Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/110493
6A Daily News ��� Wednesday, February 20, 2013 Opinion Eyesore 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 Editor: Looking at the east side of Interstate 5 just south of Red Bluff. Is this really the way we want the gateway to our community to look? Especially with all the Branding monies being spent on our destination tourism. I'm just saying... Elizabeth Soder, Red Bluff Plaza Editor: I read with great amusement Roger Brooks' latest idea for downtown Red Bluff. A plaza! That's it! That why people go to Italy. It's the plazas. Who knew? I have been to Boulder's Pearl St. Mall and it's lovely. It's also bigger than our entire downtown. They have a large university and general population there. That's why it works. I assume he means more of a town square, like Chico and Arcata have. We are all familiar with those. When events are taking place, they're great. Any other time, they are mostly populated with pan handlers and druggies. The Downtown Red Bluff Business Association has been discussing the possibility of a pedestrian-only shopping area for at least 15 years. It's in the Downtown Revitalization Plan ��� remember that? The logical place would be the 600 block of Main Street, which already has adorable retail and dining. Easy right? Just close off that block of Main to traffic, put in some lawns, benches, a fountain, etc. The problem is Caltrans controls and maintains Main Street. Years ago, there was talk of the city of Red Bluff taking over that obligation, but it also includes the Antelope Bridge, and the city can't afford it. Of course there's Cone-Kimball Plaza, which already exists thanks to the hard work and donations of a caring community. It's the heart of Red Bluff, after all. OK, it's not the bustling center of activity it could be, but it's a vast improvement over the vacant lot it once was. Baby steps. I guess my point here is that Roger is not entirely wrong. It's just not an original idea and I don't see where he tells us how or where to implement it. Liz Merry, Manton Dating Violence Awareness Month Editor: Teen dating violence ��� also called intimate relationship violence or intimate partner violence among adolescents or adolescent relationship abuse ��� includes physical, psychological or sexual abuse; harassment; or stalking of any person ages 12 to 18 in the context of a past or pre- sent romantic or consensual rela- ject. Please look into your local tionship. Building off a long history of youth organizations such as the research in the area of intimate Tehama County Police Activities partner violence, the National League, Tehama County Young Institute of Justice is now look- Marines, Department of Educaing to relationships during ado- tion as well as several others lescence to understand the fac- including your local churches tors that put individuals at risk and more. Google "teen viofor involvement in abusive lence" where a wealth of inforromantic relationships as adults. mation is available. Information This effort began with a series of is even available on Facebook. John Minton, Red Bluff workshops in 2006 and 2007 that culminated in the development and coorYour dination of a federal Editor: interagency workBuild a 10-foot group. fence along the MexiThe creation of the can border, and someFederal Interagency one will build a 12-foot ladder, or Workgroup on Teen Dating Violence was one outcome of the tunnel under it or go past the end. 2006 Workshop on Teen Dating Or better yet, we could build a Violence. The workgroup is fence around the entire nation. Wow, what a great idea, that composed of representatives way Elian Gonzales, the 4-yearfrom 18 agencies representing the Departments of Health and old communist, would never have Human Services, Justice, Educa- entered our shores. Just think if we tion and Defense as well as the had that fence surrounding our nation, that one 4-year-old comOffice of the Vice President. The workgroup has met regu- munist could have been stopped. Or we could do something that larly since September 2006 to actually will work. And would be share information and coordinate teen dating violence program, simple and make sense. Simply policy and research activities to fine the employers who hire those combat teen dating violence of whom crossed the border lookfrom a public health perspective. ing for a job at $1,000 per day per Participating agencies have col- employee. Simply put,dry up the jobs and laborated on several joint efforts, there will be no job hunters. It including cohosting the December 2007 workshop and sponsor- does not take a rocket scientist to ing the Concept Mapping Pro- under stand this. Robert Hogan, Red Bluff What a joke 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 Facebook fatigue Exclusive excerpt from: "Comical Sense: A Lone Humorist Takes on a World Gone Nutty!" I'm turning into my father. My father was born in 1933. He was a paperboy in the days when paperboys stood on city corners and shouted "Extra!" In my father's home, the newspaper still is king. He has two delivered daily. He reads every inch of both. He does the crossword puzzles in both, too ��� with a pencil. (Note to people under 25: A pencil is a small, yellow stick that leaves a mark when its tip is pressed against paper.) My father knows that people can do crossword puzzles on their computers, tablets and smart phones but the idea is nutty to him. Only an idiot would bring electronic equipment into the bathroom. To be sure, my father has shunned the communications marvels of modern times. He uses my mother's cell phone ��� but only to avoid long-distance charges. He has never sent or received e-mail. He never searches the Web. He uses the White Pages or Yellow Pages. (Note to people under 35: The White and Yellow Pages are thick directories of people and businesses that are left at your door once a year.) And there are two other things my father will never do: use Facebook or Twitter. Facebook.com is a socialnetworking Web site where people post important updates for their electronic "friends," such as detailed descriptions of what they had for breakfast. Twitter.com is similar to Facebook, except the descriptions are brief (140 characters or less): "Ate oatmeal today. Was good." There certainly are upsides to these technologies. The Wall Street Journal reports that Twitter ��� with its ability to rapid fire messages to millions ��� can be a powerful communications tool. Sure, celebrities use it to update fans on their latest banalities, but emergency organizations are also using it to alert people during disasters. As for Facebook, it is surely helpful to stay-at-home parents who are isolated from other adults. There is an upside to swapping personal information, even if it is over the Internet. Facebook has helped me locate ��� and be located by ��� friends I haven't talked to for years. Some 300 million are using the tool; there is a good chance people from your past are using the site, too. Which brings us to the downside. Maybe there is a reason your He hasn't wasted a moment old friends and old girlfriends are old friends and old girl- on superficial online communifriends. Maybe you've already cations. He is doing just great in the real world of told them everything the White Pages, you had to say ��� with printed newspapers the exception of what and books. you just ate for break(Note to people fast. under 25: A book is a I was at a party compact device in recently where I was which words are accused of being "old" printed on several ��� I'm 50 ��� because I pieces of paper; the have never "drunk paper is glued to a texted" friends (or old spine.) friends or girlfriends). When my father (Note to people Tom wants to communiover 50: texting is cate, he approaches when you press both other human beings, thumbs against a usually my mother, miniature cell-phone keypad to bastardize the Eng- and uses his voice. Sometimes he uses facial expressions to lish language.) My generation preferred to emphasize a point. I think he's on to something. "drunk e-mail" old friends and Though I'm beginning to use girlfriends. The generation before mine preferred to Twitter for useful and interestupdates ��� and "drunk phone call." My father's ing generation would "drunk walk LinkedIn.com for business netto the person's house and knock working ��� I don't use Facebook much anymore. on the door." I prefer to meet people for In any event, recent reports suggest that people are tiring of breakfast (and see firsthand technology-enabled social net- what they're eating). working. Tom Purcell, a humor Craig Kinsley, a professor of neuroscience at the University columnist for the Pittsburgh of Richmond, told the Associ- Tribune-Review, is nationally ated Press why: humans crave syndicated exclusively by contact and human interaction, Cagle Cartoons newspaper but interaction over the Internet syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web at www.TomPurcell.com or eis without substance. him at Which brings us to my mail Purcell@caglecartoons.com. father. Purcell