Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/34231
4A Daily News – Friday, June 17, 2011 Opinion Quick response 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 Editor: Today, Thursday June 9, I was on my way home on Hwy 36 just west of McCoy Rd when I saw smoke coming from the south side of the roadway near a residence and several outbuild- ings. 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 Due to the rather heavy north winds, the smoke was becoming more visible by the moment. I stopped to investigate and was able to determine that there was a grass fire near the outbuild- ings and rapidly spreading to a nearby hillside that is over- grown with grass. fire department and was about to go and see if anyone was at the residence. Before I could do this, three young men in a pick up with Impressive Lawn Care on their door stopped, bailed out of the pick up and ran to the house. Using hoses they found at the residence and shovels they brought with them, they were able put out the majority of the fire before the fire department arrived. Having worked in law enforcement for 30 years, I'm used to first responders and the tremendous job they do. But, these three young men were not obligated to even stop, no less spring into action as they did. We in Tehama County are lucky to have citizens such as this and I say to Impressive Lawn Care, great job. Thanks for your attitude and efforts. Barry LaVette, Red Bluff I called 911, informed the Rebut on column Editor: Regarding Richard Mazzuc- ci’s Positive Point column from Monday. Richard, it was pretty clever of you to, with the whisk of your pin, change the words "collectives or cooperatives" to "cooperative dispensary." You write with conviction; however you know not what you write about. Point one. Would you please tell your readers where in SB 420 does it mention the word dispensary? Point two. Your words, "By voting to deny zoning for coop- erative dispensaries anywhere in Tehama County our commis- Your Turn sioners will be in clear violation of state law.." blah, blah, blah… Tell your readers, who said any- thing about voting against coop- eratives or collectives. The only thing in front of the zoning commission for a vote on June 9 was an advisory to the board of supervisors about having dis- pensaries or not. Point three. Commissioner Kin Tipton was one of the com- missioners absent on June 9 for the vote, but the previous meet- ing on May 19 she was there and her comment was that she would like to continue the pub- lic hearing to have more time to review documents that had been submitted to them. Who or what gave you the idea she was in favor of dispensaries? Is there something you left out we all should know? Point four. You also mislead your readers on the subject of state law and the protection for patients and their "primary caregivers" from criminal arrest and prose- cution for personal possession and cultivation of marijuana. Maybe if you reread SB420 sec- tion 11362.71 (E) you’ll catch the words "In possession of a valid identification card." (F) Refers to section 11362.5 if you don’t have an identification card you can only claim the protec- tion from prosecution. You try to be an authoritative on your subjects you write about. I think someone ought to check your column before it goes to print. Kathy Nelson, Red Bluff 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. Animal crackers Commentary It has been about a month since our daughter Madalyn’s demise, and the missus is knuckling down to the task of answering a hundred or so cards of condolence. She ordered from Norm’s Printing folded cards with a photo on the cover of Madalyn and her two cats. One cat is named Greg, The other is named Vera. When I heard of their names a year ago, I asked if the female was named after the old B movie queen Vera Hruba Ralston. Without dropping a beat she said, “Of course”…and although I’m certain she had never heard the name before, she went for it, and apparently Vera had no objections. Animals are like that. They accept what- ever comes their way. Murray Clyde will be 6 years old this month. He is, as often reported herein, a 175 pound Bullmastiff. As such, he stoically tolerates all four footed newcomers to the ranch. Son Brandon lives in his own house on the ranch, and has a new Queensland Healer cross which is a couple of months old and full of energy. When he lets Marshall in the yard to play with Mur- ray Clyde, the smaller dog launches himself through the air, careens off the big dog’s chest and falls to the grass only to launch another futile attack. I asked Clyde about this attack later, and he said, “The kid thinks he is big stuff…but he is only like a tit bird on an elephant’s butt.” That seemed to be an apt description. When we bought a one year old burro from the Wild Mustang and Burro sale some months ago, we thought little Jackie would be a good companion for burro Joanie who is in her twenties and had lost her mother last year. And though we thought the horses might bully the little burro, our fears came to naught for Joanie immediately inserts her- self between the horses and Jackie whenev- er the former get too close to her new little charge. And of course we didn’t realize how nimble and fast little Jackie was. It is the tit bird and elephant analogy all over again. Enough about animals? I hope not. We can’t get enough of them…and they come in handy to alleviate our mood swings when overcome by remembrance of things past. * * * After she learned of Governor Brown’s threat to shut down the Ide Adobe last week, as mentioned in this column, Attorney Rawlins Coffman’s widow, Nellie, called and asked if there was anything she might do. She is an alert 98-year-old living in her Johnson Street home these many years and told me she has a babysitter who is only 80 to help her with chopping wood and that sort of thing. Just kidding about chop- ping wood. Anyhow, as her husband was the motivating force behind the restoration of the Ide Adobe, she knew how discouraged he would have been over Jerry Brown’s mandate. I told her the die was probably cast, but if I learned of anyone in Sacramento favorable to the cause of keeping the parks open, I would let her know. I wonder if our representa- tive living in his trailer in Gerber might be of help? As his place of residence seems to be quite flexible, perhaps he could be persuaded to move his trailer to the parking lot of the Adobe, thereby providing part time custodi- al duties at this time of financial need for the State. * * * Charles Jackson, long time County Road Department employee, gave me another example of the late Larry LaLaguna’s per- sona. The Road Department was undertak- ing the resurfacing of Tyler Road which ran by Larry’s property, and Department head Larry Coleman had issued an order to the crew to also pave the entrance drive way to those who fronted said Road. However, when Charles and his crew started preparing the LaLaguna property entrance, Larry appeared and told them to cease. Not certain as what to do, the crew summoned Mr. Cole- man to the scene and it became evident who was calling the shots. Larry C. maintained it was to Larry L.’s benefit to pave the entrance. Larry L. told Larry C. the latter did not have permission to pave his entrance. Coleman backed down, Supervisor LaLagu- na retired from the scene... and that was that. * * * Last week’s quiz was first answered by M. Ricks who knew that the original name of the Mets was the Metropolitan Baseball Robert Minch I Say Club, that Gertrude Stein was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, stayed in Oakland California for awhile and then traveled to France where she lived out the remainder of her life. If she ever re-visted the States, it would have been to attend the premier of the Virgil Thomson opera “Four Saints in Three Acts” in which she wrote the libret- to. In addition to proclaim- ing there is no there there in Oakland, she did get off a few memorable quotes: “A rose is a rose is a rose,” “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. It’s better to be rich,” “Affectations can be dangerous,” and “If it can be done, why do it?” How- ever, the witty James Thurber wrote, “Anyone who reads diversely in these bizarre 1920s cannot escape the con- clusion that a number of crazy men and women are writing stuff...and that one of the idiots, Gertrude Stein, writes 80,00 words that mean nothing at all.” This week’s quiz: At the conclusion and the enjoining of the east/west railway sys- tem at Promontory Point in Utah in 1869, what were the two locomotives burning for fuel, and what were their numbers? * * * On the TV screen for a recent Giants game was a query from “George in Red Bluff” wanting to know why managers argue with the ump even though it will not change the ump’s mind. Q. What George was that? Froome, Erbes, Russell, Robeson, Selvester? * * * A prisoner in the electric chair got a sud- den attack of the hiccups just as the warden was about to throw the switch. “Any last requests?” asked the warden? “Yes, hic, could you please, hic, do some- thing to scare me?” Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red Bluff and former columnist for the Corning Daily Observer and Meat Industry magazine. He can be reached at rminchandmurray@hotmail.com.