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4A – Daily News – Wednesday, November 24, 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 Thank you youth football Editor: 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 It is not easy and it is far more than teaching kids to block, and pass a football. Every kid comes without an instruction manual, comes from a different parenting style, bring different levels of interest, ath- letic ability, drive and experi- ence on the field. Some kids have confidence beyond their skills and some have unbelievable skills with a lack of confidence, some are there for the first time. This coaching staff taught our boys responsibility and was responsi- ble for teaching the life skills of teamwork, discipline, sports- manship, competition, hard work, respect and perseverance. A sincere thank you to every- body on the Jr. Spartans Pee Wee team for investing four months of your lives in this team, you took time away from your own families and that is sincerely appreciated. You said at the beginning of the season that we would be going to play-offs. Well, we made it. Better than that, we took home the Division II Championship Title. It has been a long time since that has hap- pened for youth football. This group of young boys rocks, the parent support and fans has been unbelievable. The biggest thank you of all goes to our boys and coaches Boomer, Ernie, Mario, Gary, Marv, Eric, JB and Melissa. We couldn’t of done it without all of you. Kemberly Coley, Red Bluff Alawman with character Editor: For those of you who attended Clay Parker's retirement dinner Friday, Nov. 12, at Carlino's in the Rolling Hills Casino — and for those who did not — I thought I heard something from him. Did you hear what he said about the old, "arrest the criminals (and throw away the key) beliefs?" I think he gave a big hint that he probably lost his bid for re-election as it may have been perceived that he was going "soft on crime." It's obvious to me that he not only did not go soft he attacked it head on but with a tenacity of courage. To have courage one must be of solid character. I'm guessing he knew his phi- losophy of fairness might cost him his job. But I feel that he was actu- ally doing his job as a lawman. Law enforcement people are "Peace Officers." It's just that he may have found another approach to keeping the peace. Was the old way of enforcing the law working? He said he felt it wasn't and I think most law enforcement officers would agree with him. He also mentioned how to keep kids focused on other things besides getting high, drunk, using tobacco, abusing others and being abused in or out of gangs or at home and the violence that comes with all those problems working in law enforcement; keeping them out of the system. His thoughts may very well have cost him his job but the rewards for Tehama County will be realized in a few years to come. That's if law enforcement under- stands what I believe he was say- ing. Sheriff Parker stuck to his own values of fairness with all citizens. He reminds me of a law man named August Vollmer. Vollmer's character was one of great courage, too, and his legacy will never be forgotten for those in gov- ernment who have similar values. Vollmer correspond- ed with and visited Al Capone and other well- known criminals he arrested. He always treat- ed them all with dignity. It's rare when this hap- pens because many feel these peo- ple, killers, don't deserve respect because they have no dignity. And that feeling of having no dignity may be one of the sources of crim- inal behavior. When law enforcement profes- sionals go above and beyond the traditional techniques and do what others don't want to do we citizens might be remiss in not recognizing this if not following these exam- ples of humanity. Yet, our Sheriff managed to do this, lost his job, but kept his marriage to a wonder- ful lady. Both Clay and Lily are and always will be examples to follow in Tehama County. The other thing I thought I heard was the Parkers filling out applications for new positions in the community. These positions are nearly stress free. They were applications for joining a popular youth program in Tehama County. Even if they really don't join this or another program they both know that they are always wel- come to visit the Young Marines, sit down, share a little with the kids and let their love be felt by the youth in the community. The Park- ers have given so much to several youth programs already. But their love for the youth and for the citi- zens of Tehama County will always be felt. John Minton, Red Bluff Cheerleader has learned from a Your Turn mistake Editor: With reference the Nov. 13 letter from RBUHS cheerleader Brittany Tatro, this teenager deserves compliments for her apology to the family offended by her cheerleading group's decision to concentrate the final minutes of a game on photo ops instead of the football game. Teens and young adults are learning the process of making mature adult decisions and there will be mistakes that occur from a lack of experience. Many adults never learn to make responsible choices, as evidenced by the cred- it and sub-prime home mortgage crisis that has burdened taxpayers with out of control Federal and State deficit spending. Miss Tatro's letter to the editor was very mature. As the father of four and the grandparent of 11, I would be proud if I were the par- ent of Miss Tatro for her letter of apology and her learning from the experience. Instead of having helicopter parents hover over every action of a teen or college age student, it is apparent Miss Tatro's parents have acted responsibly in letting their teen daughter make responsible, life learning, decisions. Congratulations to Miss Tatro and her parents. Joseph Neff, Corning 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. Best Thanksgiving ever Commentary “I was in no mood to cele- brate Thanksgiving this year. We were hurting financially and the wife was driving me nuts trying to cut down on costs.” “With the bad economy, many are looking for ways to save money.” “You have no idea. First off, I’d been working two lower- paying jobs, as I’ve been unable to find another good-paying job after being laid off two years ago.” “Too many Americans are struggling this way.” “It’s not like I had any spare time, but neither did the wife. She’d been working two jobs. Nonetheless, she had me spend- ing every spare moment looking for coupons and bargains on canned cranberries, pumpkin filling and so on.” “That doesn't sound fun.” “It wasn't. Nor was I very good at it. The wife was so unhappy with my lack of progress, she finally decided to give me a ridiculously small stipend to buy everything we'd need for dinner.” “That went better?” “Not exactly. The most basic elements -- cranberries, pump- kin pie filling, rolls and so on -- ate up my entire budget. I didn't panic though. One grocery store had a promotion in which the first 20 customers on Thanks- giving morning would get free turkeys.” “Wonderful!” “That's what I thought. I slept in front of the store all night. There were a couple dozen peo- ple, but I snagged the 20th spot. But wouldn't you know they ran out of turkeys by the time they handed out 15! I was in trouble now, so I grabbed our overbur- dened credit card and went to every grocery store in town -- but not one of them had a turkey!” “You had no turkey on Thanksgiving Day!” “The wife was going to brain me good! I was mighty down. As I said, we'd been struggling financially all year. The unem- ployment rate looked like it would never go down. Our country is broke and getting bro- ker. Our competitors, such as China, are rising. All I could think about were negative things.” “That is understandable.” “Then, as I was driving home, a broken-down van was block- ing the road. My first impulse was to honk and curse, but then I saw an old man behind the wheel. I parked my car and knocked on his door. He told me his truck had stalled and he ran the battery down trying to start it. He said he called for help but it never came -- that his cell phone died and he’d been sit- ting there for two hours.” “It’s hard to get help on a holiday.” “It was freezing cold in his “You did a wonderful thing.” “Well, it got me thinking. We’re going to be all right. Our country has faced big problems before. We’ve solved them before. We just need to reach out to each other a little more. We need to look our problems dead in the eye and face them down, and I know we will!” “That's why it was the best Thanksgiving ever?” Tom Purcell van and he had no coat, so I gave him mine. Then I pushed his van off the road. I know a few things about old trucks and used my jumper cables to get his truck running. You never saw a happi- er man. It made me feel pretty good -- I completely forgot my worries.” “Sort of. See, the old man told me he owns a grocery store and was in a hurry to get to the store with five fresh turkeys for a free giveaway when ...” Tom Purcell, a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web at www.TomPurcell.com or e-mail him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com. ———