Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/30339
4A – Daily News – Thursday, April 28, 2011 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 Going too far? Editor: I read the letter about Tracy 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 Pryor. Sorry about your luck, you broke the law. I also have broken the law and I myself did not whine about it. As far as Tehama County going too far on some cases, I don’t think they go far enough. In the same jail is a convicted child molester. I believe it was 36 counts of that act. He was sent to prison for 90 days to see if he was able to handle the stress and pit falls of the prison system. Somewhere along the way some bleeding hearts let him out after the 90 days and thought probation could work for him. Well now he is back in jail and for what? Probation viola- tion and not registering as a sex offender. His bail is set at $15,000 and it only takes 10 percent at the bail bonds place to get him out. So I would like to know, did Tehama County go too far or not far enough with the first case, and how far will they go with the new charges? What will we tell our children? They went too far? Blessings Editor: I read the opinion page on a regular basis, and I find it inter- esting that most of the articles complain about this or that. Of course we have a few regulars who feel the need to inform us about the goings on in politics and other topics as well. There have been a few small blurps about things positive in nature, but they tend to be brief and neglect to show the nature of the incredible people in this community. Our family has gone through hell this past couple years. I've been sick and not much fun for anyone to be around. My hus- band works six days a week and takes care of our household and me. There have been countless people who have done incredi- ble things for us and will not accept anything in return. Most recently, one of my husband's customers and friends purchased a computer for us as ours was taken. We both stood looking at the box, choking back the tears of gratitude. I believe that God works through people, and while we have our share of profoundly broken individuals here, I have seen the angels sent to balance it all out. Thank you to everyone who has been so loving and support- ive, we couldn't do it without you. Donna Long, Red Bluff Matt Smith, Red Bluff Look into the aquifer health Editor: We need an investigation of the Tuscan aquifer, and the death rate from cancer, multiple sclerosis, liver, spleen and kid- ney disease down Hwy. 99 and the back roads. I am speaking not as a member of the Com- munity Services Board, but as a private citizen. This is my opinion, and unlike Jo Ann Langingham, I will not be rescinding this letter. As I investigate the cancer death rate, I get one to two names per week; some died previously, some just diagnosed. My husband and I did an arsenic test last month. I did not drink the water from the town supply, and he did, including coffee. After 24 hours of collecting, I had no arsenic in my urine, and he had a substantial amount. Wake up out there! Does anybody care? I'm told they have to let people know what they are up to. Your Turn forced to drink water from the two yucky wells at both ends. Space prohibits all the facts. Don't bother to call LM CSD. You will probably be told I am crazy and all they are planning to do is tweak the well at the elementary school. What they think they don't have to tell you is the bill for that will be added not to your taxes this time. “There will be a unified press release and/or state- ments.” Hog wash. I believe this is a violation of the Brown Act. If it is not, what is? People need to be told. This project to hook up Los Molinos Townsite Well is a huge arsenic problem; not just at Mill Stream and Orchard Mobile Home Park, but I would suspect everything in between and back to Buena Vista. Over the years it seems someone has had cancer at almost every spot on that street. Yes, they need help, and yes, the county and state would like Los Molinos to assume respon- sibility. The LM Town site well has no arsenic. If it is used to hook up the highway to dilute the arsenic level, what happens when it goes dry? For that mat- ter, what happens when more private wells go dry? LM will be Again I state, this is my opinion as a private citizen. LM Townsite is sovereign. It has private contract rights from Los Molinos Land Co. they cannot be set aside by any public enti- ty. Get on those computers - State Archives, old court cases. Railroad Commission hearings. I believe the 1913 Research Land Co. contracts. I'm told I'm confused about town water and irrigation. Investigate? Every contract with the LM Land Co. included irrigation rights. There was an incredible first flume right owned by town water. The drought is over, why is there no water in Mill Creek? Investi- gate. If nobody irrigates any- more, who gets the money for the water rights? I was at that private meeting. I heard one of those officials say filtering was expensive. Well, Los Molinos does not need to take on the responsibil- ity. Is it cheaper in lives to dilute and drink it? I believe it is in the third stage of planning, and I am on my second tumor. Investigate. Phyllis Domingo Martin, Los Molinos Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, 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. Acceptance of "New Normal" is unacceptable Commentary We’ve heard a lot of pep-talks recently that it might be time to for Americans to reduce their liv- ing standards and expectations in order to accept the "New Normal" that is inevitable if Washington’s reckless spending spree on the taxpayer’s dime continues. It’s difficult to grasp the notion that citizens are expected to go without in order to fund a govern- ment that is about to bust the seams of its financial britches. Are they not the ones who are consti- tutionally-bound to work for us and not the other way around? More disheartening are the Pro- gressive Democrats who, like mindless lemmings, are all too willing to follow their feckless leaders in a ninety-to-nothing sprint over a cliff while screaming "It’s Bush’s fault" during the free- fall. Blaming our financial situation solely on Bush is political suicide for Democrats. The evidence that demands a verdict came down when Standard and Poor’s recent- ly downgraded America’s eco- nomic outlook to "negative" - because of her "very large budget deficits and rising government indebtedness." Days later, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that China’s economy will supersede Ameri- ca’s - by the year 2016. This damning report will be met by some with nauseating jubi- lation that "America finally got hers," or "Dude, my credit score dropped, too – how weird is that?" Just as one might carelessly throw a small stone into stilled waters only to witness the ripple effect as the point of impact multiplies exponentially, so it is with irre- sponsible spending. In the crass words of Vice President Joseph Biden, "This is a big f-n deal." China’s rise to the top is not fortuitous for anyone - save China - and maybe a few Maoists who make their living marketing Mao Zedong t-shirts within the United States. One can only hope that five years would be enough time for Americans to learn how to speak Mandarin and teach their children how to convert currency from the U.S. dollar to the Chi- nese yuan. Successful investors have seen the handwriting on the wall for some time. Warren Buf- fett recently told a crowd in New Delhi that he recommended "against buying long-term fixed- dollar investments" because there may not be a dollar – long-term, at least not one we would recognize. The co-founder for the Pacific Investment Management Compa- ny (Pimco), Bill Gross, warned it’s time we settle into "this new- normal type of econo- my in which the devel- oping world is growing at a far faster pace than the developed world." Settling into a "new nor- mal" also means low- ered living standards, high unemployment, stagnant corporate prof- it, high gas and food prices, mortgage fore- closures, excessive gov- ernment intervention in the economy, disappear- ing equity returns – and raising the debt ceiling, so we can "afford" to pay for this new normal. We need to get back to the "old normal." Japan has spent twenty years more like the time to grab two beers and slide down the emer- gency chute away from the mad- ness. Susan Brown proving that what President Barack Obama has done for the last two is a waste of time and money. Keynesian economics is a failed theory that left Americans holding the bag. Now we are expected to cozy-up to the "new normal," and we should be satis- fied collecting welfare checks, shopping at the $3 Walmart clear- ance rack, walking to save gas and taking "staycations." Sounds Frankly, it’s un- American to accept fail- ure at the hands of the poor choices made by a community-organizing agitator. Waiving the white flag inspires us to live in the land of medi- ocrity, which is far removed from the place our forefathers intended us to dwell. Rather than surrender, now is the perfect time to consider Winston Churchill’s words, "If you are going through hell, keep going." Americans need to remember who we are, where we’ve been and where we want to go. Then, stand up, suck it up, tighten our bootstraps and get dirty. We must demand more from Washington – after all, what is normal is what we make it. Susan Stamper Brown’s weekly column is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Email Susan at writesusan@gmail.com.