Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/116987
4A Daily News – Friday, March 22, 2013 Opinion New platforms, same standards 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 There's plenty of talk in this industry about the changing landscape of news, but our coverage of a recent story painted a clearer picture of the new landscape's upside and pitfalls than any presentation or webinar I've sat through. As the case unfolded involving a murdered teenager found near Red Bluff Union High School a few weeks ago, the newsroom drew on all our resources to help get the facts out to the community. In most cases these facts were released late in the evening due to the scheduling of press conferences at those hours, and many came over the weekend as the investigation progressed. As a five-day print daily, with no editions Sundays and Mondays, we capitalized on redbluffdailynews.com, Facebook and Twitter to inform the public as new information became available. My thanks to our webmas- ter and reporters who worked around the clock that weekend. By way of a primer — Facebook and Twitter allow anyone to instantly publish information to a group of people who have connected with them on social media. Great for news outlets and those wishing to keep friends and family apprised of their comings and goings, but an easy way to spread false rumors for those who don't verify the information they publish. For the most part we stayed ahead of the story, being the first to break many of the details as they came to light. But reporting via Facebook and Twitter means spending a lot of time on both sites either at the computer or on a smartphone. It's there that I was astounded by how much misinformation was being broadcast and rebroadcast. I won't disrespect the family and friends of Marysa Nichols by repeating any of the specula- eager to spread them, tion that was reported whether through over social media in the social media or at the hours and days followcoffee shop. And ing her disappearance, human nature dictates but there were plenty of the more outrageous broad guesses about the gossip, the more and outright fabricapleasure some will tions of the facts of the take in hearing and investigation. spreading it. What's worse, many In the end it comes users who saw these down to each of us speculative details took being smart conthem to be the truth and Chip sumers of news, spread them to those in of how it is their circles. Thompson regardless And that's reported. On the other hand, it's this same technolo- 545 Diamond precisely why we work so hard to make gy that allowed us and Ave. sure everything we others to get the story report has been veriout quickly to so many in the community. It also helped fied by a credible source. us gather leads that we could Chip Thompson can be verify as the story unfolded. A reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 mixed blessing. by email at Except for the platforms we or use, not so much has changed editor@redbluffdailynews.com. him on Twitter over the years. There have Follow always been rumors and those @EditorChip Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, 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 Dueling Banjo columnists My, my. Three of the columnists appearing in this paper have been behaving as attack dogs in reviewing each other's work. The Los Molinos fellow looks down his nose at the skier and his Tuesday column while the Saturday educator strives to educate his lesser endowed fellows. This is all jolly good fun and while they joust amongst themselves, I remain stoically indifferent and above the fray. Oh, occasionally I am singled out for verbal abuse, but usually receive accolade rather than brickbat *** As mentioned a week or so ago, we now have a real estate seller's market. Inventory has been dramatically reduced in residential and commercial listings, and for the first time in ages, multiple offers are being presented. This will move the economy forward despite the inertia of Congress and the President. Inflation adjusted housing prices per sq ft are still 11% below the long term average, and today's 3.5 % mortgage rates are the lowest in recorded history. This all suggests real estate is the best value in years, rising rental income is great compared to other investments…and rents and real estate prices tend to rise faster than the rate of inflation. It might be the time to invest, if you have the money and the lender to do so. *** Our splendid Tehama County Library was dedicated in September of 1986. Many months prior I had been contacted by Safeway Stores who had decided to close their store in Red Bluff...and asked if I could find a buyer for their property on the corner of Madison at Oak. Clear heads on the Board of Supervisors such as R Frey, G. Pettinger, Jim Hoffman, Bob Flournoy and Burt Bundy thought the store would make an ideal place for the Tehama County Library, which was, at the time, without a home and stored in corrugated boxes on the 2nd story of the Hope Chest. The county bought the property at a good price and paid a hefty price to renovate it. The cost would have been greater except for a group of folks from the Friends of The Library who volunteered to clear the building and remove the tile floor. It was an exhausting project and I recall Sydney Lindauer commenting that it left us all spent. After the dedication ,the volunteers received lifetime library cards as a reward the names under the photos of the various for their efforts. I still have mine, and am classes, I saw very few I knew. However, wondering if there are other such cards still frequent letter writer and quiz responder Fred Boest was one such, and I in use today? Please give me a call was delighted to learn that or e mail me if some of the he was a drum major for renovators are still standthe Gerber Elementary ing. I think the PomegranMarching Band. Way to ate Jelly Lady might be go, Fred! one. *** *** Last week's quiz was H. Clinton announced answered correctly by N. she is in favor of same sex Rick and F. Boest among marriage. Pundits suggest others. Songs a hundred this is precursor to her run years ago named "When for President the next go Robert Irish Eyes are Smiling," around. When one thinks of "When I Lost You,""Peg 'o who should occupy the My heart" and "You Made highest seat in the land, me Love You" were written they want a pretty face and respectively by Chauncey a resume that includes Olcott and George Graff, understanding of global Irving Berlin, Fred Fisher diplomacy. Whereas Hillary is not considered a beauty in some and Alfred Bryan, Joseph McCarthy and quarters, she is head and shoulders above James Monaco and Joseph McCarthy (not her predecessor M. Albright...and although the infamous Senator). This week's quiz: In the Dragnet series out in the trenches around the world following President Obama's direction, she has on radio and TV, Sgt. Joe Friday was played time in grade that puts her ahead of other by Jack Webb, but which actor was his first contenders for President. Not as attractive side kick and which was his second? And perhaps as S. Palin, she appears to be quick- what were the two voice-over statements at er on her feet and knows her geography. If the end of each show? *** she gets the nomination and selects a HisThere was a knock on the door of the panic as a running mate, she will win in a walk as they say in horse racing parlance. farm house. Little Hazel opened it to see a However, if there are still those left who man standing there. She said, "If you're think women are not ballsy enough for the come to see about the bull, It's a hundred top job, TIME writes, "Only flat-earthers dollars and we got all the papers." The man said, "Little girl, I want to talk and small boys don't believe women can lead huge western democracies (think Mar- to your father." "If it's about the bull, I can handle it; a garet Thatcher), play exciting sports (Billie Jean King), rise to the rank of 4 star gener- hundred dollars with the papers." The man said, "It's not about the bull. It's als (Ann Dunwoody) change the world, trade cattle futures and be funny (for all about your brother LeRoy. He's gotten my daughter in a family way!" three, Hilary Clinton)." "Gee," said little Hazel, "You'll have to *** J. Hansen (with an e, I think) dropped off come back when my dad's at home. I don't a 1952 Gerber Elementary year book. We know what we get for LeRoy." noted the advertisers in the book that are no Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of longer in business: Minch's Wholesale Meats, Kilpatric's Grocery, Storm Hard- Red Bluff, former columnist for the Corning ware, Hoffman Tires, Hobson Motors, Cox Daily Observer and Meat Industry Electric, Lyon & Garrett, Walter Stoll Auto magazine and author of the "The Knocking Parts, Metherd's Saddelry and Zuckweiler's Pen." He can be reached at Department Store. When I looked through rminchandmurray@hotmail.com. Minch I Say