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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, May 14, 2003
CARLSBAD, Calif. – This was going to be a difficult
column (for me) because of all that I wanted to cram in. But
now it’s Monday of this week, and I’m not wanting to bur-
den the staff with having to reset a glob of copy, so I’m go-
ing to keep it short.
Arrived at Lindbergh Field/San Diego International Air-
port on Thursday last. Daughter Vicki and granddaughter
Natalie picked me up, and we went to see my uncle at
Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma overlooking
the Silver Strand with Coronado (the city, not the explorer),
plus North Island Naval Air Station, and the lovely skyline
of Downtown San Diego. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo is cred-
ited with being the first European to set foot in these parts.
No one believes that he is my uncle.
Next day we went to the San Diego Zoo, where we saw a
diving polar bear, galloping gorillas, and several hundred
schoolchildren on tour. Had a great time with Vic and Nat,
plus my cousin, Micheline. Also had a fine lunch in Albert’s
Restaurant, named for a famous gorilla at the zoo.
I’ve been walking on Tamarack Beach here; took my
mom for brunch in honor of her on Mothers Day; and took
Amtrak from Oceanside to the Santa Fe Depot in San Diego.
Went to Old Town San Diego, where no one would believe
that Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo is my uncle. Great place to
visit.
El Jefe is on a nostalgia trip. Told you I’d keep it short
this week. But wait until next issue.
Riverside Physical Therapy
Full Rehabilitation Services:
•Physical Therapy
•Occupational Therapy
•Speech Therapy
TWO LOCATIONS
TO SERVE YOU
Cave Junction Office
218 N. Redwood Hwy.
(541) 592-6580
grants Pass Office
1619 N.W. Hawthorne Ave.
Suite 109
(541) 476-2502
•Mike Johnson, P.T.
•Jeff Wood, M.S., P.T.
(Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary expressed in
letters to the editor are
strictly those of the letter-
writers.
* * *
Typed,
double-spaced
letters are acceptable for
consideration.
Hand-
written letters that are
double-spaced and highly
legible also can be con-
sidered for publication.
Cards of thanks are not
accepted as letters.)
* * *
‘No Heart’
From Shirley Merrill
O’Brien
Shortly before noon on
May, 1, I was driving along a
U.S. Forest Service road
southeast of O’Brien to pick
up my mail. I found two little
kittens huddled in a sunny
spot alongside the road. I
drove past them to a wide spot
to turn around and go back to
try and rescue them. This is
usually a futile effort, as most
domestic animals are fright-
ened and run away into the
brush by the time they are no-
ticed.
I stopped the car approxi-
mately 25 feet from them,
stepped out and called “kitty,
kitty.” To my surprise, they
immediately ran to me and let
me pick them up. I was a little
wary as I had two small dogs
in my car, but the kittens and
dogs were fine with each
other.
I can’t believe that some-
one would abandon kittens to
the weather, predators, or star-
vation in a forest. These indi-
viduals are scum-sucking bot-
tom dwellers without any
character at all.
This is not the first time
this has happened. What few
neighbors we have out this
way have often expressed
their distress at seeing aban-
doned animals in this area.
The place I found the kittens
is at least one mile away from
the nearest house. The good
news is, with one phone call,
we found a rescue shelter
happy to take the kittens.
My husband and I have a
message for these cowardly
lowlifes - if we ever catch
you, we will see that you are
prosecuted to the full extent of
the law. We are tired of seeing
small, helpless animals aban-
doned without any hope of
survival.
They are probably the
same ones that dump trash
along that very same road.
Kittens are not trash, but these
jerks are.
‘Problem and Solu-
tion’
Illinois Valley News
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and
published by Robert R. (Bob) and Jan Rodriguez
Bob Rodriguez, Editor El Jefe
Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post Office as
Official Newspaper for Josephine County and Josephine County
Three Rivers School District, published at 321 S. Redwood Hwy.,
Cave Junction, OR 97523
Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523
Post Office Box 1370 USPS 258-820
Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
Volume 66, No. 8
Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild,
Chris Robertson, Sharon Silva & Becky Loudon
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES:
News, Classified & Display Ads,
Announcements & Letters
3 P.M. FRIDAY
(Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be accepted
until Noon, Monday with an additional charge.)
POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ welcomes letters to
the editor provided they are of general interest, in good taste,
legible and not libelous. All letters must be signed, using
complete name, and contain the writer’s address and telephone
number. The latter need not be published, but will be used to
verify authenticity. The ‘News’ reserves the right to edit letters.
One letter per person per month. Letters are used at the
discretion of the publisher. Unpublished letters are neither
acknowledged nor returned. A prepaid charge may be levied if a
letter is inordinately long in the editor's opinion.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One year in Josephine County - $20.80
One year in Jackson and Douglas Counties - $24.40
One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state -$28
POSTMASTER:
Please send address changes to
P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR. 97523
Jack Murphy
Grants Pass
This is an open letter to
your readers to consider tak-
ing corrective action on: The
problem! None of our Social
Security retirement benefits
are actually guaranteed by
law.
The United States Su-
preme Court ruled in Fleming
v. Nester (1960) that Ameri-
cans have no legal right to
their Social Security benefits.
Congress can reduce your
benefits (they have) or even
increase your taxes you pay
on your benefits (they have)
and reduce cost of living ad-
justments (COLAs) at any
time at its complete discretion.
This is a terrible threat
hanging over every retiree and
near-retiree. As an example of
how Americans’ retirement
income can be suddenly re-
duced, in 1993 former Presi-
dent Clinton, with the ap-
proval of Congress, greatly
increased the seniors-only tax
on Social Security benefits,
cutting the income of millions
who had paid Social Security
taxes their whole lives. Not to
mention the fact that each year
more middle-class seniors are
slapped with this extra tax. As
a good first step, Congress
should pass legislation that
gives seniors a written guaran-
tee of their Social Security
benefits.
The ultimate solution is
for every working American
and retirees to actually own as
personal property the money
they, and their employers, pay
into their Social Security. We
have a serious and active ad-
vocate in the United Seniors
Association who is leading the
effort to ensure Congress
clearly guarantees our Social
Security benefits, by passing
the Social Security Benefits
Guarantee Act H.R. 812.
Your action is needed
now. Here are the things you
need to do to get the ball roll-
ing to a successful comple-
tion. 1. Call your Representa-
tive, urge him/her to support
this legislation. 2. Call your
Senators; urge them to intro-
duce the same bill in the Sen-
ate. 3. Visit United Seniors
Association’s Web site,
www.unitedseniors.org and
send an e-mail or fax to your
Congressman/woman and
Senators. 4. Get five friends to
do the same and phone five
more people. 5. Get the word
out to others by writing letters
to the editor of your local
newspaper, call into radio talk
shows and speak at local com-
munity group meetings. 6.
Phone United Seniors Asso-
ciation at (800) 887-2872 for
more information.
Cave Junction
In last week’s ‘Noose,’ I
read the two articles relating
to the Josephine County peti-
tion for a new county charter.
Although the article by Bob
Rodriquez was accurate and
informative, I found the article
from the opinion of the Board
of Commissioners complete
“bunk.”
If the valley is what Jim
Brock said is their “special
place,” why are they not sup-
porting us here. They have
back paddled on very impor-
tant issues here. Where is the
support to the I.V. Pool?
Where is the support for law
enforcement? Where is their
support for our senior meal
programs?
(Continued on page 3)
(R)
‘Yes on charter’
From Lynn Boucher
WOMEN IN BLACK
AN INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT OF WOMEN FOR PEACE
WHO WE ARE…
We are an international movement of women of conscience, from all
nationalities and faiths. We stand for justice, civil society, and peaceful
co-existence. We stand against policies that kill, destroy cities, force
migration and annihilate human relations. We oppose all forms of local and
global violence: war, terrorism, militarism, interethnic conflict, the arms
industry, nuclear weapons, racism, and violence against women and children.
What unites us is a commitment to justice and a world free of violence; a
shared vision of peace, compassion, and justice.
WHAT WE DO…
We hold peace vigils and protest violence. Each vigil is autonomous, setting
its own policy and guidelines, though in all vigils we wear black, symbolizing
the tragedy of victims of violence. We are silent because words cannot express
the tragedy that hatred and war bring.
RECOGNITIONS…
In 2001, Women in Black (WIB) were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
We were honored with the Millennium Peace Prize for Women (UNIFEM).
WIB in Israel won the Aachen Peace Prize (1991), the peace
award of the city of San Giovanni d’Asso in Italy (1994), and the Jewish
Peace Fellowship’s “Peacemaker Award” (2001).
OUR ORIGINS…
WIB began in Jerusalem in 1988, when Israeli and Palestinian women stood
courageously together at a busy intersection to protest the
occupation of Palestine. They drew inspiration for a public vigil from mothers
in Argentina who stood vigil carrying pictures of their missing loved ones.
The Black Sash movement in South Africa, whose members wore black to
protest apartheid, inspired them to wear black.
WORLDWIDE…
Solidarity vigils sprang up in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia. By
1990, they had formed in many countries, for many reasons. In Italy, WIB is a
large, important movement standing for justice for immigrants and for
international peace. In Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia, WIB set an inspiring
example of interethnic cooperation, taking to the streets in wartime, holding
seminars, and publishing books. In Mexico, WIB has joined indigenous
peoples in calling for their rights. In Germany, they have protested
neo-Nazism, racism against immigrant workers, and nuclear weapons.
WE MEET EVERY MONDAY, FROM NOON TO 12:30 P.M.
IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY BUILDING IN
CAVE JUNCTION, COME WHEN YOU CAN
WEAR BLACK, WE STAND FOR PEACE.
FOR MORE INFO, PHONE: 592-6563, 597-2340 OR 592-2266