Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/106823
6A Daily News – Thursday, January 31, 2013 Opinion DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 RTR has changed Editor: I would like to speak up a little about the bad reputation Rancho Tehama has acquired from a few people who have probably not been here for years. I'll admit that 20 years ago there was a bad element here and the sheriff at that time would not bother to send a deputy out to check on any reported crime in the area. As soon as we changed sheriffs, a deputy and a dog were patrolling the area and most of the bad guys took flight. If you will notice crimes reported in the Daily News, very seldom are they here. On Jan. 29 the front page had these stories "Teen shot in Red Bluff parking lot," "Man's face slashed in park," "Woman stabs husband over cat." My wife and I have lived here 18 years and never encountered any trouble. The people here take care of each other and we are getting people in from other areas who have fell in love with the place. Please don't bad-mouth the place over something that happened 20 years ago. Vern Wilson, Rancho Tehama RBPD Editor: Recently, the Red Bluff Police Department announced that we have created a Community Survey in order to solicit input from our citizens about crime trends and issues in Red Bluff. Our purpose is to use this information to help develop a 5 –Year Strategic Plan for the Red Bluff Police Department. We will be soliciting input from other major stake holders such as RBPD staff, the business community as well as other City Leaders. The Survey is available by two methods; you may take an on-line survey which is available on-line at www.rbpd.org, or you make take a written survey which is available at the Police Department. Both are completely anonymous. We are excited to hear from our community and it is your opportunity to provide feedback on what services are the economic downturn, as well important or which should be as limitations on other services. By 2010 the Department had prioritized. I wanted to take a brief been reduced to the same sworn moment to explain some of the staffing (police officer) levels of driving force behind the need for 1987. Yet, the crime rate is significantly higher than a 5-Year Strategic 25 years ago. Plan. Nearly four Your It is our hope, that by years ago the Police the end of 2018 the Department suffered Police Department can some serious losses return to the same due to the staffing levels of 2009. economy. There were severe cuts to our budget that Please complete our survey and resulted in the loss of ten posi- let us know what your priorities tions at the police Department; and concerns are within the City five police officers, two Dis- of Red Bluff. We welcome your patchers, two Records Special- comments and urge you to voice ists and one Community Service your concerns. We will use this Officer. These losses resulted in information to help develop realsome services being dropped or istic goals and objectives for our department over the next five delayed. Fortunately, we were able to years. The Community Survey is regain two sworn police officers on-line at through State and Federal grants. available The other impact of these losses www.rbpd.org or at the Red in personnel has been a reduc- Bluff Police Department. If you tion in plain clothes investigators are a member of a group, or civic to follow-up on felony crimes organization and would like to and the Department is no longer hear more, please contact CapKyle Sanders at able to assign an investigator to tain the County-wide narcotics task ksanders@rbpd.org or 530-527force. We had previously elimi- 8282. Chief Paul Nanfito, nated the DARE Officer position Red Bluff after a reduction in staff prior to Turn Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 280 Hemsted Dr., Ste. 110, Redding, CA 96002, 530223-6300, Fax: 530-223-6737, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary The dreaded hook That ulcer-inducing, aneurysm-causing, curse-producing, nightmare-inciting source of fear — that dreaded hook. If you're not a degenerate gambler, allow me to explain. The hook is the half-point bookies put on a betting line to enhance the action. If the point spread was simply 1 or 7 for instance — there would be a possibility of a tie or push and bettors would have the chance of breaking even. With the hook there's no such possibility, since one team can not beat another by a half-point. Super Bowl XLVII has been saddled with the hook. The San Francisco 49ers are 3-and a-half point favorites over the Baltimore Ravens this coming Sunday. Without further complicating the issue with money lines or buying off the hook, the result is most bets on the Super Bowl will have no room for err. You're either going to be richer or poorer come Monday morning. Of course these days you don't need to know anything about hooks to enjoy the thrill of gambling on the Super Bowl. Over the years Vegas has created all sorts of wacky proposition bets to go along with betting the point spread. Don't know who Torrey Smith is? Doesn't matter, you can simply bet on which team wins the coin toss. Before I give my Super Bowl prediction, let's take a look at some of the sillier (and possibly made-up) prop bets to add some fun and tension to your Super Bowl Sunday. What will be higher, Kobe Bryant's points against the Detroit Pistons Sunday or the 49ers' points scored in the Super Bowl? Some of the more popular prop bets merge two sports together to create a gambler's delight. It also gives you reason to skip part of the 136-hour pregame show in favor of watching something else until kickoff. While the Lakers have been struggling this season, Kobe Bryant has been playing great. He's averaging 28.4 points per game. And the Pistons are not that good. The 49ers averaged 24.8 points per game in the regular season. In the playoffs they hung 45 on Green Bay and then 28 on Atlanta. Seems like a push, but I like how the Ravens' defense bounced back this postseason. I'm going with Kobe. What will be higher Bubba Watson's 4th round score in the Waste Management Phoenix Open or Colin Kaepernick's rushing yards? Golf more your game? This bet has you covered. That record-breaking 181yard rushing game by Kaepernick against the Packers stands out. Par at the Phoenix Open is 71, so even if Watson has a brutal day on the course, Kaepernick has this covered doesn't he? Be warned, Vegas likes to play with our short-term memories. Since Kaepernick has become the starter he's only rushed for more than 71 yards twice — that Packers game and I think this is a sucker's bet. the overtime loss in St. Louis. Kaepernick's next best rush- Take the under. The only story that ing game is 66. Meanmight peak her intering Watson would just est is the one that have to shoot a 5involves Ray Lewis, under. male strippers and In seven of Kaeperdeer antlers. nick's past 10 games Baltimore vs. San he's had 53 or fewer Francisco (-3.5) yards. Over/Under (47.5) I'm going with OK time for the bets Bubba, but hoping he that matter and we got has an off day just for hooks on both. some coverage. Americans typically Will Beyonce lip take the favorite and sync at the Super Rich bet on the over, Bowl? because in their hearts I don't see what all they hope games will the fuss is about. I think 99.9 percent of the be high scoring and more excittime I listen to music it's prere- ing for their own viewing pleasure. corded. In the past 10 years favorites Who are these people who have live performances in their have only won three times and homes instead of listening to the Super Bowl has gone over just four times. mp3s or CDs? To turn a profit Vegas doesn't How does that work in a car? Still, considering all the flack need to fool all of the people all Mrs. Z got in the past few of the time just 51 percent of the weeks, I'm betting she goes live people all of the time. Another good betting rule is this time around or at least does a better job of covering it up if never bet on a game involving your favorite team since emoit's not. Number of times men will tional fans often consider their try to explain to their wives team to be better or worse than why the story of Kaepernick they actually are. Think with the head not the taking over for Alex Smith is more intriguing than two heart. Who am I kidding, if gambrothers coaching against blers thought with their heads each other? There are plenty of women they wouldn't be placing bets in who enjoy and know their foot- the first place. Give me the 'Niners and the ball, but there are also plenty of wives like the one I'm married over 'cause I'm praying I'm not to who will be playing Words mumbling "Akers" over and over With Friends during the game again in my sleep Sunday night. and only glancing up when Rich Greene can be reached at commercials come on. In Red Bluff alone the over- 527-2151, Ext. 109 or by email at rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com. under for this bet is 12,231. Greene