Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/145000
6A Daily News – Friday, July 19, 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. Nothing is as painful as change Visitors to redbluffdailynews.com Thursday may have wondered whether they had clicked the right link because what they saw looked almost nothing like what they saw Wednesday evening. After about two years of development, your Daily News has a shiny new website. There's a story about the new site in today's edition, so I won't bore you by repeating the same information. Instead, I'll talk about why the new site is both a good and a bad thing. Let's start with the good. The old site was awful — no point in sugar-coating it. It was crowded, unattractive, slow by today's standards and difficult to navigate. The Daily News is part of a much larger company, so these weren't things we could fix on our own even if we had the programming skills to do so. But a company-wide redesign was coming. It arrived at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Of course there are bugs, but so far most of them appear to revolve around how stories are given priority on the new site. We hope to have that straightened out quickly. Gone are many of the dynamic advertisements that cluttered the old site — pencils and hands and other such distractions that kept users from viewing the information they went to the site to find. The company has put new guidelines on advertising meant to ensure it doesn't destroy the call to complain simuser experience. ply because it's not Of course, without what you're used to. the ads there wouldn't The content is just be a site at all. In my as it was, and that's eyes, a static ad on a why you visit redquality site that people bluffdailynews.com. want to visit is of much The difference now is higher value to custhat it is easier and tomers than being part faster to get to the of a cacophony of bells content you want. and whistles that acts We had an outdatmore to tick off visied product and the tors. Chip only way to offer a The bad part? That's easy, change is diffi- Thompson better product is change. cult. Change prompts people to complain, 545 Diamond Chip Thompson especially in the newsAve. can be reached at paper business. I could 527-2151, Ext. 112 write volumes on this or by email at topic. editor@redbluffdailynews.com. All I ask is that you give the him on Twitter newly-designed site a chance. Follow Use it for a day or two before you @EditorChip 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 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 As good as it gets The sun was just breaking through the clouds and we were poised atop the mountain ready for a day of spring skiing. We were either on Mt. Bachelor at Bend, Oregon, Mt. Baldy at Sun Valley, Idaho or perhaps the Nevada side at Heavenly Valley in Tahoe. I led off carving wide turns on the well groomed slope followed by the rest of the family who came down laughing and shouting in sheer delight. I was reluctant to stop, but paused long enough on the side of the run to watch the missus and our four kids ski by... and realized this was as good as life gets. I was having a dream, but it was a moment in time being recreated from our earlier days when our team was still intact. We eventually lost one, but the memory lingers on of those happy carefree days. *** "We have one less burro," Murray Clyde reported. "Yes. We buried Joanie down in the grove over the weekend with our other animals. She was over 30 years old, you know." "That's old isn't it?" "Yep. You're only 8. But it was her time to go. She had a good life." "I know," the big dog nodded in agreement, "but when I was little, she chased me." "You probably had it coming." I replied. "I forget...but what about the burro we got as a companion for Joanie? She must be feeling lonely now that Joanie is gone." "I heard her braying several times. Maybe she misses Joanie. However, we will try to get her another companion." Murray Clyde thought about this for a moment and then said, "I had Little Bert as a companion for a long time...but then he passed away." "Yes, but no one lives forever, and now you've got me for a companion." "You are a very good companion indeed. Everyone should have one. I heard even the Supreme Court has recognized this." Very observant, that Murray Clyde *** We receive the Enterprise Record newspaper gratis every Monday. This is in lieu of the Red Bluff Daily News which does not publish, as you know, on Monday. The Record and the DN are both owned by Digital First Media. The former is a big city publication as benefits a big college town like Chico, and yet their local columnists and contributors do not appear to be guilty of great insight. However, the Record does my brother-in-law, and he never once mencarry syndicated columns...and reading tioned he had broken his leg as a child. Funny how people keep things like George Will's erudite colthat to themselves. umn is worth the time to *** read the paper. I entertained Last week's quiz was the thought years ago of answered correctly by S. owning or at least being Rodriquez who figured out editor of our local paper, that Mitch Williams was but the effort to offer timenicknamed the "wild ly news while remaining thing," Mark Fidrych was impartial, plus the long "the bird," Lou Gehrig the hours required to check "iron horse," George Hersources, convinced me that man Ruth was of course this was not an occupation Robert "the babe" and John Baker for the faint of heart. Best was "home run." Also that to run a packing plant or "kine" is plural for the sinbroker real estate deals and gular "cow." leave the driving of media This week's quiz: What outlets to others. state and what long river in *** "The first duty of love is to listen." Paul the United States contain one vowel in their Tillich. What? I wasn't listening...say that names repeated four times...what state ends in a double vowel...and which state contains again. the letters "u.s.a." within its name? *** *** Although long absent from the meat busiGuy gets stopped by a cop. Cop says, ness, I still get newsletters from the North "You were doing 75 in a 45 zone so I have to American Meat Association. "In June, Alberta, Canada, experienced give you a ticket" "No way, officer...maybe 60 but not 75!" flooding so catastrophic that it was The guy's wife leans over and says, described by the provincial government as the worst in Alberta's history. The Cargill "Come on George, you were doing 80 easibeef packing plant located in High River, ly." The guy glares at his wife. The cop says, "And I'm going to give you Alberta, which slaughters about one-third of Canada's beef, was shut down because the a ticket for a burned out tail light, too." "Officer, I had no idea that light was out!" flood knocked out High River's water treat"Come on, George, that light's been out ment facility. Cargill was left to try and find another source of potable water, but alterna- for months." He glares at her. "And I'm going to cite you for not weartives are proving difficult to locate. Tapping of nearby creeks and streams is even under ing your seat belt." "I only unbuckled it when you were consideration." I'm glad I'm no longer in the business. walking up to the window." "Come on, George, you never wear your Today a water treatment facility would seat belt." prove too costly to maintain. Finally, he turns to his wife and says, *** News to me as recounted in the 90 years "My God, woman, would you shut the hell up!" ago section of the DN: The officer asks, "Does he always talk to "Little Billie Garrett, two and a half year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Garrett, you this way ma'am?" "No, only when he's drunk." had a narrow escape from serious injury and perhaps death at 5 o'clock Saturday evening Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of when he fell from the second story of their residence., 1245 Main Street, onto the hard Red Bluff, former columnist for the Corning walk below. The child's right leg was broken Daily Observer and Meat Industry about half way between the knee and the magazine and author of the "The Knocking Pen." He can be reached at hip." I knew Bill most of my life, in fact he was rminchandmurray@hotmail.com. Minch I Say