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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2004)
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, August 18, 2004 A&B Family Clothing closing, as Blinds retire By CHRISTINA HILL Correspondent For the past 30 years, families have depended on the A&B Clothing & Shoe Store for all their clothing needs. However, at the end of this month, co-owners William “Bill” and Atty Blind (for A&B) will close the doors for good. And that means big bargains for customers, as the couple clears stock and fixtures. “We started in 1974 and were here before Grants Pass had all the big stores,” said Bill. “There was no Fred Meyer, no Wal-Mart and no Gottschalks. We used to be the only ones who sold Adidas, Nike, Ocean Pa- cific; the name-brands that kids wanted. “We did really well before all the big stores started selling them,” said Bill. The quality of their products and service is hard to beat, too. “People used to come from Grants Pass and the coast, because our prices were the best, and our ser- vice was the best,” said Atty. “You can’t stay in business for 30 years if you don’t do the right thing. I’m almost 72, so that’s it, 30 years is Bill, Atty and Robert Blind enough for the same own- ers,” she said. During the years, the Cave Junction residents typically had four employ- ees who would help run the store. However, they have always kept it a fam- ily oriented business. “Our son, Robert, is helping us to the end of the month,” Atty said. After that, they plan on “taking things easy,” they say. “We won’t take a va- cation this year, but proba- bly next year,” Bill said. “We’ve already trav- eled the world twice,” Atty added. “We lived in Aus- tralia for seven years, and that’s where we got mar- ried and had our two chil- dren, a boy and a girl.” Now, they are the proud grandparents of nine grandchildren. Selling the store will be the closing of a long chapter in their lives, but they say they’re ready for it. Huge discounts and sales will conclude the last days of the store’s exis- tence. “About three-fourths of what used to be here is already gone,” Bill said. “We’ll be selling every- thing up to 50 and 70 per- cent off until it’s nearly all gone.” Atty added that a ma- jority of what doesn’t sell will be donated to valley churches. Also, after they close up shop, they specu- late that the building, which has been purchased, will be used for offices. Page 9 Shotgun shooting suspect in Takilma sought by cops Lawmen are looking for a Takilma resident in connection with a shotgun standoff in which the weapon was fired, said Josephine County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO). Officers are looking for Jerry Dwight Blaney, 41, of 9640 Takilma Road. He last was seen on Sunday, Aug. 15 wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. He was carrying a long gun, possibly a 12- gauge shotgun, said JCSO. Deputy Cory Krauss said that officers, including one from the forest service, responded to the Takilma Road address at 1:36 p.m. There was a report by Mary Jane Clough, 48, a tenant on the property, of a disturbance involving fire- arms, said Krauss. Officers also were ad- vised that the suspect’s mother, Gwendolyn Wolf, 61, was at the scene. En route, officers were notified that Blaney was armed with a shotgun and was firing it. When officers arrived, it was unknown where the suspect was located on the property, which includes five residents and several outbuildings, Krauss said. Officers located the two women in a dwelling and evacuated them from the immediate area. They located Blaney, said Krauss, still armed with a shotgun, on the sec- ond floor of another resi- dence. While attempting to negotiate with the suspect, he fired two shots through the roof, and one through a wall toward officers, said Krauss. Blaney fled on foot, still armed, and is wanted on several felony charges as a result of the incident, Krauss said. Lovejoy touches body, spirit to ready patients By SHANE WELSH Staff Writer Two years ago, a Lovejoy Hospice bereave- ment facility was con- structed in Grants Pass as a hub for services offered through Lovejoy to Jose- phine County residents. The building serves as a bereavement support and information center for pa- tients who have been diag- nosed with terminal ill- ness. Hospice provides a means for patients to re- ceive physical care and counseling during their final stages of life. Pam Allister, Lovejoy Hospice development co- ordinator, said that there are nearly 1,000 deaths related to terminal illness in the county each year. Of those deaths, more than 300 patients receive assistance through Lovejoy Hospice in Grants Pass. Fifty to 60 patients are seen each day, and nearly 500 families attend follow- up bereavement sessions at that location. “Our goal here is to help a patient reach a level of stability as fast as possi- ble,” said Allister. “We use a team and holistic ap- proach to care. “We touch upon the body, the spirit, and the social environment that someone lives in. If they are approaching the end of life, it is a transition that can be a crisis for them- selves and their families. “There is so much technology and services available that there is no reason a patient has to suf- fer from their pain and symptoms,” she said. The 10,000 square- PRIME RIB SPECIAL Friday & Saturday Open 5 to 9 p.m. - Restaurant parking in rear 126 S. Redwood Hwy., CJ 592-4222 or 592-2892 foot facility, located at 939 Eighth St. in Grants Pass, was dedicated March 27, 2002. It was designed and built by architect Ron Voit of Voit Associates. The Grants Pass loca- tion is the hub for all Jose- phine County Lovejoy Hospice nursing care, home health aids, social workers, spiritual staff and volunteers that provide direct service to the pa- tients and their families. It also is a place where support groups meet for survivors needing help with bereavement and re- covery. “Without this loca- tion,” explained Allister, “we couldn’t coordinate patient activities and ser- vices. We also do our com- munity education and ad- ministrative work here. Anyone requiring our ser- vices can reach us here 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” There is always a nurse, social worker and administrator on call at the Grants Pass office to help meet a patient’s needs. The hospice center has 80 trained volunteers avail- able who can provide pa- tients and their families access to grief support ser- vices including: *Family and individual counseling: appointments can be made to meet with professional counselors who can assist with under- standing and coping with the grieving process. *Adult support groups: weekly ‘Beyond Loss’ support groups are offered to help adults walk through grief with others who are having or have had a simi- lar experience. *Child bereavement support: Lovejoy Hospice offers a ‘Good Grief’ pro- gram to help children and their parents with their grieving. *Nursing care: trained nursing volunteers can help a patient tend to pain and symptom management as per their doctor’s orders. *Home health aid: vol- unteers can help with mov- ing, bathing, and bodily comfort and care. *Crisis-Debriefing: to help alleviate the stress that is often involved when caring for someone who is seriously ill, support staff will discuss with families, and all who were involved (Continued on page 16) I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving. - Psalm 69:30 -
