Yard sales are a great way to clear out the garage and make a few dollars. But Douglas residents who are interested in having a yard sale must first take out a permit at City Hall.

More of this story

Douglas man arrested for shooting man on thigh
Douglas police arrested a Douglas man Dec. 14 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and endangerment.

16-year-old stabbed during argument
A 16-year-old Pirtleville male spend the night at Southeast Arizona Medical Center after being stabbed in the back following an argument that evening.

Three remain in jail after arrest on charges including attempted murder
Two juveniles and an adult remain in custody after being charged in a beating of a fourth individual.

Santa is here!
Santa begins his visit in Douglas, bringing lots of presents to hand out. Anakin and Andrew Miller, 4, with their mother, Jennifer Lyn, with Halilyn Miller, visited with Santa and received their presents early. Border Patrol agents at the Douglas station provided 189 presents to Douglas families through Child and Family. The agents selected names of Douglas children and bought them each Christmas gifts.  The agents have been providing gifts for children for the last eight years.

Cochise County tries to find $600,000 to cover high court costs
BISBEE — The Cochise County Board of Supervisors and staff are facing another budgetary challenge in a year wrought with decreasing revenues and increasing costs.

Douglas Poliice Department
December 10, 2008

ELC News Briefs
Ms. M Hernandez and Ms. Alma – 4 year olds

McCain visits Sierra Vista, asks for ways he can help with water issues
SIERRA VISTA —  Ensuring the San Pedro River survives gets down to federal dollars, but U.S. Sen. John McCain said that resource in Washington, D.C., “is scarce.”

Donations to local food bank dwindling
Every day a truck from the Douglas Area Food Bank makes it rounds to the local supermarkets. The driver takes whatever donations these stores have to offer.

Inmates give back to Douglas
“Getting Ready”  is more than just a catch phrase for the Arizona State Prison-Douglas program. It is a goal.

Prison inmates active in assisting city, county and schools
The Arizona State Prison-Douglas has been a vital part of the community since 1983.

Scam artists in full swing during Christmas
Christmas is a time of giving, but for some people it’s a time for taking–taking you for everything you’ve got.

Salvation Army gets backup
The Salvation Army will add an extra treat to Christmas baskets this year. Two local boys donated 117 stuffed animals to the Salvation Army. These stuffed cuties will be placed into Christmas basket and be given out at the YWCA on Pan American. The two boys, Kalani, left, and Raymond, right, had collected the stuffed animals during the year. In the photo: Kalani Alvarez,10, Raymond Alvarez, 12; sitting on bench, Annaida Luna, president of the Douglas Salvation Army and Tina Jaime, treasurer of the Douglas Salvation Army. The baskets will be given on Saturday, Dec. 20 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Senate, House chiefs want Napolitano to back off
PHOENIX  The incoming chiefs of the House and Senate want lame-duck Gov. Janet Napolitano to stop issuing executive orders.

Free trees will be accepted for recycling
 COCHISE COUNTY - It’s not too early to think about recycling your Christmas tree and now anyone in the county can participate. The City of Sierra Vista Public Works Department has offered to expand their Christmas Tree recycling program to include all residents of Cochise County.

Agents at port make three drug arrests
DOUGLAS — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped three drug-smuggling attempts on Wednesday, seizing approximately 250 pounds of marijuana, the agency said.

Rotary Club provides Dictionary to third grade students
The Douglas Rotary Club provided every single third grader in Douglas with a new Student Dictionary. Third grade classes from the Douglas Unified School District, as well as C.A.S.S., Alpha Omega, and Loretto schools received the books. This Douglas Rotary project is aimed at literacy awareness.

Douglas Mayor meets Sen. McCain
Douglas Mayor Dr. Michael Gomez met with Senator John MacCain Dec. 17,  2008 to discuss the community’s concerns. The Senator was very receptive to the Mayor. Dr. Gomez will brief the community on the discussions held after the holidays in the year end report which will be available immediately early January 2009.

HOPE Tree
he Douglas Masonic lodge of Douglas and the Douglas Shrine club of Douglas is supporting the House of Hope this year with a HOPE tree.  The first name and age of the child whom are the House of Hope are listed on the HOPE tree.  Each Masonic lodge member will take one or two of the names and make a purchase for each of the children at the House of Hope.  The idea is to help support the women and their children as much as possible.  The Masonic lodge of Douglas has been supporting the House of Hope for many years, and wishes to help the kids as well.  “It’s important that the kids continue to have a Christmas as they grow up”, “We don’t want to see anyone suffer, certainly not the mothers and their kids at the House of Hope”.  The HOPE tree is only one of many programs the Masonic Lodge has taken on in and around Douglas.  The Child Identification Program is another way the Masons are helping around Douglas, and giving the parents a tool to help protect their kids even more.  By giving the parents a tool in the event their child is missing or abducted is important.  “we want to make sure our community is safe”.  The Masonic lodge is working on raising money for their CHIP kits, with the cost of 5,000 dollars for each kit, the Douglas Masonic lodge is about half way there.  “We want to have more than one kit in Douglas, this way our members could spread throughout Douglas and set up in more than one areas and cover more ground this way. Pictured, from left, are John Foster: Past President of Douglas Shrine Club, Tim Behle: Vice President Elect, Douglas Shrine Club, Win Miller, Douglas Shrine Club member, Jim Burns Douglas Shrine Club member, Joe Stemple, President Elect Douglas Shrine Club.

Couple report being kidnapped; taken to Douglas
On Friday December 26, at approximately 6:30 p.m., the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office was advised of a possible kidnapping that had occurred between San Simon and Douglas.  

Local militia plans February border watch
BISBEE — Cochise County Militia, a local group, will hold a border watch event in February that is open to the members of the group as well as members of the public.

Voiceless Victims
 U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers working at the Douglas port of entry on Christmas morning arrested a 47-year old man for attempting to smuggle a child into the United States.

Water pipes burst over weekend
That popping noise you heard early Sunday morning was the sound of bursting water pipes.

County billed for molester’s psychiatric services
BISBEE — A convicted child molester who is appealing a court ruling that determined he was a sexually violent person in need of mental health care to stop recidivism could end up costing Cochise County a large sum in psychiatric fees.

Border fence under construction in Cochise County this September. (Wick News Service file photo)
 

Minimum wage in Arizona increased 5 percent today
PHOENIX (AP) — The minimum wage in Arizona rises 5 percent to $7.25 an hour on New Year’s Day, the third annual increase since voters approved the minimum-wage initiative by a 2-1 ratio in 2006.

Three arrested for trying to smuggle pot into U.S.
BISBEE — Customs and Border Protection officers recently arrested three individuals for attempting to smuggle about 200 pounds of marijuana through the Douglas port of entry, according to a press release.

Top stories of 2008
.When you look back on the year, there are many stories that could be in the Top 10 in local news. Today, we offer thoughts on the local stories we think are memorable from the past year.

Man who molested relatives, fathered a son, is sentenced
BISBEE — A man who sexually molested and assaulted two relatives, one of whom gave birth to his son, was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Monday in Cochise County Superior Court.

Report: DPS more likely to ask permission to search Hispanics’ vehicles
PHOENIX  Department of Public Safety officers are far more likely to ask Hispanic motorists for permission to search their vehicles than other groups, according to a new report.

Cox customers could lose Tucson CBS station
SIERRA VISTA — Subscribers to cable provider Cox Communications may find themselves with one fewer channel on Thursday as the company remains locked in negotiations with Tucson station KOLD. If negotiations between the two are not settled, Cox will no longer broadcast the station beginning Jan. 1,  2009, said Michael Dunne, director of public relations, in a statement Tuesday.

Happy New Year
NEW YORK (AP) — The epic election that made Barack Obama the first African-American president was the top news story of 2008 — followed closely by the economic meltdown that will test his leadership, according to U.S. editors and news directors voting in The Associated Press’ annual poll.

The slumping economy was the top story in 2008
PHOENIX  Here are the Top 10 stories of statewide significance for 2008.

Church volunteers and government help clean migrant trash
North of Douglas–Armed with a Presbyterian sense of duty, George and Jan Beran drove 1,500 miles from the prairies of Ames, Iowa, to the arid hills of Douglas with one thing in mind. They wanted a hard and unadorned look at border life and its people.

Drug smuggler’s scheme of a familiar face busted at the POE
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers made 2 drug busts just hours apart which resulted in the seizure of more than $80,000 of marijuana.

Corbett’s charges officially dismissed
TUCSON (AP) — It’s official: Border Patrol agent Nicholas Corbett won’t be tried again in an illegal immigrant’s shooting death.

Big changes may be in store at schools
So where will your child be attending school next year?

Incoming Governor choose Ken Bennett secretary of state
PHOENIX  Incoming Gov. Jan Brewer chose former Senate president Ken Bennett on Friday to succeed her as secretary of state.

New Year’s resolution for United States and Canadian travelers: Get appropriate documents now
EL PASO, Texas -- The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reminds U.S. and Canadian citizens that travelers will see a change in travel document requirements at the land border in 2009, and recommends travelers adopt a New Year’s resolution to prepare now and obtain the appropriate documents. The new requirements are designed to make entering the U.S. more efficient and secure.

Giffords sees economic crisis, seeks project ideas
WASHINGTON — Calling what is facing the 111th Congress “an exciting time as well as one of deep concern,” U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said during a telephone interview on Thursday that “the nation’s economic crisis is deepening.”

Napolitano says no to borrowing
PHOENIX — Gov. Janet Napolitano thwarted efforts Thursday by Treasurer Dean Martin to take the first steps to borrow money if the state runs out of cash.

Bad news about economy affects consumer confidence: Sparrow
PHOENIX  Bobbi Sparrow says she knows at least part of the reason Arizonans aren’t buying as many new cars as they used to.

What to expect from the 2009 economy
With 2009 upon us, we can expect the downward economic trend from 2008 to continue. Nationally, the economy will continue to lose jobs, the unemployment rate will continue to rise, and housing and credit markets will continue to falter, at least through the first half of the year and quite possibly longer. Most economists don’t expect conditions to improve until at least the second half of the year, and many don’t expect significant improvement until 2010.

Douglas man seriously injured in vehicle roll over
A Douglas man was seriously injured in a one-vehicle rollover on the 1900 block of 9th Street early Saturday. Police and paramedics arrived at the scene, where they found the young man unconscious. He was flown to a Tucson hospital. The rollover occurred at about 4:37a.m. The driver, whose name has not yet been released, was traveling westbound on 9th Street. At a sharp turn near Dallas Avenue, the driver apparently lost control of the Jeep Cherokee and rolled over once and was about to roll a second time but was stopped by a parked Mustang. The police are continuing their investigation.

Two McNeal men shot and killed in dispute
McNEAL––In a dispute over a neighbor’s dog, a McNeal man shot and killed the dog and his two neighbors.

Police arrest two teens, one adult in separate burglary incidents
In three separate incidents, Douglas police arrested two juveniles and one adult in connection with burglaries.

Plan would
create up to 4.1 million jobs: Obama advisers
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama countered critics with an analysis Saturday by his economic team showing that a program of tax cuts and spending like he’s proposed would create up to 4.1 million jobs, far more than the 3 million he has insisted are needed to lift the country from recession.

Former governors say Brewer’s views will expand
PHOENIX — If Republican lawmakers think that finally having Jan Brewer, a member of their own party as governor means they’re going to get everything they want, they could have a rude awakening.

County P&Z to look at rodeo arena in Mescal
BISBEE — For nearly one year, the county Planning and Zoning Department has been fielding numerous objections to a proposed 42,000-square-foot roping and rodeo arena in Mescal.

Obama: How bailout money is spent should be clear
WASHINGTON (AP) — Barack Obama wants to make it easier to monitor how the second $350 billion installment of the financial bailout is spent and says homeowners and small businesses should get some help.

BREAKING NEWS
All of the drama concerning the status of Douglas Unified School District Superintendent Earl Pettit ended with a thud Monday evening when the meeting to discuss his future had to be cancelled because there wasn’t a quorum.

All smiles
Mike Tapia, center, sports a mile-wide grin after being selected the winner of a custom built computer from Two Flags Computer, located at 547 10th Street in downtown Douglas. The computer has Windows XP Pro, Core 2 Duo 2.53 Ghz, 4 GB DDR@ Memory, 320 GB Hard Drive, CD/RW-DVD/RW, 512 MB Video Card and the prize also included a flat screen monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers. Two Flags Computer sold 160 $5 raffle tickets in the contest for the custom built computer.  Pictured along with Tapia is store owner Lawana Diffie, and Charles Diffie, who along with Daniel Quijada custom built the computer.

Fight continuing over use of license plate frames
PHOENIX- A veteran state senator wants to once again make it legal for motorists to proclaim on their license plates that they may be the world’s greatest grandfather.

California man arrested on fugitive warrant
A California man was arrested in Douglas on Jan. 3 in connection with a fugitive warrant, said sheriff authorities.

Masons bring child ID program
The Douglas Shrine Club and the Masonic Lodge bringing a Child Identification Program (CHIP) to Douglas

Man stabbed in back, does not report assailant
A Bay Acres man was stabbed in the back early Friday morning but refused to report his assailant to sheriff’s deputies.

Work on Highway 92 restarts this week for widening project
SIERRA VISTA — On Monday, the Arizona Department of Transportation will restarted  roadwork on Highway 92 between Carr Canyon Road and Hunter Canyon.

Arizona running out of cash
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona could run out of money to pay its bills as early as next month and may have to borrow money in the short term for the first time since World War II, state Treasurer Dean Martin said.

Finalized Divorces
The following people had their divorces finalized in Cochise County Superior Court.

Douglas Police Report
December 30, 2008

Border Patrol shifting from voluntary return policy
TUCSON (AP) — The Border Patrol experienced a turning-point year in Arizona in 2008, with increased manpower, resources and technology bringing dramatic drops in illegal immigrant arrests, top officials say.

Next governor seen taking conservative path
PHOENIX (AP) — Look for a turn to the right.

Commodity registration this Saturday
Registration for commodities will be held on Saturday, January 10, at the Douglas Area Food Bank. The monthly registration will be held from 9 to 11 a.m.

Lobbyists, special interests make up Brewer team
PHOENIX  Secretary of State Jan Brewer is defending the makeup of her gubernatorial transition team despite its heavy reliance on lobbyists and executives from firms with special interests.

More doctors added to SEAMC
With the shortage of doctors throughout the country, attracting physicians to rural hospitals has always been a challenge. Recently, though, the CEO at Southeast Arizona Medical Center has brought a few new doctors here, which helps round out the type of health providers available to this area.

Choir opens meeting
The Sarah Marley Elementary School choir recently performed to open up the Douglas Unified School District Governing Board meeting. For more information see article "Board takes care of business during monthly meeting."

Fake Candadian ID fails to fool Customs
Sunday, December 14, at about 3 p.m., two families  of 17 people, attempted to make entry into the United States through the Douglas Port  by presenting Canadian Citizenship Cards that appeared to be authentic.

Border Patrol agents seize vehicle with marijuana
TUCSON, Ariz. – Border Patrol Agents from the Naco Station successfully interdicted a pickup with a false bed loaded with 920 pounds of marijuana.

A New Year's Eve Bash just for Kids!
Parents looking to have New Year’s Eve night out will be able to drop their children off to a fun and safe party just for them. Faith Ministries Youth Group is sponsoring its first “Kiddo’s Rockin’ Eve for ages 2-12 at the church, 901 11th Street from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m..

Firefighters halt fire by San Pedro River
SIERRA VISTA — Firefighters were called to quell a brush fire that burned nearly five acres near the San Pedro River early Saturday morning.

Flexibility needed in paying state’s bills to avoid bankrupcy:
State treasurer
PHOENIX  State Treasurer Dean Martin said Monday he wants lawmakers to give him more flexibility over when he has to pay his bills to keep  or at least delay  the state from going in the red and eventually maybe even having to declare bankruptcy.

Cochise County officials sworn in
BISBEE — “I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the state of Arizona, and I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...”

House, Senate leaders want to embargo non-budget items to focus on fiscal crisis
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona House and Senate leaders plan to place embargoes of varying intensity on most non-budget legislation early in their 2009 session to help lawmakers focus on the state’s fiscal crisis right from the start.

Gas prices drop across county
SIERRA VISTA — According to the Cochise College Center for Economic Research’s latest biweekly survey of gas prices, conducted during the week of Dec. 15, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Cochise County dropped from $1.92 to $1.74 over the two-week period.

ADOT announces online participation opportunity
With nationwide dialogue dominating the headlines about public works as an economic stimulus, weighing in on the state’s transportation future is more important, and easier, than ever.

Time to joy
Photo by Bruce Whetten
The Douglas Dispatch

Distribution control needed to legalize pot: Attorney General Terry Goddard
PHOENIX  Attorney General Terry Goddard said Tuesday he might be willing to consider legalizing marijuana if a way can be found to control its distribution  and figure out who has been smoking it.

BBB urges shoppers to understand policies before braving long lines
Tucson, AZ – Dec. 24, 2008 - The day after Christmas is typically one of the busiest of the year for retailers.

Marijuana seized on New Years Day at Port
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers made the first seizure of the year as they were screening traffic on New Years Day and discovered over $62,000 of marijuana.

First Baby of 2009 from Douglas
SIERRA VISTA — Uziel Enrique Grajeda-Acosta was Cochise County’s first baby in 2009.

AG urges people to get ready for digital TV
Attorney General Terry Goddard is urging consumers who need to obtain converter boxes to act quickly to prepare for the digital television transition on February 17, 2009.

Hoyack re-elected board president; Attendance zone changes discussed
The Douglas Unified School District Governing Board took care of “bookkeeping” issues at its first meeting of the new year in electing a board president on Tuesday, January 6.

Hoop Shoot this weekend
On Sunday January 11, the Douglas Elks Lodge #955 will be sponsoring a Hoop Shoot.

Commodity registration this Saturday
Registration for commodities will be held on Saturday, January 10, at the Douglas Area Food Bank. The monthly registration will be held from 9 to 11 a.m.

Students of the Month
Huber Middle School recently named its December Student’s of the Month. Assistant Principal Clifford Dunlap stands with honorees  Sophia Morales, Veronica (Ruby) Samaniego, Harley Villalobos, Dora Valencia, Nathalie Arias, Student Council Advisor Pat Kehl, Jason Soto, and Jose Baltierrez.

Mexico extradites record 85 suspects to U.S. in 2008
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico says it has extradited a record 85 criminal suspects to the United States so far this year.

Border fence project surpasses 500 mile mark
The Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today that fence construction along the southern border has surpassed the 500-mile mark.

Another sentenced for illegal hirings
BISBEE — Another person who employed unauthorized workers at Sun Drywall and Stucco Inc. in Sierra Vista was recently sentenced to time in prison and home detention.

State tax collections still far below projection
PHOENIX  Arizona tax collections remain far below projections as consumers worried about the economy continue to try to keep their money in their pockets.

Cox Communications, KOLD reach agreement
SIERRA VISTA — Cable provider Cox Communications and CBS affiliate station KOLD in Tucson have apparently come to a last-minute agreement that will allow Cox customers to keep receiving the station’s signal.

Douglas Police Report
Dec. 24, 2008

Board OKs agreement on road construction
BISBEE — Tombstone Unified School District will pay $173,894 to the county for road preparation work needed to construct acceleration and turn lanes on Highway 80 as required by Arizona Department of Transportation.

Card winner
Paul H. Huber Junior High School Principal Martin Muecke, PHJHS art teacher Michelle Hurtado, art student Elizabeth Duarte, DACFAB member Pat Ortega and DACFAB Chair Chuck Hoyack pose after Duarte’s art was selected to win the DACFAB holiday card contest.

Mexican national get trapped in well
On Sunday, December 21,  agents from the Douglas Border Patrol Station received a call from Mexican law enforcement informing that they received a phone call from a third party concerning of an individual that had fallen into a mine shaft and was severely injured 7 miles east of Douglas.  

Arizona’s rate of growth may be increasing slowly
PHOENIX  The state’s rate of growth may be slowing.

Two year-old girl hit by car
A two year-old girl was struck by a car  Tuesday morning when she was running across the Food City parking lot.

6 ‘body carriers’ attempt to fool CBP at the Douglas Port of Entry
Douglas, Ariz —U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers were busy this past week as they stopped 6 drug smugglers concealing marijuana on their bodies. The Officers also seized 7 more loads of marijuana being smuggled in vehicles.

Port of entry busy this time of year
BISBEE — Customs and Border Protection officials were very busy at the port of entry in Douglas and across southern Arizona this past weekend, as lots of people crossed the border between the United States and Mexico in preparation for the holiday season.

Man dies after stepping in front of Douglas woman’s vehicle on I-19
TUCSON — A car driven by a Douglas woman collided with a man trying to cross Interstate 19 early Thursday morning.

Pamper yourself at De Nailspa on San Antonio
   De Nailspa, located at 1350 N. San Antonio (Food City Plaza) opened in October of this year.

Pamper yourself at De Nailspa on San Antonio
   De Nailspa, located at 1350 N. San Antonio (Food City Plaza) opened in October of this year.

Arizona Home and Land is your one-stop shop for all your property needs
Arizona Home and Land Realty is ready to help you find that perfect home.

Pamper yourself at De Nailspa on San Antonio
   De Nailspa, located at 1350 N. San Antonio (Food City Plaza) opened in October of this year.

Arizona Home and Land is your one-stop shop for all your property needs
Arizona Home and Land Realty is ready to help you find that perfect home.

Be safe this holiday season
Those who celebrate Christmas know that a Christmas tree is often the centerpiece to holiday decorating and celebrating. Presents are tucked beneath the bows, and for many it's a family affair choosing and decorating the tree. While there will be debates on both sides of the fence as to whether a real or artificial tree is better, it comes down to personal preference. Each has its share of advantages and disadvantages.

Child Ident Program scheduled for Dec. 20
Every day about 2,000 children go missing or are abducted in the United States. With that in mind, the Masonic Lodge invites the Douglas community to register their children with the Child Identification Program on Saturday Dec 20th at Wal-Mart

2008: An economic year in review
There’s little doubt that 2008 was the most eventful year for the economy in quite some time. In December, we found out the national economy had been in recession for the entire year. From January through November 2008, 1.9 million people in the United States lost their jobs and the national unemployment rate rose from 4.9 to 6.7 percent.

New Year's resolutions
A New Year's Resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous.

The top 10 New Year’s resolutions
New Year's is the only holiday that celebrates the passage of time. Perhaps that's why, as the final seconds of the year tick away, we become introspective. Inevitably, that introspection turns to thoughts of self-improvement and the annual ritual of making resolutions, which offer the first of many important tools for remaking ourselves.

Auld Lang Syne
The song, “Auld Lang Syne,” is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English- speaking country in the world to bring in the New Year. In spite of the popularity of ‘Auld Lang Syne’, it has aptly been described as the song that nobody knows. Even in Scotland, hardly a gathering sings it correctly, without some members of the party butchering the words.

The sounds of Happy New Year
With the holiday season upon us, here’s a list that’s sure to be a tongue twister. See how Happy New Year is pronounced around the world.

Countries have different ways to seek prosperity and good luck for the coming year
With New Year’s upon us, here’s a look at some of the good luck rituals from around the world. They are believed to bring good fortune and prosperity in the coming year.

Frugal Living
FRUGAL LIVING BY SARA NOEL

A Visit From St. Nicholas/’Twas the Night Before Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

‘For the Love of Music’
presents The Strung Out Trio
For the Love of Music begins the year with concerts on Saturday, January 10 and Sunday, January 11 by The Strung Out Trio. The group is made up of guitarist Matt Gould, violinist Beth Ilana Schneider-Gould and pianist Nathanial May. 

5 tips for beating the Holiday Blues
Leading Therapist Offers Simple Strategies for Coping

How “Merry Christmas” is said .....
Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees

Watch out for pet hazards at holidays
SIERRA VISTA — Amid the hubbub of the holidays, we sometimes forget to keep a watchful eye on our pets. Every year veterinarians treat hundreds of dogs and cats for illnesses directly related to the festive season.

Christmas in Mexico
Mexicans share many traditions with the Spanish. Their main Christmas celebration is called La Posada, which is a religious procession that reenacts the search for shelter by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus. During the procession, the celebrants go from house to house carrying the images of Mary and Joseph looking for shelter.

Gift of the Magi
One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas. There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.

Soup, nice and HOT
“Of the various categories of dish which may be eaten, soup can certainly be counted among the most basic,” writes Alan Davidson in the “Oxford Companion to Food” (Oxford University Press, 1999). Basic it may be, but that doesn’t mean soup has to be boring or bland.

Easy, healthy meals - for real
Your cookbook shelf may be jammed with volumes that promise quick, easy, healthful meals, made in a nanosecond and cleaned up in less. They lie -- or most of them do. But this year, it's worth making room for a new book that delivers what it promises. "Glorious One-Pot Meals" by Elizabeth Yarnell (Broadway Books, 2009) is not particularly impressive. It's small, lacks photos and the title seems recycled. But Yarnell has developed -- indeed, patented! -- a method of cooking that results in quick-to-prepare, healthful, delicious and satisfying meals. And, unlike most "one pot" cookbooks, her meals are indeed complete. They include starch, protein and lots of vegetables. No need to cook rice or potatoes or toss a salad to "round out the meal."

Have a happy, whole-grain new year
A new year brings out our best intentions, especially when it comes to our eating habits: We are going to avoid sugar, eschew salt, forgo caffeine, drink more water and less alcohol, reduce our fat intake, increase our vegetable quotient, and lose weight. It’s a list that has “Deprivation” written all over it, with a capital “D.” But here is a small step that requires not one iota of the dreaded “D,” and can indeed lead to better health: Eating whole grains.

Family Dinners: A fresh perspective on an old tradition
 With every New Year comes new products, new trends and new fashions - out with the old and in with the new. There are some things, however, that are always in style, like a good old fashioned family dinner.

Luscious latkes
Hanukkah begins at sundown on Dec. 21 this year: Let the eating of latkes begin!

Happy holiday hosting
The holidays are upon us! Whether planning for a gathering with friends or preparing to host relatives from out of town, it can get a little overwhelming. So this year, spend less time getting wrapped up in stresses of the season, and more time being a jolly holiday host.

Disgraced pastor promoting documentary
Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard has agreed to help promote a new documentary following his life in exile after a 2006 sex scandal — no longer bound by an agreement with his former church that prohibited him from talking publicly about the events that led to his downfall.

The Box Theatre shines with Christmas spirit
Carlos Rodriguez and Itzel Vasquez of The Box Theatre show off the 267 cans of food that will be donated to the Douglas Food Bank. The food was collected during special movies shown after Thanksgiving. Admission was two cans of food.

Sobering numbers about teen behavior
Take comfort in this: The items on the following "to do" list do not apply to all teens today.

Religion’s top 10 of 2008
After waves of headlines about faith and politics, President-elect Barack Obama was the clear choice as the top Religion Newsmaker of 2008.

Cowboy churches rope in new Christians
Associated Press

The 12 days of Christmas
Merry Christmas.

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