Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/255268
6A Daily News – Wednesday, February 5, 2014 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 Opinion Get this: Americans are get- ting sick of McMansions. So says The Wall Street Jour- nal in a recent report. Americans are favoring more historic designs, such as the arts-and- crafts houses their grandparents once lived in, over gargantuan suburban houses. A new style of housing devel- oper is emerging to serve this demand. These developers are designing and building more modest size homes — in the 2,500-square-foot range — that look historic on the outside, but that have modern amenities on the inside, such as custom kitchens and walk-in closets, that the original homes did not have. I never did understand the allure of the giant boxes. You need a bicycle to go from the couch to the fridge to get a beer. They are drafty and imper- sonal inside — big just for the sake of being big. They may be homes, but they certainly are not homey. And so a longing for smaller, saner housing stock is growing. Part of this is the result of the stumbling economy — though, the article points out, the aver- age size of a U.S. home has rebounded to 2,642 square feet. Part of it is the result of peo- ple who are tired of living in big houses — people who are nos- talgic for the Sunday dinners they enjoyed at Grandma's many years ago, when the average American family lived happily in a much smaller home. The average size of a U.S. home was 1,660 square feet in 1973. Heck, when I was born in 1962, the third child in our clan, my family was living in an 850- square-foot ranch, one probably built with GI Bill money after World War II. Needless to say, the house was a little tight. When my mother became pregnant with my sister Lisa, a bigger house was essential. My parents found that house in a new housing plan that my father drove by every day on his way to work. It was a rectangular "cookie cutter" design typical of 1964. It had red brick on the bottom and white aluminum siding on the top. It had four bedrooms, one full bathroom and one half-bath- room. And it was all of 1,400 square feet. My parents would raise six children in that house. I still remember my poor father, sitting on the edge of his bed in his robe, waiting to get into the shower. As soon as he heard the bathroom door open, he'd rush down the hall, but someone else would always beat him to it — and back to his room he went to wait some more. By 1974, he'd had enough, so he and my mother hired a contrac- tor to build an addition onto the first floor — their new bedroom with their own bathroom! They were in heaven. And our house had been expanded to a whopping 1,662 square feet! My parents lived in that house happily for 34 years. It served us well and none of us ever realized how small it was until my parents moved into a bigger house. Now, when we drive by the old place, we say, "How did all of us fit in there?" But it sure was cozy and is still the place of many grand memories. I suppose the modest size of the house forced us to live together — partic- ularly during holiday gatherings in which people were cheerfully piled atop people. I think this is what more Americans are longing for these days. Sure, we want to add "great rooms" on the back and three or four full baths, but I still think the trend is posi- tive and reflects America's desire to get back to the basics. Cozier and saner is better than massive and wasteful, but that doesn't mean dads should have to wait hours to gain access to the show- er. ——- Tom Purcell, author of "Misadventures of a 1970s Childhood" and "Comical Sense: A Lone Humorist Takes on a World Gone Nutty!" is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist and is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. Send comments to Tom at Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Why Americans want smaller, cozier houses Commentary N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY 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 Tom Purcell STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 150 Amber Grove Drive, Ste. 154, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@sen- ate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558- 3160; E-mail: governor@gov- ernor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Wash- ington, DC 20515, 202-225- 3076. 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; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Your officials Time for Jim Nielsen to go Editor: The District Attorney of Los Angeles Steve Cooley and his staff finally won the war. His Integrity Unit, with an informed jury convicted Senator Roder- ick Wright of the 25th District on all eight counts of perjury/fraud. His fate is sealed, and he is prohibited from ever again being a candidate for public office in this state. Took almost three years, but he didn't get away with violating the law. This integrity unit did its job. We, the people of Tehama County, should now be con- vinced of inept, spineless Dis- trict Attorney Gregg Cohen, who refused to do his job. He had the opportunity and author- ity to expect and demand an aggressive investigation on Assemblyman Jim Nielsen and seek an indictment. The evi- dence was available and sup- ported all the accusations, but no one interviewed any of the principals. The 38 citizens of the 2010- 2011 and 2011-2012 grand juries were cowards and failed to obey their oath. They suc- cumbed to the intimidation of both presiding judges. This I can prove. The County Coun- sel, now retired, William Mur- phy and District Attorney Cohen called all the shots on my two complaints. All grand juries have more authority for their year of civic duty than anyone, including a judge. Shame on all of then. This hap- pens every time when citizens are not educated or informed. This District Attorney Gregg Cohen is a pitiful excuse for an enforcer of the law and protec- tor of the constitution. The vot- ers, hopefully, will never elect this dud again. Let's not overlook the Tehama County residents whom I will refer to as the Bev- erage Party. These people knowingly supported a crook, twice. They should have attempted to learn why many citizens saw the problem and the cover up of fraudulent can- didacy. Not one of these Bever- age Party members lifted a fin- ger or joined with the group of citizens to prove either way the accusations against Jim Nielsen. After much consterna- tion the results on how my four- year war ended, I concluded this Beverage Party would never be my cup of tea. I mention also we have another scalawag candidate who is unable to understand the law – Richard Pan. He is presently being investigated by District Attorney Jan Scully of Sacramento. If they do their job Mr. Pan will suffer the same fate as Senator Wright. Don Bird, Rancho Tehama South Main Street and more Editor: Likewise, Laurel Walker, I too have been wondering why the South Main entrance to Red Bluff is in such a deplorable state. Frankly, I have been won- dering why there are so many streets and roads in the city and county are in the same condition. I haven't seen road repairs of any kind being done. Try turning left into Tractor Supply going north. The left turn lane has raised sections of pavement that violently jars your vehi- cle. There is no viable reason for these road issues to per- sist. We have one of the high- est gasoline taxes in the coun- try and the worst roads. Walk- er's observation about visitors coming into the city and county are not going to have a very good first impression is right on point. I don't believe that our poor road conditions are going to be helpful in the Branding of Tehama project either. Gary Niskala, Red Bluff Columnists views on unions Editor: Read with interest Jack Hansen's article. As usual the minute Polson even hears the word union, he goes postal. I suspect any type of union involvement in the school issue sent Polson into con- spiracy theory mode. Which an obviously educated Mr. Hansen pointed out. Let us not forget Polson's tirade article during the Raley's strike in which he encouraged the community to ignore those people in their struggle to maintain their decades old labor agreement and cross their picket line. That whole issue was a tactic by the new Raley's manage- ment group contin- gent on a Republican presidential victory to under- mine what the late Mr. Raley set up years ago for his work- ers. Since friend of labor Rom- ney's views parallel Polson's regarding organized labor. Thankfully the American people saw through that phony. Admittedly, Obama is no jewel, but the alternative? Also, Polson goes on and on and on whining about Obama, it gets real stale. It is one thing to be a negative complainer, but in Polson's case it would be doing the readers a favor if he did proper research prior to opening the floodgates on that mouth of his. Terry Van Dyke, Red Bluff Resents letters Editor: I resent the letters published on your opinion page by Les Wolfe concerning Richard Maz- zucchi. Maybe Richard should send his column to Les Wolfe for proofreading before going to press. Mrs. Reno Mazzucchi, Los Molinos Your Turn