Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/155907
6A Daily News – Wednesday, August 21, 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. 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 Accentuate the positive I have been looking at all the negative things happening in the community and decided it was time to once again find some of the positives. I am getting so I like this way of saying thank you to people who support non-profit organizations and are supporters of organizations that are making a positive difference in the lives of local residents. I want to thank two groups of people, at this time. Those that supported Food from the Heart and donated enough funds to purchase 200 tons of healthy food to help people, in need this winter. I also want to thank those that supported the Sacramento River Discovery Center with donations to their Summer Day Camps program. The SRDC was able to provide environmental education to 160 6- to 12-year-olds over a six week period. The youth were led in hands-on learning, by the Summer Camps Director Zach Whitten, the principal and instructor of Whittenberg Country School. They saw what can happen when people are not careful with fire, and had a visit from Cal Fire engines 2562 and 2582. They had the experience of trying two styles of fire hose. The fire camp was sponsored by Pacific Gas & Electric. Students learned how we might be able to navigate more easily by creating safe bike and walking routes and created a 4'x4' map for the Trails group to investigate, during the camp sponsored by Union Pacific Foundation. The UPF also sponsored a camp where that explored Natural Resources in Space, where students learned about solar power and habitats in space and created Mars rover's. Native California and Prehistoric California were the themes for two weeks of Rolling Hills Casino sponsored camps where large pieces of cardboard donated by Aaron's furniture were used to create a 7 foot tall ancient mammoth model and during Native California they constructed bird houses and removed "puncture vine", a native California invasive species and lots of other activities. Some of the snacks were provided by Red Bluff Grocery Outlet and water was provided by Aaron's. Learning about the Ocean was the last camp and produced the largest of the Tehama County's Art Council supported art projects. Thirty three campers helped to create a 7 foot long dolphin made out of papier mache. Some pho- tos, taken by camp aides for those that provided their Amanda and Dallas Myers, of labors to help with the Discovcamp activities are located on ery Garden improvement proour website at jects. A number of organizations: Red Bluff High WorkAsrdc.tehama.k12.ca.us. bility2 students; Service clubs are a Justice very positive part of Guest View Juvenile Community Service our community and members; Tehama we can all participate Bobie County Reporting in their events. The Center; staff from Service clubs providthe Job Training ed SRDC campership Center; CalWorks funds, that allowed families with more than one program participants; and our student to attend the Summer special volunteers: Randy Baker, Jessica Gomez, Larry Camps programs. These funds were provided Ridgel, Carl Stoldt, Bruce by Exchange Club, Kiwanis, Gray, and Rene Henthorn and Soroptimist International (web page & garden). There all of Red Bluff as well as are always volunteer openings individuals. These funds and opportunities for working allowed 20 students to come both outside and inside the to camp. Support of Service Center. To learn more contact Club events is a fun way to me at bhughe1@tehamaed.org serve the community. Soropti- or 527-1196. The Center will be open mist International of Red Bluff has their annual Choco- Tuesday through Saturday late Fantasia event at the from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting Community Center on Octo- Sept 3. Mark your calendars ber 26th, all service clubs par- for our Annual Plant Sale on ticipate in Farm City Night on Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Who else has some good Nov. 4th; and Kiwanis has a Children's Christmas Festival news to report? I just wish on Dec. 14. Mark your calen- there was a lot less negative dar and watch for more infor- things to report. mation in the Daily News, one Bobie Hughes is the of the best places to learn what is going on in the com- volunteer executive director of the Sacramento River munity. The SRDC is also thankful Discovery Center in Red Bluff. Hughes 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 Fidel Castro goes to confession After celebrating his 87th birthday last week, semi-retired communist dictator Fidel Castro did something nobody expected him to do: He contacted Pope Francis to hear his confession. "Forgive me, pontiff, for I have sinned. Is 65 years since last confession." "Sixty-five years!" said the pontiff. "This is going to be a long one. Go on, Fidel." "As a boy, I once cheat on an exam." "Yes?" "As a teen, I once steal a melon from market." "Yes?" "And in 1959, I and my rebel forces squash evil dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista so common man could share wealth of great Cuba, and to ensure sharing, I imprison and kill my enemies, seize most property and become new dictator of Cuba!" "Have you ever considered cutting back on your caffeine, Fidel?" "Then in 1961, great Fidel rise against Yankee imperialists and win victory at Bay of Pigs! For many years, Fidel squash American attempts to dispose of him. And today, Fidel's great revolution continues! In my country, wealth is shared between rich and poor." "Wealth, Fidel. What wealth?" "Cuba boasts largest fleet of 1950 Studebakers in all of Caribbean." "Look, Fidel, confession is about truth. The truth is that your country is a wreck. Your buildings are falling down. Your people eat scraps. Nobody has ever ridden a flotilla from Miami to your shores." "What you getting at, pontiff?" "You, sir, are on the wrong side of truth and history. How many communist countries have to fall before you realize that central planning doesn't work?" "Pontiff, you speak words of American capitalist pigs!" "Hel-loooo! Anybody home? Fidel, the Soviet Union has unraveled. Your $5 billion annual stipend is gone. Yet while your people live in squalor, you live in splendor, drinking wine and sleeping on silk sheets." "Dictator must keep up appearances." "But not only are your people poor economically, you have bankrupted them spiritually." "Spiritually?" "You discouraged the practice of religion, Fidel. You seized paintings of Jesus Christ from your people's homes. You shut down the Catholic schools, peace is to align ourselves with even though you received an human truth." "Truth?" excellent education in one. And "America is far only in the later years from perfect, but its of your dictatorship political system is did you begin allowing closer to truth than people to worship God yours is, Fidel. Freeopenly." dom is the only path to "With all due prosperity. And if you respect, pontiff, your set your people free, mythical God is not great things will folsolution to any problow." lem. All problems are "Fidel thanks poneconomic. Only reason tiff for hearing conCuba not richer is fession, but Fidel can because of evil Amerinever agree with can embargo against Tom you." my people!" "And I cannot com"Fidel, I dislike the plete your confession U.S. embargo because if you are not contrite. it hurts the poor worst of all. But the primary reason All I can say is that it is good your people suffer is because of that you allow your people to you. You have imposed a sys- hang pictures of Jesus Christ in tem on them that stifles free- their homes again." "Pictures of Jesus Christ? dom, creativity and spiritualiBut Fidel thought they were picty." "But Fidel's revolution not tures of Fidel!" complete! You will see, pontiff! Tom Purcell, a humor Day will come when forces of history overturn your mythical columnist for the Pittsburgh God and Cuba's classless soci- Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by ety be heaven on Earth!" "Look, Fidel. There is right Cagle Cartoons newspaper and there is wrong, and each is syndicate. Visit Tom on the measured by our God. Whether Web at www.TomPurcell.com e-mail him at or not you believe in God, the or only way to prosper and be at Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Purcell