hasn't been to the downtown Old Center Cafe. A dozen regulars meet around the old horseshoe counter every morning to chat with the man who disproved the tired clich�. But Larry Thornton - a local business owner and occasionally city hall's worst nightmare - is packing up and heading out of town. Thornton and his wife, Glenna, are moving to Florence to care for their elderly mothers. But they'll leave behind a legacy of confronting City Council on numerous issues on which they disagreed. The Thorntons, owners of the cafe on East Pine since December 1995, sold their shop to Medford resident Julie Porter at the end of last month. Recalling their involvement in city issues the past five-and-a-half years, the couple that will insist all day long they "aren't very political" have had more than their share of battles with City Council. Thornton, known particularly for his efforts in an unsuccessful recall effort against Mayor Bill Walton and three council members, said his battles against the city began with small things, such as fighting to keep the Purple Parrot from opening another outlet on the same block. "It would've been too much gambling," remembered Thornton. Eventually, Thornton's skirmishes led to bigger fights, ones that his customers at the Center Cafe supported. "Like that stupid smoking ordinance," offered Medford resident and customer Tom Rice. Thornton was successful in forcing the City Council to put a non-smoking ordinance to a public vote. "That's the stupidest thing they've put on yet," Rice said. "Like it was really supposed to set a good example for the kids. You can drive down to the high school and watch the kids lighting up." Thornton laughed. "Ever since then, they (city officials) have been pretty low-profile. We made them realize that they have to listen to people." Rice, a customer since 1968, said he was sad to see the Thorntons, "some of few watchdogs of right and wrong," leaving a town for which they'd done some good. "They were a good influence and really made the city answer questions they normally wouldn't have to deal with," said Rice. Other regulars sat together Friday morning sipping 75-cent coffee from mismatched mugs and wishing there were more citizens like the Thorntons to put a stop to "too much government." Willie Fischer, 75, a customer of the Old Center Cafe since he was 19, said he hated to see the city lose "people like them." "We're losing two great citizens. It just seems like all the mom-and-pop places are gone. At least it's going to stay open," he said. Thornton said he originally planned to close the cafe, established "seven owners ago" in 1942, but he "just couldn't do it." "We considered moving it all to the coast, but got to listening to the people. Some actually cried. We couldn't take this from them. It's their second home," he said. "We were fortunate to find someone who wanted to keep it for the people." Porter, who will take over June 1, said she bought the cafe with intentions of keeping it "pretty much the same." "I saw the ad and thought it sounded perfect. It's not a mad crazy place. It has a real mellow, relaxed atmosphere. I basically get to sit out front and chat with everybody." Porter said she wasn't sure she could "fill the same shoes." "A city needs someone to do that, but it's just not me. I'm not a very political person so I won't be as involved politically. "I'll just keep my opinion to myself," she added. "Unless they start passing some really wacky laws and stuff. I may have to get down there and say 'all right, what's going on?'" Mayor Walton said he wished Thornton "good luck in all his endeavors," and that, looking back, he realized a city had to have "people on both sides to keep the balance." "There's always people on every issue that's opposed and that's healthy for a city. They give you a different perspective and help to refine and make adjustments to things we do as a city." After being a thorn in the city's side for so many years, Thornton seemed certain that his departure would be celebrated at city hall. "They're celebrating right now. Is there any doubt in your mind?" But Glenna Thornton promised a return. "It isn't going to stop," she said. "We'll stay active. I think we're going to burn the phone lines up between Florence and CP. We've told everyone that we have a motor home and they have front yards and anytime we're needed here, we will be back." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.