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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, November 26, 2003
Because many folks will gobble-gobble to observe
the turkey time tradition of Thanksgiving this week,
El Jefe thought it might be appropriate to list a few of
the “things” for which he is thankful. So here they
are. Read ‘em and wheeze:
*My loving, thoughtful, extremely patient and for-
giving wife, Jan, who has stood by me and with me,
and held me upright more than once, for lo the past 39
years this month. Without her I’d likely still be hawk-
ing barbecued potato chips from a lunch wagon. In-
stead, I am loved; I am sober; I’ve enjoyed and still
am enjoying a career in journalism; helped her (in a
sense) raise our two boys and a daughter; eat regular
meals; and have a house with cool landscaping.
*A terrific ‘Noose’ staff, the members of which
are producing the valley’s newspaper with absolutely
minimal “help” from El Jefe. In fact, the less I help,
the better they can produce the paper. Plus they put up
with my too-numerous-to-mention foibles, idiosyncra-
sies, bad puns and eccentricities. It’s a fine crew sail-
ing the USS ‘Noose’ and I try to not be Capt. Bligh or
Capt. Queeg. Maybe Capt. Picard once in a while.
*Caring children with grandchildren. As all grand-
parents know (or should learn before it’s too late), it’s
the job of grandparents to get even with their kids by
spoiling the grandkids. Plus it’s part of the job to
spend their kids’ potential inheritance. Gleefully and
with relish. Especially on the low-fat hot dogs.
*A community of diverse persons who work to
take care of one another, and get along despite differ-
ences of opinion about coffee, politics, religion, sand-
wiches, pickup trucks, healthy food, conservation and
the like. (The “like” covers a multitude of areas I’m
not going to step in here, what with it being Thanks-
giving and all.)
*Technology that has made our lives simpler. I’m
of an age, as are many valleyites and others living
aboard spaceship “Earth,” who survived for years
without microwave ovens, instant coffee, espresso
coffee stands, color TV (not to mention black-and-
white), the Internet, online everything, fast food and
all sorts of stuff too numerous to mention here. Be-
sides, I can’t remember it all.
*The opportunity for self-expression so that I can
inflict columns like this on nice people like you.
So Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the day. And give
thanks. I know I will.
(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 considera-
tion. Hand-written letters
that are double-spaced
and highly legible also
can be considered for
publication. Cards of
thanks are not accepted
as letters.)
***
‘CJ thieves’
From Joan Robinson
Robbie’s Auto Care
and U-Haul
Someone has close to
$10,000 worth of automo-
tive tools, equipment and
parts that do not belong to
them.
They have a key-
making machine, a diag-
nostic scope, a valve
grinder, an air hammer
with attachments, a coil
spring compressor, four
new Interstate car batter-
ies, spark plugs, STP gas
and oil additives, plug
wires and motor manuals
to name a few.
Like so many of our
fellow small business own-
ers we have attempted to
rise above this constant
onslaught of theft and van-
dalism and move on, while
returning to work each
time to find less and less to
work with and inching
closer to financial ruin
with each attack.
Small businesses are
the life blood of this com-
munity. We are the people
who support the library,
area art, the Wild Black-
berry Festival, IVHS
sports, Little League, the
Labor Day Parade and
more.
We do our best to
make Cave Junction a bet-
ter place to live. Now, we
are literally being forced
out by a small group of
parasites.
If you have seen any
of the above mentioned
items, please phone 592-
6693. I do not need your
name, just any information
that would help stop this
plunder.
‘Letter of apprecia-
tion’
From Elaine Wood
Selma
Thank you so much for
publishing our Halloween
thank you letter on Nov.
12. This service is vital to
the community-building
going on at the Selma
Community and Education
Center, the local busi-
nesses, schools, commu-
nity organizations and Illi-
nois Valley Community
Response Team.
I feel a need to apolo-
gize to our hard-working
volunteers who were ex-
cluded from my submitted
letter. They are Marilyn
Mooshie, Carol Russell,
Mary Camp, Pamela Ten-
nity, Alexandra Steiner,
Jessica McIntosh, Aaron
Badget, Tahryn Stiles, Will
Etherington, Betsey Ja-
cobs, Ahtira Rucker, Bill
Hunt, Jim and Melanie
Tehan, Jan Kaggerud,
Barry Snitkin, Howard
Wood Jr. and Mort Mon-
dale. I especially appreci-
ate three teens who gave
up their evening to bring a
special time to the chil-
dren.
In this wonderful, yet
threatened community, it is
very important to commu-
nicate appreciation with
the help of our local news-
paper.
William ‘Bill’ Bassett
Former valleyite Bassett gets
his ‘pro’ arborist certification
The International Soci-
ety of Arborculture (ISA)
recently announced that
former Illinois Valley resi-
dent William (Bill) Bas-
sett, now of Tillamook, has
received his certification as
a professional arborist.
The ISA is a scientific
and educational organiza-
tion devoted to the dis-
semination of information
relating to the care and
preservation of trees.
Certification is valid
for three years, and is re-
newed as the arborist certi-
fies completion of continu-
ing education units.
Bassett is the son of
former Cave Junction resi-
dents Ed and Pat Bassett
and is a graduate of Illinois
Valley High School. Bas-
sett moved to Tillamook
County in 2001 to work
with the Tillamook Peo-
ples Utility District.
PARADE ENTRY FORM
Please mail or return to
I.V. Chamber of Commerce
Name of Org. _________________________
Contact______________________________
Phone_______________________________
Type of Entry (float, animal, band, etc.)
______________________________________
Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce
Closed
Tuesday & Wednesday
CHRISTMAS PARADE
will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6
(if rain) Saturday, Dec. 13
Line up at 2 p.m.
at Evergreen School
Chain Link Specialist
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. 36
Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild,
Chris Robertson, Steve Fairchild, Becky Loudon
& Kacy Clemons
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.
POLICY ON “HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE”, DISPLAY &
CLASSIFIED ADS & NOTICES: All submissions must be
hand delivered, faxed or e-mailed to us for publication.
Submissions must be resubmitted each week if the item is
to run for more than one week.
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
Theme: “Peace on Earth”
IVHS School Menu -
Sponsored by
SISKIYOU
COMMUNITY
HEALTH
CENTER
319 Caves Hwy.
592-4111
THURSDAY, NOV. 27
*Happy Thanksgiving
*No classes
FRIDAY, NOV. 28
*No classes
MONDAY, DEC. 1
*Chicken sandwich,
cheeseburger,
hamburger, turkey &
cheese or ham &
cheese sub, chef,
Mandarin chicken or
fiesta salad, vegetarian,
sausage or pepperoni
pizza, beef & bean
burrito
TUESDAY, DEC. 2
*Chicken sandwich,
cheeseburger,
hamburger, turkey &
cheese or roast beef
sub, chef, Mandarin
chicken or garden
salad, cheese, supreme
or pepperoni pizza,
chicken fajita
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3
*Chicken sandwich,
cheeseburger,
hamburger, turkey &
cheese or veggie sub,
chef,
Mandarin chicken or
antipasto salad,
sausage, supreme or
pepperoni pizza,
taco salad
592-6192
The ‘I.V. News’ will close at 1 p.m. on
Wednesday, Nov. 26 and will be closed on
Thursday, Nov. 27 for Thanksgiving.
We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving
WHERE? Of course, at
TIMBER ROOM LOUNGE
FOR WHAT?
THE ‘ELVIS EXPERIENCE’
With Jerry Hurley
LOOKS LIKE ELVIS!
DANCES LIKE ELVIS!
SINGS LIKE ELVIS!
You can have a good time
with only a $5 cover charge.
Come and enjoy
THE ‘ELVIS EXPERIENCE’
at the Timber Room Lounge
Friday, Dec. 5 - 9:30 p.m.
For tickets, reserve a seat or for more information.
120 seats available only. Phone (541) 592-3106