Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Man wearing KISS-style wig robs AmericanWest Standing Stone owners to open Medford brewpub and restaurant Jackson County considering buffer between parks and marijuana dispensaries Auditions for youth musical set at Camelot Talent leaders remember Brian Roberts as champion for civil liberties, water system improvements Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Man wearing KISS-style wig robs AmericanWest Gold Hill man charged with arson Two arrested in Medford drug raid Emergency services Oregon AG sues White City company over subscription scam Politics and Elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for one year Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Special election: Jackson County voters OK marijuana tax Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state Education New SOU board hikes tuition 5 percent Southern Oregon Education Service District superintendent to retire in June Which comes first: The rocket or the egg? Medford School District one of most accident-prone in state Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Environment A sea-foam change Rogue Valley lions on their way to California Corps hopes to clear Lost Creek Lake of debris Beetles taking toll on Ashland pines Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 State News Coal export terminal gets water-quality approval from Oregon Blaze destroys high school cafeteria Governor orders mandatory water restrictions in California Navy vet recalls a time of MAD, and nukes in Vietnam Seaside moves closer to allowing pot dispensaries Nation - World Obituaries Gary Dahl Death Notices Edward Thomas Reichenbach Frederick David Schatz James Francis Poole Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Olympic champ gets Oregon pick-me-up Serena earns 700th win at Miami UO’s Addison returns from knee injury South’s Fisher ties for third in SWC opener North dominates in SWC opener Varsity 541 College Sports UO’s Addison returns from knee injury Randle sets record, leads Stanford in NIT UConn coaches won’t go to Indiana for Final Four Coaches hired for league-bound RCC Looking for a leader Pro Sports Serena earns 700th win at Miami Patriots owner Kraft testifies in Hernandez trial Djokovic triumphs, but Venus Williams falls Cubs' Lester frustrated by Bryant’s demotion Ko rolls toward LPGA history Community Sports Business Latest Stories Standing Stone owners to open Medford brewpub and restaurant A study in fine-tuned artistry Cars We Remember: ‘Topper’ movie car most memorable After being sidelined by blindness, Stan Moore returns to the bike business in Medford Mandatory paid sick leave gets mixed reviews Real Estate News East McAndrews Road sees a resurgence in commercial projects Business briefs: March 7 New construction prices jump 18.2 percent in Jackson County People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Rogue Disposal plans natural gas fueling site Alaska, United Express boost Medford airport to record February CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Agriculture Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Harry & David announces new president Opinion Latest Our View: The tangled web at Medford's Northgate Centre Letters to the Editor, April1 Kathleen Parker: Religious freedom is a two-way street Landgren cartoon: European travel essentials Our View: Lawmakers ending a small annoyance in the law Editorials Our View: The tangled web at Medford's Northgate Centre Our View: Lawmakers ending a small annoyance in the law Other Views: Sage grouse listing would be unfortunate Our View: Phoenix lion sanctuary was a missed opportunity Other Views: Gun background check bill won't make us safer Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, April1 Letters to the Editor, March 31 Letters to the Editor, March 30 Letters to the Editor, March 29 Letters to the Editor, March 28 Columns Kathleen Parker: Religious freedom is a two-way street Guest Opinion: Marijuana offers Oregon benefits, drawbacks Kathleen Parker: A leap of faith — into thin air George Will: Remembrance of Clintons past Dana Milbank: The end of the White House's insularity? Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Marijuana offers Oregon benefits, drawbacks Guest Opinion: How to end the influence of money in elections Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Guest Opinion: Guest Opinion: Raise your voice against child abuse Lifestyle Latest stories Fish on: Winter steelhead fishing is so good on the upper Rogue that even rookies can limit out Tips for catching winter steelhead in the upper Rogue Page H. Onorato: What’s on the menu for Easter? Page H. Onorato: Leftover ham and eggs make for some yummy dishes after Easter Carol Link: It’s time to get into shape for spring yard work Food Page H. Onorato: Leftover ham and eggs make for some yummy dishes after Easter The journey from inspiration to written recipe Tammy Kelly: Lighten up traditional Easter desserts Kitchen Call: Goat cheese recipes worth bleating over Community blog: Try slightly smoky baked beans instead of refried Home and Garden Carol Link: It’s time to get into shape for spring yard work Dear Monty: Relocation brings pay raise and challenges Garden Cameos: Planning for a fragrant garden year round Paul Rogers: Choose the right tool for job in the garden Home Help: Easy enhancements for your master closet Health Brent St. Germain: Feeling the burn again HealthStyle: Normal anxiety or anxiety disorder? Community blog: How to Get Rid of a Tension Headache St. Mary's student helps others with diabetes Community blog: Sleep Tight: Making Your Bed, Body and Mind Ready for Rest Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Religion News: Presbyterian Church gives approval on same-sex marriage Religion briefs: Friday, March 13 More religion events in the Rogue Valley Milestones and Achievements Haga-Parks Exercise helps special-needs kids adjust to airport procedures Engagement: Workman-Wright Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Sweetwater String Band at Oberon's Tavern in Ashland Rising Stars raises $10,000 for LIFE Art ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ plays the Craterian Theater Here's Tempo's top five picks for live entertainment this week The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Theater Auditions for youth musical set at Camelot Review: From past into present in OSF's 'Long Day's Journey' ‘A Dream of Red Pavilions’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Review: Education and its discontents Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Music Sweetwater String Band at Oberon's Tavern in Ashland Rising Stars raises $10,000 for LIFE Art ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ plays the Craterian Theater Futurebirds play the Brickroom in Ashland The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Community Events Get Up & Go: April 1 Rogue Valley artist Linda Evans' pastel paintings capture landscapes of Southern Oregon Ashland Independent Film Festival announces this year's lineup OSF Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Dining Restaurant Inspections: March 29 Basque-inspired cuisine at Eleven in Ashland Parsing the meaning behind wine medals and scores Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 22 Jasmine Thai Cuisine Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Man wearing KISS-style wig robs AmericanWest ... Standing Stone owners to open Medford brewpub and restaurant ... Jackson County considering buffer between parks and marijuana dispensaries ... Man wearing KISS-style wig robs AmericanWest ... Standing Stone owners to open Medford brewpub and restaurant ... Jackson County considering buffer between parks and marijuana dispensaries ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: Raise your voice against child abuse By Megan Dolmage MailTribune.com By Megan Dolmage Posted Mar. 22, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Megan Dolmage Posted Mar. 22, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Recently you may have read an article titled “For how long will we look the other way,” by my good friend Danielle Ellison. In her article she mentioned a 2-month-old boy who was abused by his biological father. What you do not know is that that baby is my son. This story is not comical, nor is it romantic. It is the truth — raw and unpreserved truth. Let me start by posing this question: Is it wrong to ask for justice? My life changed when my beautiful baby boy was brought into this world. I never knew that complete and utter perfection could exist in a 7-pound, blue-eyed boy. Then, unexpectedly, my life changed again, and not in the way I thought. May 22, 2013, is a day that will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life. Any questions I had about my fiancé were answered, any doubts I had about my relationship were clearly brought to light. My son was taken to Oregon Health and Science University with multiple fractures throughout the body, strangulation, retinal hemorrhages in the right eye, and subdural hematoma to the right side of his brain. I remember everything so vividly. I remember the hallway to the pediatric intensive care unit, I remember the color of the walls, I remember the smell of sterile medical equipment, and I remember seeing my defenseless baby asleep, covered in casts and monitors. “I’m sorry; he is too broken to touch right now.” the nurse stated. I couldn’t nurse my baby. When he would cry I couldn’t pick him up to comfort him; all I could do was wait for doctors to tell me the next step to take. My son was taken for a full magnetic resonance imaging appointment. My mother held my hand as I sat and cried and prayed that they would tell me he was going to be OK and that I could take him home. Sitting in that dark room his neurosurgeon walked in and told me that the bleeding had stopped and that we were going to be able to move to a new floor. Later, I received a phone call from the detective that was assigned to our case. His words were so haunting that I couldn’t even walk straight. To hear him confirm that my ex fiancé had a history of abuse in the form of sexual offenses made me go mad. I was upset, I was confused, I felt betrayed, abused, and destroyed. I was angry, in a form that was foreign to me. Today my son suffers from shaken baby syndrome, epilepsy, cortical visual impairment, cerebral palsy and developmental delays. Our days are filled with medication, physical therapy and doctor visits. After a year of legal battles involving bail hearings, district attorney meetings, plea bargains and court dates, my ex-fiancé was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for assault, not child abuse. Four and a half years for almost taking the life of a 2-month-old baby. A baby who had no idea what was happening to him, no way of protecting himself, and no voice. Can you call that justice? Shaken baby syndrome is defined as an “injury to a baby caused by being shaken violently and repeatedly.” However, what you may not know is that shaken baby syndrome hardly ever has any visible signs. To look at a child you would have no way of knowing that there were broken bones or retinal damage. My son had old fractures and new fractures throughout his body, on top of severe head and retinal trauma. You cannot put a time frame on a crime such as child abuse. There is no expiration date for altering a life, and there is no explanation that can justify why someone would decide to harm an infant. No child ever deserves to experience that kind of pain. I am a single mother to a child with special needs, but I am a mother nonetheless, I am also a mother who is determined to make a difference. I am determined to have my story heard, I am determined to see my son learn to walk, I am determined to raise my voice. Now I ask you to raise yours.   By Megan Dolmage MailTribune.com By Megan Dolmage Posted Mar. 22, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501