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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 2007)
Page 2 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Not for lack of any other topic, but I feel like telling the story of our ‘65 Chevy van and the Tijuana Express. I was working for the daily newspaper in Escondido, Calif. This was in the vicinity of 1977, and we had a somewhat worn van given us by Jan’s father, the one and only Lionel Lancelot Xavier Hodson (always enjoyed that name). Anyway, I had become acquainted with this wild man name of Gil, who was a wheeler-dealer. Actually, he was in charge of a quasigovernmental train- ing and education organization for men and women needing to upgrade to get better jobs. But he was still a wheeler-dealer with more connections than my parents’ Christmas tree with 20 strings of lights and two electrical outlets. One afternoon, ol’ Gil popped into the newsroom, ener- getic and hustling as usual. “Let’s go to TJ and get your van painted,” he said with a grin. “And you can get new upholstery too. I know some guys.” I resisted. A little. “Let me phone Jan,” I weaseled. I phoned. She said it was up to me. And away Gil and I went to Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. I followed him via a circuitous route into areas not sought by turistas. We left the van at a large house with a sort-of basement. It was filled with wrecked vehicles. We dickered on price for the paint job. We agreed. We bargained for the price of new upholstery. We agreed. Gil and I left, with a promise that the van would be ready in a week. Before we returned to the United States though, via the crossing at San Ysidro, Gil needed to visit a wrecking yard. He needed something or other for his hot-rod VW Bug. At the yard, I noticed that most of the vehicles were nearly hidden by weeds and brush. Guess there wasn’t much business. The hombre in charge pointed to where we should go look, with the warning to “Watch out for the rattlesnakes.” Gil and I froze in our tracks. We left without checking for parts. As for the paint job and upholstery project, the one week turned in to three weeks. But eventually, the work was com- pleted. Gil took me back to TJ, and there was our old van, looking mighty good. The price had risen a bit though. I think the extra was Gil’s commission, but I never said anything be- cause it really was a bargain. They even painted the engine. Proudly drove back to the United States in our refur- bished van. But first, Gil took me to “a really good restaurant with cheap food” because, as he put, “I know some guys.” Well, the food wasn’t that good, but it was inexpensive, and there was plenty of it. Which is probably why my friend was always popping buttons off his shirts. No matter, it was a Mexican Adventure. And it’s always good to “know some guys.” Auto Home Life Business Call: (541) 592-3404 Irene Guerrero-Acevedo, agency owner F A R M E R S ® Gets you back where you belong. farmers.com The Christmas Offering Celebrating the Greatest Gift of All The all congregations ‘One Body ~ One Voice Choir’ invites you to sing with us! Practice: Sundays, 3-5 p.m. at Selma Baptist Church, 597-4169 Director: Tom Ninow, 592-6083 illinois-valley-news.com Illinois Valley News www.illinois-valley-news.com An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and published by Robert R. (AKA Bob or El Jefe), Editor and Jan Rodriguez 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 70, No. 28 Staff: Michelle Binker, Zina Booth, Josiah Dean, Jennifer Newsted Millie Watkins, and Tina Grow Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association DEADLINES: News, Classified & Display Ads, Announcements & Letters 5 P.M. THURSDAYS (Classified ads & uncomplicated display ads can be accepted until Noon, Fridays 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. Generally, one letter per person per month at publishers’ discretion. Letters are used at the discretion of the publishers. Unpublished letters are neither acknowledged nor returned. A prepaid charge may be levied if a letter is inordinately long in the publishers’ 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 weekly if the item is to run more than one week. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One year in Josephine County - $22.80 One year in Jackson and Douglas counties - $26.40 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 (Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including state- ments made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.) * * * Typed, double-spaced let- ters written solely to this news- paper are considered for publi- cation. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered. ‘Thank you’ submissions are not accepted as letters. Sheriff Gilbertson ‘a pretty cool guy’ From Charlie Vile Cave Junction The other morning, a bunch of us (street people) were sitting in an alley drinking beer, like we do most every morning, and Sheriff Gil Gilbertson showed up. He told us that we that we had to move. We did ‘cuz it was no problem. But I had to stop and ask him why he as sheriff, the top man in the sheriff’s office, was out having peo- ple move from alleys. And he told me, “Well, they cut my budget, so I have to go to work.” I thought that was pretty cool. He seems like a nice guy. And I’m still laughing at the answer he gave; it struck me really funny. Religion and medicine; stem cell perspective From Wally Hardie Selma During 1947-48 and beyond, while serving in the U.S. Navy on a very small ship (a destroyer escort), we took part in the evacuation of Shanghai, China before the Communists took control. This was the first time I had witnessed those who had suffered and survived the ravages of the smallpox disease. Those who lived were terribly disfigured, to say the least. In our lifetime we have seen the eradication of that horrible disease that killed millions of people. I also remember at that time that religion was preaching it was God’s will and God’s way of punishing those who had done wrong. That was yesterday. How- ever, we all can remember the preaching of the late Jerry Falwell, as well as numerous others, when they were and still are preaching that AIDS is the new curse God is putting on homo- sexuals for a lifestyle they don’t agree with. We can go back hun- dreds of years and find that discoveries in medicine and science were discounted by the ruling church, such as the teaching that the sun does not go around the Earth. Just how far are we removed from that mentality when our president in the year of our Lord 2004-5-6, Cave Junction Wednesday, Sept. 26 Sunny and beautiful High--83 Low--40 Thursday, Sept. 27 Increasing clouds High--81, Low--42. Friday, Sept. 28 Some sun & cooling High--68, Low--36 Saturday, Sept. 29 Continued cool with some sun High--71, Low--38 Sunday, Sept. 30 Partly Cloudy High--74, Low--42 Monday, Oct. 1 Partly cloudy, evening rain High--74, Low--41 Tuesday, Oct. 2 Rainy and cold High--66, Low--39 has forbidden that any fed- eral monies will be spent in using embryonic stem cell for the advancement of medical science? Oh, it will come, but not until 2008. That interim will cost lives, and indeed we do not know just whose lives could be saved. But who- ever’s life it may be, that person may very well know that had the cure only have been a few days or a few months sooner; the many who died in that interim would have lived. It is indeed difficult to believe that a president would make decisions con- cerning life and death based on his concept of religion. Hwy. 199/River Street intersection speeders From Daryl Moore Cave Junction My family and I moved here from California nine years ago. At that time it was just my wife and me, and our two young sons (then 10 and 13 years old). Now, my family has grown. I have a 5-year-old daughter and a 4-month-old grandson; and recently my mother moved here and lives a short distance from us. I have worked for the same local business for nearly seven years, and my wife and son also work lo- cally just a short distance from home. My mother is retired, and my daughter is just starting school. My concern is this; dur- ing the years I have wit- nessed several accidents and too many near-hits to count at the intersection of Red- wood Hwy. and River Street. On a daily basis I have seen countless cars and semitrucks towing trailers driving faster and faster through town with total dis- regard for people in cross- walks, regardless of whether the pedestrians were adults or young children. A while back, during a Cave Junction City Council meeting, the question was raised concerning the lack of enforcement of the posted 30 mph speed limit. The response was one of, “We’re not a speed trap.” What does that mean? A speed trap is one thing; the safety of our citizens, par- ticularly our children, is an- other. How long before the life of an innocent pedestrian is lost due to an inability to address this issue? If we need to generate revenue for our city so we can have a library, a park for families to enjoy, as well as curbs, sidewalks and trees along the main street, then why don’t we do something about the speeders? I sit in front of my workplace on my breaks and lunch hour each day as I have done for the past seven years watching as the cars fly by. Most of the offenders are truckers and folks from out of state (California, Following are the high-and- low temperatures, and rainfall, recorded in O’Brien by Cheryl & Harry Johnson. *Fri., Sept. 14: 74 - 53 *Sat., Sept: 15: 82 - 46 *Sun., Sept. 16: 67 - 49 0.03 *Mon., Sept. 17: 75 - 51 *Tue., Sept. 18: 69 - 46 *Wed., Sept. 19: 62 - 42 0.01 *Thurs., Sept. 20: 75 - 42 Following are the high-and- low temperatures, and rainfall, recorded in Cave Junction at Natural Designs Farm. *Fri., Sept. 14: 73 - 49 0.03 *Sat., Sept: 15: 82 - 42 *Sun., Sept. 16: 71 - 42 0.04 *Mon., Sept. 17: 76 - 49 *Tue., Sept. 18: 72 - 46 *Wed., Sept. 19: 64 - 40 0.01 *Thurs., Sept. 20: 76 - 39 Washington, Idaho and even Alaska). Nonetheless, they are still speeding. So I ask, especially now that Robbie Robinson at his auto care center is no longer able to safely cross our chil- dren at Redwood Hwy. and River, won’t someone take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of our chil- dren and all citizens as they cross the street? Ticket the speeders and let’s get a four- way stop or traffic signals at that intersection. DEAD or ALIVE $ REWARD $ Top Dollar for your Cedar Trees 597-4610 or 660-4417 Family Fixin’s - Veggie Style Concerned about HEART ATTACKS? Want to know some delicious ways to lower your cholesterol? Want to look good and feel better? Then plan to attend the Health & Cooking Class Every Monday in October at 6:30 p.m. at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 265 Old Stage Road, Cave Junction Hear Health Professionals address these Topics of Interest • Weight Loss • Diabetes • Heart Disease • Osteoporosis • Stress Check out these features • Sample tasty dishes at every class • See food prep demos • Learn easy health tips $10 per person $15 with spouse $20 family of five So come on over Monday, October 2 and discover how you can be… Healthy by Choice Not by Chance!
