Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/14912
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, August 17, 2010 Opinion 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 Senior Nutrition Editor: As a member of the Tehama County Commission on Aging I would like to shed additional light on the newspaper head- lines, "Senior meals crew spared." 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. On the day U.S. District 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 Judge Vaughn Walker issued his landmark ruling regarding same-sex marriage in California, I found myself at a McDonald's restaurant listening to a seven year-old boy engaged in spirited debate with the guy behind the counter about which toy he'd be getting with his happy meal. The over-arching issue, if you'll par- don the McDonald's play on words, is how far society should go in legislating behavior. In overturning the ban on gay marriage known as Proposition 8, Walker said that not even a majority of voters has the power to deny citizens their constitu- tional rights. Prop 8 was approved in November 2008 with 52 percent of the votes. Six months earlier the State Supreme Court had ruled in favor of same-sex marriages, creating a window of opportuni- ty during which 18,000 gay cou- ples were married in California. Walker is hardly a raging lib- eral, having first been appointed by Ronald Reagan and subse- quently by George H. W. Bush, yet the cry among conservatives is that his ruling subverts the "will" of the people, as if that is a basis for determining constitu- tional fairness. Walker was artic- Senior Nutrition Funds are not part of Red Bluff’s General Fund Budget. They stand along- side, not making the budget worse and minimally helping it. Senior Nutrition is funded through Older American Act dollars coming through Pas- sages Area 3 Agency on Aging to Tehama County. The county is in partnership with Red Bluff for three grant streams; congre- gate meals, home delivered meals and senior transportation. A contract is made each year setting the goal of the number of meals and units of transporta- tion that will be provided. Seniors with medical certifica- tion receiving home delivered meals are mostly in their 80s. For many, this is the only meal of the day and the main or only social contact with the outside world. Labor costs, which are non- union and paid by the senior program, are kept low to allow more money to go to senior meals. Staff raises are modest and infrequent. Budget cuts have already been received from both Pas- sages and the county. While the city does not put any money into the Senior Nutrition pro- gram, it does provide in-kind services. Additional cuts to the pro- gram may cause the Senior Nutrition Program to be at risk to meet the goals of meals to be served and raises the probability of having to turn away vulnera- ble seniors for home delivered meals. There is already a waiting list in each of the three communi- ties, Red Bluff, Los Molinos and Corning. Any leftover grant funds will return to Passages Area 3 Agency on Aging, not to the city’s General Fund. Not to be able to meet pro- gram goals or serve our most vulnerable seniors due to the “solidarity of an across the board salary cut” in a program outside the city budget would be a tragedy for Tehama County seniors. Tehama County Commission on Aging is appointed by the Board of Supervisors as a senior advocacy body. We meet every other month on the second Monday at 2 p.m., at alternating senior centers. You are most welcome to join us. For more information about the Commis- sion on Aging call 527-5290. Gail Locke, Red Bluff Didn't I tell you? Editor: I know this is much after the fact, but I would like to say, "I told you so" to all the planners that allowed the "hemp fest", and the "mystic garden festival" in our county. Now I know that the hemp fest was a bust to Donna as far as the people expected to turn out, but as a homeowner, thank you for submitting our family and quiet commu- nity to the people, the noise and the smells of the hemp festival. But my main concern is even though the mys- tic festival was allowed at the fair- grounds in Red Bluff, (but was deemed an "inconvenience" to the head mush- room due to the the asphalt and lack of foliage and natur- al setting), who is going to pay for the lawsuit that is being filed against Tehama County, and should the plain- tiff win? Not only is this going to cost money to fight, but if this should go to a court, how much more will it cost. Where is it going to stop? I already said months ago this allowance of the festivals was going to bite you in the ass. Need I say more? We need our money for our road repaving, stop signs installed at needed crossroads, county buildings repaired, more sher- iff and police officers, and the jail expanded for those who feel they're above the law. Case in-point, the follow- ing week of the hemp fest, five individuals were arrested for marijuana possession, cul- tivation and sales. Then we have the 5th grade teacher who was tragically run down by an individual under the influence of marijuana, and lost her life. So there were what, only a Your Turn few thousand people at the hemp fest? How many of those either came loaded, or left loaded? It could have been my family or friend, or yours just as easily. Now that the holi- day to honor all our fallen is in the record books and as the "world hemp fest" being hosted in Red Bluff, now "prayer gath- erings" are being held, and on the fourth of July to top it off. Someone’s values are really messed up to think that they now have the right to a so called "sacred grounds" any time they want. So where does this leave us? Do the people have any say, any words to be heard on or about drug and crime relat- ed matters in our communi- ties, or will we be forced to live in a county where there are no limits allowing any- body to do as they wish. Really, my home and prop- erty are more sacred than a field, and I own it and live here as well, more than I can say about either the hemp or mystic festival organizers. I sure hope for the future of a great city, and the county we chose to live in for its values and honor, doesn't let us down any further. I believe we can’t afford it. Steve Ismail, Red Bluff 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. Super-sizing the law Commentary ulate in explaining that no state should impose its "own moral code." Meanwhile, the kid in McDonald’s was telling the clerk that he bought his food expecting a particular action fig- ure toy and was unhappy to learn they were out of stock. If one thing came clear as the boy made his case, it’s that he had considerably less interest in the salt-covered fries and fat-laden burger than in the heavily-pro- moted toy. Lawmakers in one California county decided this summer to do something about that, making it illegal for restaurants to give free toys with foods that fail to meet certain nutritional guide- lines. The Santa Clara edict has drawn national attention from both the fast-food industry as well as other municipalities that are considering similar bans. "What we’re trying to do is de-link the connection between unhealthy food and toys," explained Ken Yeager, head of the Santa Clara Board of Super- visors. Yeager has a point about unhealthy food, considering that 25 percent of kids in his county are overweight. And he’s proba- bly correct in his assumption that many kids, like the one I encountered at McDonald’s, are drawn to the toys more than the meals. But Yeager and his colleagues are making a mistake in seeking to promote fitness and good nutrition by out- lawing the marketing of happy meals. They are, in the words of Judge Walker, trying to impose their "own moral code" on fami- lies. Many conservatives find it abhorrent for government to meddle in the rights of con- sumers and businesses when it comes to some- thing relatively small like a happy meal – and they are cor- rect. Yet many of the same peo- ple find it unacceptable for a judge to protect the rights of gay couples when it involves some- thing far more meaningful like marriage – and they are wrong. We all want government to combat things we don’t like, and to encourage things we support. But the primary function of law is to protect our rights, and to ensure that those rights are applied equally to everyone. Moreover, laws are most neces- Peter Funt sary to protect us from the reck- less behavior of others. Opponents of same-sex marriage have nothing whatso- ever to fear from the union of gay couples. And those who are understandably con- cerned about unhealthy food and childhood obesity should realize that outlawing happy meals is not a reason- able solution. To combine the two issues in one argument, as I found myself doing at McDonald’s, is a stretch – but it helps make the point about basic fairness. As for that boy at the counter, he never did get the action figure he wanted. However, as far as I could determine, he had no plans to take the matter to court. Peter Funt writes about newspapers at www.FuntonFronts.com and is a writer and public speaker. He's also the long-time host of "Candid Camera." A collection of his DVDs is available at www.candidcamera.com.