Desert Messenger

6 www.DesertMessenger.com June 17, 2015 LETTERS TO EDITOR POLICY Desert Messenger encourages letters from its readers. Letters should be no longer than 300 words, and may be edited for grammar, content and length. OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THOSE OF THE DESERT MESSENGER. We invite you to not only see a problem, but search for the solution to share with the community, keeping the benefit of all in mind. Letters considered libelous, in poor taste, on a personal issue, mean spirited or dominated by Scripture quotes will not be published. Third party letters will not be accepted. To avoid confusion over people with common or similar names, writers must provide a full name and indicate the name they are known by. Writers must provide a full street address and phone number. Rvers can provide the location of park/BLM land, etc. Street addresses will not be published. Phone numbers are for verification only and will not be printed. Send letters to: Desert Messenger, P.O. Box 3185, Quartzsite, AZ 85359 or E-mail to: Editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 DESERT MESSENGER Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper Proud to be a Quartzsite Licensed Business 928-916-4235 Founded by Walt Akin October 1, 2004 P�������� �� P���� R��� P��������� C�. P.O. Box 3185 Quartzsite, AZ 85359 P�������� ����� � ����� 1st & 3rd Wednesday Sept. thru May with Special Summer Editions June, July & August EDITOR/PUBLISHER Shanana "Rain" BearCat CONTRIBUTING JOURNALIST Joanne Winer GUEST COLUMNIST Jedidiah Free GUEST COLUMNIST The late Rosalee O Wheeler GUEST COLUMNIST Gypsy Jane Finley CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Starr BearCat NAME PLATE LETTERING Paul Winer www.DesertMessenger.com www.MyQuartzsite.com E-mail: Editor@DesertMessenger.com Copyright 2013 Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Desert Messenger. LIKE US on Facebook.com/ DesertMessengerNews FOLLOW US on Twitter @QuartzsiteRain Just Rambling... I often struggle with the photos I choose to share in print or online. Most photojournalists just take their pho- tos and turn them over to the editor to choose which photo will be published. That's a great fi lter system built-in. However, it can be diffi cult when you're performing both jobs. Recently I did some soul searching when a disturbing photo was posted on- line upsetting many in our community. I've been asked what would I do? This is a diffi cult but important topic to dis- cuss. Readers have come to expect lots of good news in this paper. That's great when there's good news happening, but recently tragedy seems to be occuring more frequently in our town. It's a struggle as I try to fi gure out what's in the public good and also what's the effect on people who are go- ing to see this. In other words, what's my intent and my message? By Shanana "Rain" BearCat The good thing is that every publish- er/editor also struggle with the choices they make: Is it harmful to those in the photo? Will it be harmful to those who view the photo? Does the photo serve a broader journalistic purpose; allow- ing readers to make their own opinion? Some may disagree that even discuss- ing making choices is censoring infor- mation, while others may agree with me for fi ltering disturbing visuals; and that's okay. That doesn't make anyone right or wrong; we just have a differ- ence of opinion. I can't guarantee what I will or won't post or publish in the future, but please know that if I believe a photo will upset the readers for no reason other than to shock people, I won't do it. I believe the more we focus on the gratitude we have in our lives, we will be able deal with anything. Life is like riding in a canoe on the river. Do you head straight for that gigantic boulder and crash...or do you gently steer around the obstacles? Provided by Elmer London, Quartzsite and Desert Messenger Rotary scholarships I thought I could sneak out and go to England without too many people know- ing. The best plans often wander astray. AND THEN! My grandson told me that he hoped I wouldn't have trouble sleeping as London is a noisy town. I asked, "Worse than bombs, rockets and V-1's exploding?" Nature's Nuggets BUYS & SELLS GOLD Nuggets - Jewelry- coins Call Richard 928-927-5479 • 435-730-3388 In Quartzsite over 15 Years! Gold Sand Concentrates Placer Gold 24 Mesh Size up to Nuggets Quartzsite Licensed Business "Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." ~ Marcel Proust Quartzsite Rotary Club #27195 is happy to announce our 2015 Scholar- ship application process for distance learning seniors who are residents of Quartzsite, Arizona and continuing their education process at the Univer- sity and College levels. This is a scholastic scholarship based on the applicant's grades, com- munity and peer-level involvement, and essay presentation detailing the applicant's thoughts, deeds, accom- plishments and aspirations for col- lege, career, and future life. The scholarship value is $1,000 & will be awarded July 15th. These are the deadlines: June 30, 2015 Email/Fax all applica- tions (Student Essay, Teacher/Advi- sor Letter, Transcripts) to Quartzsite Rotary. July 3, 2015 Finalists to be notifi ed. July 8, 2015 Special Meeting at 5:30 PM, Semi-fi nalist Scholarship Candi- dates will make presentations and be interviewed. July 15, 2015, Scholarship Winner will be announced and given Scholarship Certifi cate. For details contact Violet Kiss, Presi- dent; Cell: 760-415-2021 Fax: 760-454-4532 Email: quartzsite_rotary@nethere.com

• Cover