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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 17, 2005 Gene and Kellie Johnson host a cell tower on their property in Central Point in exchange for $1,000 a month. It�s made to look like a water tower to better blend in with its surroundings. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Stealth cell towers abound Structures made to look like water towers, trees, flagpoles, and even a church steeple contain cell phone transmitters By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune It looks like a very tall water tower, but it’s not. "We love it," said Central Point resident Kellie Johnson of her cell tower off Beall Lane. "It’s our cash cow." Johnson and her husband, Gene, get $1,000 a month from U.S. Cellular to house the 80-foot tower in their backyard, next to a pond filled with ducks and pastures filled with goats and a mule. Kellie Johnson said they had recently heard about residents in Talent who are upset over a proposed cell tower on Suncrest Road. "They’re unfairly judging without knowing," said Johnson, 61. Advertisement The Johnsons have lived with their tower for two years. But they acknowledge neighbors didn’t like the idea at first. "All the neighbors were up in arms," she said. "They thought there would be traffic at all hours. There was none of that." To improve the aesthetics of cell towers, U.S. Cellular has installed three so-called "stealth towers" in Jackson County. One, designed to look like a tree, is located on Hillcrest Road near the Rogue Valley Country Club. Another, on North Phoenix Road near Barnett Road, looks like a flag pole at the Scottish Rite Center. Calvin Emigh, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Medford, said there are many ways cell towers are concealed. He’s even seen one made to look like a cactus, and another concealed in the steeple of a church. In Sedona, Ariz., a cell tower was hidden inside a fiberglass rock to blend in with the scenery. Some cell towers are even installed on top of real water towers, he said. Emigh said U.S. Cellular towers operate at relatively low frequencies of 800 megahertz. Other cellular carriers could operate at other frequencies, he said. Microwave ovens operate at 2,450 megahertz. Residents outside Talent have complained to Jackson County about a 60-foot tower proposed by Verizon Wireless. One of the residents, Arthur Alfinito, worries that a cell tower next to his property could be dangerous to nearby residents’ health. A Verizon spokesman disagreed, saying there is no scientific evidence to support Alfinito’s claims. Verizon is also planning to install a faux chimney to conceal a cell tower in the 600 block of Valley View Road near Ashland. Gene Johnson, 63, said he thought his tower was perfectly safe. He and his wife chose the water tower because it blended in with their farm setting. They also had the choice of a windmill, pine tree and palm tree, among many others. The legs of the tower have rusted, and the tank looks like it is made from weathered wood as you look at it from the ground. Johnson said most neighbors don’t seem to mind it. "We’ve had people who drive out and want to look at it because it looks so neat," he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail Stealth cell towers abound ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Advertisement s