Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/273625
I expected to hear from lots of readers this week as we launched a major redesign of the Daily News. What I didn't expect was the large number of compliments we've received. Any time something changes in any news- paper, there is a hue and cry. This time was no different, with com- plaints focusing almost exclusively on the reduc- tion — less than a point — in type size. Older readers in particular have com- plained it is too difficult to read and have asked what's the value in making the paper bet- ter looking, if they can't read it? Good point. I can't promise anything, except that this feed- back is being passed on to the designers. In a conversation with a fel- low editor recently, he said peo- ple complained about a reduc- tion in font size at his paper. Some of those same readers called back a few days later to thank him for increasing the size again. Only one problem, he didn't. The readers got com - fortable with the new size. I understand many print sub- scribers, especially older read- ers, don't want to read the news online. But visitors to redbluff- dailynews.com, and any site for that matter, can increase the font size to whatever is com- fortable. Just an option. On to the unexpected. A great number of you have called and written to let me know how much you like the new look. Many have said the pa - per is better organized and eas- ier to navigate. Others appreci- ate the additional state, nation and world news. Still others say they're proud to have a more professional-looking local pa - per. That last one did prompt one of the more curious complaints of the week. One reader said the new design made the Daily News look like a big city pa - per rather than a small town newspaper that would best reflect Red Bluff's character. I'll chalk that up as a com - pliment. A couple of things readers may not have noticed include the almost full page of sports agate mentioned in a previ - ous column, daily lottery re- sults, larger photos through- out and an expanded weather report that includes rainfall levels measured in Red Bluff rather than Redding — one of the more persistent complaints over the last few years. It has been a hectic week as we all learn a new system for managing content and figure out workflows. My apologies to any of you who have reached out to me and are still await - ing a reply. We are getting more comfortable with the system each day. The new system provides many advantages, but the one that you will probably notice most is our ability to post sto - ries on redbluffdailynews.com in a more timely manner. Under the old system our webmaster, Senia Owensby, would post stories each morn - ing from that day's edition. Ex- ceptions were breaking news items, but they still relied on Senia being available to post the content — which she was good about, even at night and on weekends. The new system allows each of us in the newsroom to post to the site whenever a story is ready — and from wherever we happen to be, as long as we have access to the Internet. This means coverage of Wednesday night's Corning High School basketball games went live on the site not too long after the games finished. Night games 30 minutes away mean that we can't get coverage on the page before our print dead - line of 9:30 p.m. But now we can effectively publish game cover- age, and coverage of other news and events, around the clock as it's written. Change is always difficult, es - pecially when prompted by bud- get cuts, but I'm pleased that this time around readers are appreciating all the positives that come with it. Chip Thompson can be reached at 530 527-2151, Ext. 112 and by email at editor@redbluffdaily - news.com. Follow him on Twitter @EditorChip 545 Diamond Ave Reaction to Daily News redesign Cartoonist's take You are viewing the new look of the Daily News in general, and of this column in particular. It is a dramatic revision of the newspaper I once de - livered as a kid. The flag appears foreign to my aged eyes. And what's worse. There's no longer any room for me and Murray in the photo. Sigh. Witnessing people signing pe - titions in front of Raley's, I re- alized that proponents of initia- tives to do this and that have ad- opted a strategy to gain their aim by "bundling" — i.e. combin- ing their objective by preying on conservative fears of gun con- trol and convicted felons running amuck in our communities. A card table had been set up on the sidewalk in front of Ral - ey's that held clipboards with pe- tition forms and posters in var- ious colors hanging on the table proclaiming separate agendas, all apparently joined at the hip and urging people to protect their right to bear arms, to at - test to the wisdom of dividing the State of California by creat- ing the State of Jefferson…and to voice their objection to the early release of felons from state pris- ons. The only admonition miss- ing was a fourth sign reading "Vigilanties unite! Join the mili- tia of your choice today" Of course rampant distrust of government, and most poli- ticians, has nurtured such sen- timents as evidenced by clever aphorisms such as: "I think Con- gressmen should wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers, so we could identify their corporate sponsors." And, "The reason pol - iticians try so hard to get re- elected is that they would hate to have to make a living under the laws they've passed. " Speaking of dissent, a con - stant reader writes, "I read DP's rant on the benefits of the Uto- pian State of Jefferson, in which apparently only the truly in- digent will receive help. Oh? And who will decide if you are truly indigent? He can't send the homeless to Shasta County as they will be part of his new state…and if we don't have to pay sales tax to the state of Califor - nia, we will all be rich and pros- perous? Whoa! Don't we get aid from the state of California, far beyond our sales tax revenue? And if we don't pay any sales tax, where does Jef - ferson get its startup money? This simply does not add up. Once again he insists that folks are just wait - ing out there to come and pour their money into the new state. Really, how many times have you heard that song? People waiting to invest big bucks into Tehama County?" An unattributed comment in the Chico Enterprise Record reads in part: "The 6 states of California postulated by billion - aire capitalist Tim Draper are definitely a kick to contemplate. The free spirits of the State of Jefferson could go their own way, free of enviro dictators and gun wimps. But there are unavoid - able downsides. Like 5 new gov- ernors, legislatures, highway de- partments and on and on. But it's Congress, not the voters who will have the final say on whether and how to carve up California. And doesn't Congress have enough to not get done already? Union membership in the U.S. is 11%, down from a peak of 35% in the mid-1950s. However, Volk - swagen management in this country is concerned when a re- cent vote to establish a union at its Chattanooga plant was de- feated by only 53% of the vote. An official warned, "If another VW factory is to be set up in the United States again, will not nec - essarily have to be assigned to the South again." Sounds like the South will not rise again if they push for union - ization. There is a saying that goes "Save your fork." Evidently it is a familiar expression for church going potluck folks. Such an an - nouncement suggests there is dessert to follow. It brings an an- ticipation of good things to come. A recently departed woman ended the obituary she herself had written with that phrase "Save your folk." I like it. Antici - pation is good for the soul. You may be familiar with Gurnsey Drive and Wiltsey Road, but a recent "90 years ago…" item gives those locations a bit more meaning. "The con- test instituted by John H. Gurn- sey, a farmer in Antelope Val- ley, against the will of his late mother, Mrs. Harriet A. Gurn- sey, which has been on trial for two days, was not permitted to go to trial. The court held the ev- idence did not show that Mrs. Gurnsey was incompetent to make the will she did in late Jan- uary, 1922 or that she had been unduly influenced by her daugh- ter, Mrs. Mary J. Wiltsey." John apparently received a "Dear John" letter of a differ- ent sort. Last week's quiz asked read- ers what 4-letter word ends in "eny." I had "deny" and every responder got that. I then said that Nervous, Grievous and Mis - chievous all end in "ous," name a forth word with the same end- ing, and most came up with "in- congruous." Finally, Suspicion and Coercion end in "cion"; name a third such word and a few got that one "scion." However, some came up with words my source had not considered and I say bravo. J. Yingling , by the way, was first in. This week's quiz: Who wrote the hit song "As Time Goes By?" Also, who wrote "Take The A Train," "Caravan" and "Satin Doll?" Lyrics and music, please. The teacher asked the class to tell about their fathers and what they remember their dads said to them. Johnny said, "My father is a mechanic and he said, "Hand me a wrench." The teacher said very good. Then Billy's hand shot up and he said, "My dad is a butcher and he said, "Hold this pork chop." The teacher then asked for Le - roy to recite and he replied, "My dad is dead." "Oh, I'm so sorry Leroy… do you remember what his last words were?" Leroy (seizes his throat) "He went 'N'gungghhh!'" Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red Bluff, former columnist for the Corning Daily Observer and Meat Industry magazine and au - thor of the "The Knocking Pen." He can be reached at rminchandmur- ray@hotmail.com. I Say Hmmmmm: reaction to redesign A couple of things readers may not have noticed include the almost full page of sports agate mentioned in a previous column, daily lottery results, larger photos throughout and an expanded weather report that includes rainfall levels measured in Red Bluff rather than Redding — one of the more persistent complaints over the last few years. Sounding off A look at what readers are saying in comments on our website and on social media. Wonderful news!!...Will make such a differ- ence for the animals! Ronnie Mrzilek Casey: On Facebook about credit cards being accepted at animal shelter We always have great service with Red Bluff Daily News AND Love your new design always nice to change it up. Caroline-Carolyn Whitlock Regnell: Face- book comment about Daily News redesign Greg Stevens, Publisher Chip Thompson, Editor EDItoRIAl BoARD How to have your say: 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 no more than two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section will be published. Email: editor@red bluffdailynews.com Phone: 530-527- 2151 ext. 112 Mail to: P.O. Box 220, 545 Diamond Ave., Red Bluff, CA 96080 Facebook: Leave comments at FACEBook.CoM/ RBDAiLyNEWS Twitter: Follow and send tweets to @REDBLuFFNEWS Chip Thompson Robert Minch The Senate this week re- jected the nomination of Debo Adegbile, a former Supreme Court advocate for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, to lead the Justice Department's civil rights division. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., one of those who voted no, immediately admit - ted that the vote wasn't about the nominee's ability to do the job. Rather, it was because of his limited association with the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, an inmate convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer. But Adegbile's qualifications were the issue. In his vote and follow-up statement, Coons be - trayed the ethical principles on which the justice system de- pends, acknowledged his hy- pocrisy and repudiated another crucial principle: that the pres- ident should be able to staff his administration with appointees of his choosing unless they are sorely unqualified. The Senate's habit of turning confirmation votes into proxy wars hurts the country. It de - ters many people from public service, and it makes staffing the government outrageously time-consuming. One can be sympathetic to Faulkner's fam - ily and dismissive of the move- ment to valorize his killer with- out hijacking our system of checks and balances to make that point. — The Washington Post other view Another ill-fated nomination OPINION » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, March 7, 2014 » MORE AT FACEBook.CoM/RBDAiLyNEWS AND TWiTTER.CoM/REDBLuFFNEWS A4