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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, October 1, 2003
Time again for the editor to ramble about the car
trip he and Jan took more than a month ago to San
Diego for my mother’s memorial service.
Time was when the editor could drive 900 miles
in 18 hours non-stop except for a few breaks to inhale
cheeseburgers and freedom fries with vanilla milk-
shakes. And to use restrooms. That time is past.
On the land voyage Jan and I took, we averaged
350 miles per day, literally taking it easy and stopping
about every place we thought looked interesting. This
is apparently a reaction to the fact that both our fa-
thers would not stop to look at anything even if a T.
Rex popped up or if they saw a battleship cruising
down the highway. I mean, they were dedicated to
making time come lava flows or 40-foot-tall waves.
Something like that.
Anyway, we (El Jefe) drove like a man possessed,
averaging 80 to 90 mph. I can say this now that the
trip is concluded, and none of those highway patrol
cars have caught up with us yet. Actually, we were
just going with the flow. It’s amazing out there on In-
terstate 5 in the center of the Golden State, where the
Indy 500 might take second place.
We had mostly good luck with motels and restau-
rants. Although there was one eatery where we or-
dered our food, waited 40 minutes, and finally walked
out in disgust (that might be the name of the town).
As we were heading out, the waitress called, “Are you
guys leaving?” I didn’t even bother to look at her. I
mean, 40 minutes for plain food? Give me a break.
Then there was the Motel From Hell on the way
back. It was designed by a man who formerly built the
pyramids, complete with secret passages, long corri-
dors, and odd stairways. Plus no elevator to the base-
ment, which is where our room was. We also enjoyed
finding a black, curly hair in the bed; and noted that
one pillow wasn't even wearing a pillowcase.
When we phoned the front desk to complain, the
girl didn’t know what to do. We suggested another
room, and fortunately there was a vacant one across
the hall, so we didn’t have to haul our junk too far. To
quote Rodney Dangerfield, “I don’t want to say the
room was small, but the mice were hunchbacked.”
The only saving grace was that the clerk earlier
recommended a nearby restaurant, Los Pinios, and the
food and service were excellent.
So we rolled up and down I-5 (in our van) and had
a right good time for the most part. Although the fuel
we bought then was going for like almost $2.50 a gal-
lon. Good grief. Quite fuelish prices.
Unfortunately, driving the I-5 corridor and around
San Diego County spoiled me. Or at least my right
foot. I want to go California Fast all the time now.
Support the merchants who advertise
in the ‘Illinois Valley News’
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
(Editor’s
Note:
Views and commen-
tary expressed in let-
ters to the editor are
strictly those of the
letter-writers.
* * *
Typed,
double-
spaced letters are ac-
ceptable for consid-
eration. Hand-written
letters that are double-
spaced and highly
legible also can be
considered for publi-
cation.
Cards
of
thanks are not ac-
cepted as letters.)
** *
‘ Bananas ’
From
William
Schneider
Cave Junction
The powerful presence
of the Women in Black
causes me to focus in on
the many issues involved
with the reasons that these
women and friends are
inspired to stand silent and
strong for what they be-
lieve.
They cause me to look
deep into the sad melan-
choly of the present state
of human affairs and I find
myself coming away feel-
ing, in all honesty and
somewhat helplessly, like
a hypocrite.
I was born in Ger-
many, a place where some
of the most evil entities
known to human kind had
their way with the wives,
sons, daughters and hus-
bands, grandfathers and
grandmothers of millions
of people until the heavy
hand of violent war put a
stop to it.
I spent fourth and fifth
grade in Korea where I
witnessed for the first time
the utter poverty of people
trying to scrape a meal out
of the bomb cratered land-
scape after the Korean
War. Now I hear and read
about some spoiled brat of
a man holding hostage of
23 million wretchedly poor
and starving people, and
threatening horrendous
violence on the world if he
doesn’t get his way.
All my life I have been
hearing about the millions
of Africans dying over the
years from war, starvation,
diseases and broken hearts,
while the world looks on.
I see in the world to-
day a great and heavy evil
force that appears to be
getting strong by the day.
A force that needs to be
confronted and held in
check by whatever means
necessary, short of becom-
ing the monster we are
trying to subdue.
I have a hard time
smiling and saying, “Peace
b r o t h e r , l o v e yo u r
neighbor, forgive your en-
emy,” while our global
neighbors are causing
mayhem and death all
around the world.
Volume 66, No. 28
Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild,
Chris Robertson, Steve Fairchild & 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
All proceeds
benefit
ILLINOIS
VALLEY
SAFE HOUSE
ALLIANCE
7 chances to WIN
Prize packages valued
at $100 - $500 each
Tickets at these locations:
*The Book Exchange
*Cabin Chemistry
*Junction Inn
*Rising Suns Gift Store
*Tender Treasures
*Holland Store
*Boarding House
Reach
*O’Brien County Store
Tickets are $5 each
and 5 for $20.
I have a hard time
minding my own business
when the body parts of our
global neighbors’ children
are flying through the air
from exploding busses
caused by handsomely
paid suicide bombers.
Bought and paid for by the
leaders of some of our
global neighbors. How can
I turn away and pretend or
vainly hope these events
don’t affect me.
I have to ask myself
how much peace and love
would I have in my heart if
the atrocities of the world
were happening across the
street or in my home.
I have the greatest re-
spect for those who give of
themselves in the name of
peace. Women in Black
included. I also have the
greatest respect for the
men and women who have
laid down their lives and
who put their lives in
harms way to insure that
the Women in Black have
a place to stand without the
fear of imprisonment, tor-
ture, and or death, and who
protect my right to express
my extreme disappoint-
ment, but no surprise, in a
president who, it appears,
blatantly lied about the
supposed weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq.
In my heart of hearts I
know there is peace in the
great force that is God. I
also know that war does
not bring peace, as I have
said before, it only buys
time. Love brings the
peace. I have to ask myself
how much love can a peo-
ple generate when they are
being robbed, raped and
murdered on a daily basis
in very embarrassingly
large numbers all over the
world while we observe
and in some cases piously
turn our other unslapped
cheeks.
Where is it written that
the Hitlers Husseins,
Arafats and the son of a
Kim II Sungas have the
right to impose their will
on the masses of humanity.
To what great lengths and
to what degree do we al-
low these evil entities to
show us what we should
already know. That evil is
real and the suffering and
death of countless millions
caused by a handful, are
the responsibility of the
whole family of human
kind.
Our global house is
filthy with the scum and
BUYING BOOKS - The Friends of the Illinois Valley
Library held its annual book and bake sale at the Jo-
sephine County Bldg. in Downtown Cave Junction on
Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27. The sale attracted
crowds on both days. Some even waited in line Satur-
day morning for the doors to open. Those assisting at
the sale noted it was a success. Watch the ‘Noose’ for
details on how much the sale raised for the library.
Word of the Week
Trompe l’oeil:
1. A style of painting in which objects are de-
picted with photographically realistic detail; also:
the use of similar technique in interior decorat-
ing. 2. A trompe l’oeil painting or effect.
- Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary -
My thanks to all the
firefighters who worked so
hard and long to save my home.
Sterling Goode
Thursdays
Oct. 23 thru Dec. 11 - 7 p.m.
Deer Creek Grange
3700 Lakeshore Drive, Selma
(preregister by Thursday, Oct. 9)
For more information phone
Linda at (541) 597-4608
or Delaine at (541) 597-4223
(Continued on page 3)
The Josephine County Shrine Club is looking for
children who need free orthopedic healthcare.
Children from newborn to age 18 are encouraged
to attend a screening clinic
Saturday, Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Siskiyou Community Health Center
319 Caves Hwy., Cave Junction, Oregon.
Children with treatable conditions will be referred to the Shriners
Hospitals for Children in Portland. All medical care at the Shriners
Hospitals for Children is provided free of charge. The hospital is able
to treat orthopedic conditions such as: scoliosis, neuromuscular
disorders, hand and back problems, leg length discrepancy,
congenital hip problems, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and more.
For a complete list of treatable conditions at the Shriners Hospitals for
Children please go to www.shrinershq.org.
The Shriners Hospitals for Children is the nations largest non-profit
hospital system. Since 1922 more than 700,000 children from
North America have benefited form free medical care at the
Shriners Hospitals for Children. Funding for the Shriners Hospitals comes
from donations, gifts, will, bequests and the fund-raising
efforts of the members of the Shriners of North America.
For questions or more information on the Saturday, Oct. 4 screening clinic
contact Wally Koski at (541) 576-7140 or Siskiyou Community Health
Center at (541) 592-4111. Transportation: If you need
a ride to the clinic phone the numbers listed above.