Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/13714
4A – Daily News – Friday, July 23, 2010 Opinion Abig thanks D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Editor: We would like to take the time to thank the First Church of God and the bowling alley on Main Street for letting us hold a car wash there on Friday and Saturday in loving memory of Baby Lyric Collins. 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 let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. 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 submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity 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 vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents 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 Thank you to all the family and friends who came together and to USA and also Red Bluff Gas for your donations to help share the power of a wish to everybody who helped with a kind word or a friendly honk as they drove by. Baby Lyric Collins was a bless- ing on the day he was born and will remain a blessing. RIP Lyric Collins. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you all very much. Barbie Dominic, Red Bluff Being a county professional Editor: When a child is sick or life’s in danger it's so cool that everyone gets involved. But when a child lives in a drug-filled home or an abusive home in this county it's a tragic thing when you hear from the police, courts, etc. that there is nothing they can do or no one wants to do anything. What’s even more disturbing is how one service hands you over to another for they don't want to do their jobs, kind of like passing the buck. When children are in a bad situation everyone needs to jump in full strength and investigate every possible solution to make it where the children or child never has to be put through bad living situations. I expect someone from one or all of county agencies to have a say on this topic. So do this before you comment on this letter ask your- self a couple of questions. Am I doing the most I can do? I’m getting paid a fair wage, should I take a chance and protect all children or do I want to contin- ue to take the cases that I know I can prove fast and easy to make myself look good? I’m not saying all county employees are this way but there are so many Tehama County workers that are totally lazy and should be replaced by people who want to work and make this coun- ty a better place to live. Trying to protect a child from another county and being passed around with several agencies is not good. So jump in and do your jobs. Don't pass the buck. Our children are this country’s future. Do the right thing Steve Hudson, Cottonwood Educational values in RB Editor: As a former citizen and student of Red Bluff, I am astonished at the immense negativity surround- ing the education system of our lit- tle town. As a child I was exposed to much dinner table criticism of socio-political issues. However, I cannot recall my parents ever men- tioning education in a negative light. No matter the current contro- versy in education, it was amongst the greatest importance that rants about such took place beyond the ears of the little ones. Knowledge and educators were upheld with the greatest admira- tion, giving my siblings and I a great respect for our teachers, and a positive view of our education. Family dinners have increas- ingly diminished from our culture, bringing with it the respectability to uphold the importance of educa- tion. I cringe whenever I hear a father tell his young son that he doesn’t need to go to college; or a mother telling her child not to lis- ten to the bogus taught in science class. So often are jokes cracked about the lack of decent educa- tion, or gossip spread about a teacher’s worthi- ness. Whatever happened to the esteem society had for its educa- tion institutions? Entering Red Bluff High after attending a small country school, I was fascinated by the intelligence and enthusiasm of my teachers, the encouragement from faculty, not to mention the greater expectations that the cur- riculum provided. The Red Bluff School Dis- trict’s integrity is anything but average; and the community is truly blessed to have the resources to produce intelligible young adults. If only the parents of these students would merely refrain from their negativity in the pres- ence of children. Let the students learn, form their own opinions about their edu- cation and allow them to embrace education as a positive and worth- while effort if they so choose. Tara Thomas, Ashland, Ore. Fat kid? Editor: What is with the first ladies? Hillary Clinton said it takes a village to raise our kids. Michelle Obama says take the toy out of the happy meals. She received from the Demo- cratic congress 600 million for her fat kids project. Think about that money, where could it have been spent better? Your Turn There is no secret to making our kids leaner, take the Game- boys away. Send them outside to ride their bikes and play. Use their imagination and make up physical games to burn the fat off. I would have loved to hear either one of these ladies tell my mother how to raise her kids. We played outside till dinner then back out and you had better be in before it got dark. We did our chores, helped with the work around the house. Today both parents have to work to pay the high taxes so the government can give it away for programs like this that aren't any of the government’s business. You know the White House has a special chef who makes up the meals and makes sure that the first family has the proper meals at our expense. And then Michelle grows a garden, flaunts it on the cooking show and showed beautiful vegetables that really did not come from her special garden. Later they admit that her garden didn't do as good as they thought it would. How sad it has become that the White House now wants to raise our kids. They are going to take care of us if it kills us. I raised my four kids and they are healthy adults and their dad and I did it, not the government. Sue Lord-Rodrigue, Manton Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Life around Red Bluff is slowly changing Commentary They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. No, I’m not talking about cars or hi-fi stereo systems. I’m talking about old school places to eat breakfast. The other day, my son Ethan mentioned that he wanted to get some "egg toast" at the place that looked like a barn. He was talking about Etta’s Place, which used to be open for business on Main Street for years. I don’t know how he came up with the image of a barn, but he was right in saying that Etta’s had the best French toast in town. However, I thought he meant Denny’s, so I drove there first. He then argued that where I was supposed to go was the place where he once got Cheerios when he was a baby. For the life of me I don’t know how kids remember that stuff. Anyway, I eventually figured out what he meant, so we head- ed over to the old Etta’s place, which is now the Sugar Shack Cafe. We walked in and I immedi- ately got a bad vibe. The place was clean and well scrubbed, but completely generic in terms of atmosphere. There was no counter and all the 86 or so cof- fee mugs on the wall were gone. There was no scent of Etta’s anywhere to be found, and I was bummed. Etta’s was as old fashioned as it gets. The stools at the counter were rickety old things, and one could never sit up straight in any of them. The walls were splashed with memorabilia - mostly Disney related stuff and an oldies sta- tion on the radio that always took me back. The food was always good and the service friendly. The hired help knew me by name and always took time to come over and chat. I wrote many of my columns in my head inside that building. The imagery and sensory per- ceptions on the walls and in the air prompted so many memories for me. Anyway, Ethan ordered his egg toast, thinking it was going to be exactly the same as it once was. It wasn’t. Our waiter, Robert, brought out our food and placed it in front of us. Ethan’s reaction was classic. He took one look at the French toast and dropped his forehead into his hands. "Dad, this isn’t the same egg toast as the last time." No, it wasn’t, I thought. I was just as bummed as he was. However, I must say, in fairness, that there is nothing wrong with the Sugar Shack. The owners are friend- ly folks who are just trying to make a living here in Red Bluff. I have nothing against what they have done to an old person- al landmark. Yet, for me, it’s not Etta’s. In the short amount of time we were there, I really missed it. Billy and Carleen Galbreath owned the place, and crowds spilled over outside the front door just waiting to have a seat. It was a great place to meet, have breakfast, and catch up with friends. I miss those days. Pat Gleason Simply Put The same goes for the Snack Box, which is literally falling apart before our eyes. When I first moved here, I spent every Saturday and Sunday having breakfast there. It’s where I made my first Red Bluff friend, Dena, and her twin sister. Everyone knew them because of their bright red hair and Dena’s loud voice. It’s sad to watch an old local icon – a meeting place of so many peo- ple – deteriorate miser- ably into the ground for no apparent reason. It’s a symbol, though, of what’s hap- pening around our entire city. One busi- ness after another is going under, and Red Bluff is gradually evolving into a dried up movie city named Radiator Springs. I hope our town won’t wear the label "they don’t make ‘em like they used to" in the not so distant future. Have a great Friday. ——— Pat Gleason grew up in Los Angeles and has taught English at Red Bluff High School since 1990. He can be reached at phgleaso@rbuhsd.k12.ca.us.