100 years ago

Dec. 19, 1918 — Jesse D. Butler dead

It was a shock to his many Redmond friends when the announcement was made that Jesse D. Butler, our popular druggist, had passed away Wednesday night at 10:30 p.m. A man of regular and exemplary habits, he was about the last man in town that any of his friends would have expected to fall victim to the dreaded influenza, but such was the case.

His illness extended over a period of about two weeks. During that time he had the benefit of the most expert medical care, but pneumonia developed and ended his promising business career.

Mr. Butler came to Redmond in the fall of 1911 and purchased the drug department of the Lynch & Roberts store, which he moved to the building which burned down two years ago. He was a very capable pharmacist and enjoyed the confidence and esteem of a large circle of friends.

Brief funeral services will be held at the Presbyterian church tomorrow afternoon after which the body will be taken to his former home at Medford for interment.

He leaves a wife and two small children, to whom the whole community extends heartfelt sympathy.

75 years ago

Dec. 23, 1943 — Raccoon, Owner Hitchhike Home When Car Stalls

With his pet raccoon, “Coonie,” perched on top his shoulder, Jim Woodruff of Olympia, Wn,, was in Redmond Wednesday on his way home from California, where he had been working for Douglas Aircraft corporation.

Coonie, gentle as a puppy, is six and a half months old, Woodruff said. She eats practically anything, having enjoyed a breakfast of bacon and eggs Wednesday morning. The other day she consumed a pound of marshmallows and a pound of bananas which Woodruff had in his car.

The Washington man got the raccoon when she was just a few weeks old, friends who found her on their lawn in Culver City, Cal., having given her to him for a pet. He fed the tiny raccoon on goat’s milk from a bottle until she was big enough to eat other foods.

Woodruff’s car broke down Tuesday at Chemult, and when he found he would not be allowed to ride on the stage with Coonie, he decided to hitchhike to Olympia rather than be separated from his pet, which would have had to be shipped.

50 years ago

Dec. 23, 1968 — Dog poisoning happens again

Another dog poisoning in the Terrebonne Trailer Court occurred Dec. 20, says Jess Smith, county dog control officer. Other strychnine poisonings in the Terrebonne vicinity have been recorded recently, this being the fourth report coming from the trailer court within the last two weeks.

According to Smith, anyone found guilty of poisoning a domesticated animal is subject to a maximum fine of $500 and a prison sentence of up to three years. He said that the American Humane Society offers a liberal reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person caught poisoning domesticated animals.

25 years ago

Dec. 22, 1993 — New screens, new sound

Redmond’s only movie theater has gone uptown.

Redmond Cinemas at Wagner Square has completed a $500,000 expansion that will allow it to offer most first-run movies.

The expansion includes two new theaters, including a 270 seat auditorium that features the largest screen in Central Oregon and an upgraded sound system.

The availability of four screens gives Redmond Cinemas the flexibility to get “all the movies,” said Ron Overbay, manager/owner.

The complex will be able to compete evenly with Bend, he said.

“We will be able to offer Redmond all the movies, so people won’t have to go to Bend” to see the first-run movies a two screen house wasn’t able to provide, Overbay said.