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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Engineer Bob has about given up keeping the Christ-
mas train on the tracks, not to mention keeping the orna-
ments on the tree instead of all over the floor. Our four
cats have discouraged me in those areas, but I’m still
striving for the spirit of the season.
Our Attack Cats are like a band of fanatical bandits,
so I’m letting them have their way with my choo-choo.
It’s better for my heart. As for the ornaments, well, you
know how kitties enjoy batting at dangling objects. We
have more ornaments on the carpet than on the tree.
Oh well.
This was going to be a column about happiness at
this time of year, but after 61 Christmases it finally has
sunk in that happiness doesn’t necessarily occur just
because of the Yule celebration. Millions of words have
been written and many movies made about the fact that
joy comes from within. Gaining pleasure is not tied to a
calendar; it’s an internal, heartfelt emotion, whether it’s
Dec. 25, Jan. 20, March 17 or Nov. 14.
How did the editor get on this kick? Where’s all the
amusing stuff? OK, so it’s not always that amusing. But
hey, you try coming up with a good (or pretty good) Cor-
ner every week, not to mention working to ensure that
the rest of the “Noose” has the photos and stories and
other stuff necessary to make it readable enough to be
invited into the valley’s homes and businesses every
week. Whew!
Actually, the Christmas holidays have become hec-
tic for many. Suicides and crimes of other passions es-
calate, not to mention the rampant packs of punks,
thugs and thieves who steal anything not nailed to the
floor. What’s with those people? No one ever taught
them the Golden Rule? I’m sick of them, the way they
take what’s not theirs, damage property (also not theirs)
and generally cause messes and irritate the heck out of
the rest of us.
Oh, about Christmas and that holiday spirit I’m work-
ing on. Not an easy task, especially with my Eeyore per-
sonality and our own hectic schedule.
Also, my Aunt Carrie died last week in El Paso. She
was 98. I telephoned her sister, my Aunt Flo, who’s 96
and the last remaining member of seven siblings, includ-
ing my mom. I have a lot of happy memories revolving
around both aunts, and recall the time I turned a garden
hose on Aunt Carrie in San Diego when I was around 7.
She didn’t think it was funny. Geez, I never knew she
could run that fast in slippers.
Memories. Maybe that’s the key to holiday happi-
ness. I’m going to think about that while I fight off the
cats and put the train back on the tracks.
And just to leave you with a bit of funniness, here’s a
bit titled, Five Tips For a Woman:
1. It is important that a man helps you around the
house and has a job.
2. It is important that a man makes you laugh.
3. It is important to find a man you can count on
and who doesn’t lie to you.
4. It is important that a man loves you and spoils
you.
5. It is important that these four men don’t know
each other.
What’s up at G-Dub’s??
We are moving!!
G-Dub Enterpises will be closed
from Dec. 2nd and will
reopen on Dec. 20th.
Our new store and shop will be
located at 358 Caves Hwy.
(behind Curves).
We apologize for the
inconvenience but it’s not our
fault, we need more room!!
We will see you on the 20th.
Thank you for your patience.
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
Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net or
newsdesk@illinois-valley-news.com
Volume 68, No. 38
Staff: Michelle Binker,
Becky Loudon, Bryan Harley, Tabitha Jackson, Zina Booth.
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
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A lost Christmas,
thanks to thieves
From Tina Jones
Cave Junction
Christmas is supposed
to be a time of joy and giv-
ing. My family has found
out the hard way that it is
also a time of stealing.
The sheriff’s office tells
me that there are dozens of
calls each day; that we are not
the only family. Apparently,
tis’ the season.
I want the ones who
stole our Christmas to know
who they stole from. My
children are 10, 12 and
14. My oldest son just shook
his head. He is learning
from the thieves that steal-
ing is OK, that it is the way
to get what you want.
My daughter is heart-
broken. My youngest son is
devastated that Christmas is
gone.
Our family has gone
through some tough times
during the last few
years. My husband is a liver
transplant recipient and is
unable to work anymore. He
is in and out of the hospital
on a regular enough basis
that I am unable to work.
Our budget is very
tight. There are many things
that our children want to
have that we cannot provide.
We try, but like most kids,
they want all the new and
cool stuff.
Any of our kids will tell
you that Mom and Dad are
always telling them, “No,
we can’t afford that.”
Our budget is $50 for
each of our kids this Christ-
mas. That won’t buy much.
We were fortunate enough
this year to have had a visit
from my parents during the
Thanksgiving holi-
day. They took us shopping
for the kids and bought a
“big ticket” present for each
of them.
Our oldest two kids
each got an MP3 player. and
our youngest got a TV for
his room. We also bought
our youngest a small DVD
player to go with his TV,
and bought our oldest two a
subscription to a music
download site.
With a few more small
things and some stocking
stuffers it would have been a
good Christmas.
The thieves changed
that last night. They came
into my neighborhood and
went through every vehicle
they could get into and stole
everything they could walk
away with.
My car was locked. The
presents were in the trunk.
They weren’t there the next
morning. The doors were
still open and the trunk was
unlatched. The thieves
didn’t want us to hear them
close the doors.
Our Christmas is lost.
We are trying to raise
our children right; to teach
them better than this. The
thieves are not making it
easy by coming into our
Custom Rod
and Restoration
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 - $36
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to
P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR 97523
by Nik
787-0195
lives and stealing from them.
What were they thinking
when they saw what were
obviously Christmas pre-
sents? How can they look at
themselves in the mirror? I
wonder if they will read this,
and if they will care.
Pit bull concerns;
graphic examples
From Jim Lombardo
O’Brien
Dade County, Fla. is
the only county without pit
bull problems. There is a
$500 fine for having a pit
bull; $1,000 for two pit
bulls.
Pit bulls have been
bred for 150 years to kill.
They will always use their
instincts. Beagles will al-
ways chase rabbits even if
they are obedience trained
in an apartment.
Pet greyhounds in a
field will run at 30 mph if
they have never been near
a race track.
One 2-year-old pit bull
was boarded at a kennel in
O’Brien. It was as sweet
and well-mannered as any.
When it got picked up it
was suggested that it not
be around the owners’
grandchildren. Two years
later the same man brings
his dog to board, but it’s a
black lab.
Asked where the pit
bull was he said, “My 40-
year-old son bumped into
it with the wheel of the
lawnmower. I had to take
him to the doctor with a
crushed foot with the shoe
still on. I had the dog put
down.”
People in Grants Pass
went to “Katrina” to pick
up 20 pit bull-type dogs to
find homes or owners for
them. Good luck. In Dade
County, Fla. they would
have had to pay a $10,000
fine. In Cave Junction they
give them away by the box
full in front of stores.
One pit bull at Grow-
ers Market crushed the
skull of a toy poodle. The
owner said it was because
a little dog had snapped at
her pit bull last year.
Wrong, it was using its
killer instinct.
The head of animal
control 25 years ago said
he thought pit bull-type
dogs should have a $200
dog license and never be
out of a fence without a
muzzle. Sounds good. It
didn’t happen.
On 10/8/05 three pit
bulls tore up two kids who
lived on the same block.
When their father tried to
help, they tore him up until
the cops came and shot
two of the dogs.
In San Francisco the
owner got a $500 fine for
having his dogs off a leash.
They killed a woman.
A woman from the
American Kennel Club on
CNN said that pit bulls like
to bite small children and
small dogs more because
it’s easier.
On 11/27/05 a pack of
pit bull/rottweiller crosses
attacked a 76-year-old
woman mowing her lawn.
Denver news stated
that on Dec. 1 a 10-year-
old’s family pit bull tore
off most of his face.
Pit bull type dogs have
a hair trigger. Just a little
pain or excitement can
trigger it.
I knew a man in Los
Angeles who left a
loaded .22 in his dresser.
His home was a day-care
center. Nothing ever hap-
pened, but it makes as
much sense as having a pit
bull.
Should this county
wait until a death to make
a Dade County law?
Mondays through Saturdays, 9 to 5/ Closed Sundays
Corner of Redwood Hwy. & Rockydale Rd.
The Christmas season is here and the
nursery is filled with a huge selection
of living Christmas trees!
Blue Spruce Serbian Spruce
Deador Cedar Grand Fir and More!
Indoors you’ll find gorgeous florist
quality poinsettias, Christmas
ornaments and gifts for the
gardener on your list.
Not sure what to get?? Gift certificates
make a great gift.
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