Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/40672
6A Daily News – Tuesday, August 30, 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 Schools Editor: More good news about the Red Bluff Union Elementary School District — the kids will only have access to the school library one day a week. 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 At Vista, since the kids don't have reading every day, I suppose that means they will only get to go to the library every other week. How will these kids be able to do research for projects? Or how about checking out books just to read, or to meet their AR (Acceler- ated Reading) point requirement? This seems an awful shame, in a time when our public libraries are also inaccessible. Did you just hear our standardized testing scores dropping through the basement? Deborah Sutcliffe, Red Bluff New court house Editor: Seventy-two million dollars, that is $72,000,000, for a new court house, et al, is simply obscene. Richard Griffith, Cottonwood Library thanks Editor: On Aug. 24 there were two meetings held at the Los Molinos library. We are grateful for the wonder- ful support earlier from those who attended the Board of Supervisors' meetings and to the Los Molinos business owners and citizens who wrote letters of support to the board. We extend a huge thank you to those who attended the Wednesday meetings and signed up to help moving forward. Thank you for sharing terrific ideas in three areas Your Turn of concern: ideas to increase the scope and use of our branch; ideas and applications from potential volunteers to assist at our branch; and many creative ideas for raising funds to support our library. Thanks to those who donated money, your gifts give us a great start. Also, the Los Molinos Woman's Club will hold the first fundraiser for our library with a pie auction Sept. 10 at the Tehama County Museum's Jubilee. Everyone's support in this five week journey has made a real dif- ference for our community and our library and we feel privileged to have assisted. Sue Gallagher, Los Molinos The chasm Editor: Everytime I come across a bumper sticker proclaiming that United We Stand, the question aris- es as to how long it will take for us folks to wake up from the corpo- rate main stream media-induced slumber and realize that we are the most politically and economically polarized country in the realm of Western industrialized nations. Hatred, bile and venom reign supreme on the kabuki theater stage in Washington, often resem- bling trench warfare, and the enthusiasm with which such nega- tivity is received and replicated by most of us is mind boggling and defies logic. Moreover, the maldistribution of wealth has taken on banana republic proportions — i.e., the top 1 percent possesses and controls more of it than 155 million of our working class citizens combined. Honest Abe's proverbial Bibli- cal quote and caveat about "a house divided" comes to mind, which is even more pertinent these days, than it was 150 years ago. So, the central question remains: How soon will we the people see the light and conclude that by participating in the ongoing blame game and hate mongering we have become our own worst enemy and active contributors to our ongoing and growing demise? Joe Bahlke, Red Bluff Branding Editor: I read another negative today (Aug. 19) that I don't believe is valid any more than Brooks' statement that people don't go to a place because it claims to be the capital of some fruit or vegetable. Today the comment was that once when people used the terms "brand" and "Tehama County" in the same breath, cattle automati- cally came to mind, and follows that with "Not these days." That's hogwash! This isn't just cattle country it's horse country too. There are thousands of cattle grazing in the county today. And all you have to do is take a short drive off any side road and you'll find more cows and horses than you ever thought was here. We still have one of the pre- mier rodeos in the country. We still have an immensely lucrative bull sale. More than one actually. Think about it. We still have a national bull riding event every year, as well as the monster trucks. In the last few weeks "girls" on horseback have been featured on the front page of the daily news more than a few times. Face it folks, this is an agricul- tural community. Don't deny it, embrace it. Where else can you ride a horse in your backyard in the morning and ski in the after- noon? And, a river runs through it. Let your mind grasp the myriad recreational possibilities of a place where a river runs through it. What is this whole branding thing about? You want people to come here and leave their money. There are a million places in the world they can do that. I just counted up over one hun- dred and eleven Churches of all faiths, in Tehama County. I'll wager most of the fraternal orga- nizations in the United States are represented here, so when people come here to retire they can still participate in their lodge activi- ties. I picked up the 2011 Tehama County Calendar of Events pam- phlet at the Chamber of Com- merce recently. Get one. Read it. We have 15 to 20 separate activi- ties every month and some of them are multi-day. I want people to come here, see what we have to offer in recre- ation, relaxation and entertain- ment and decide this is where they want to retire. In other words, bring their money, live here, and become part of our community. I want people to come here and build their little patio farm with an orchard and garden and keep a pony for the grandkids to ride in the summer. We have all these things plus peace and quiet and you know what? We still are a cow town. Like all cow towns the pace here is slow. Things don't move fast in Tehama County until they open the chute. We need to market what we have. Don't denigrate one com- modity over any other. We're not just olives and cattle. What makes us unique? We have it all here in one place. Fred Boest, 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; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. What we learn at local stop signs Commentary I saw an interesting sight the other morning that took me back a ways. I was driving to school; Kim Clawson was in front of me on the corner of Cedar and Franklin streets. I paused behind her SUV and waited at the stop sign. Out of the back seat popped a tall, stout, blonde haired young man. That's Wesley Clawson, little league all- star, I thought. Why in the world would his mother make him walk the rest of the way to school? After all, a week ago he was king of the castle at the regional tournament, and now he's walking to school? Say it ain't so, Joe? I joked with Wes' mom later that day. Kim said, "Yep, he's back to being a kid again." In my next breath, I said "Amen" to that. There was one final thing I wanted to share with those kids in my last column and that is this: don't let this experience be the defining moment of your lives. If you do, you'll end up regret- ting it down the road. Take it from me because I know. Glory days are glory days for a reason – they're best kept in our youth. My own father knew this all too well. The day after I returned from Ohio as a Senior Babe Ruth World Series champion, he had me dig- ging ditches in our back yard. Talk about a reality check. One day I'm on cloud nine and the talk of the town, the next I'm knee deep in dirt with a shovel in my hands. It took me a long time to get over being a winner. I mean, it took years for me to finally let it go. Yesterday's success doesn't mean Jack in the face of present day reality. It took me too long to figure that out and I suffered for it. Boys, enjoy the journey you just had. Celebrate for as long as you like, but don't let it prevent you from living and being successful in the present moment. Take my advice: get back to digging ditches as soon as possible. Your life will be better off for it. One commercial I really like that emphasizes this point is done by the NCAA. It's a video of col- lege athletes competing in various sports. At the end, a voice says, "The major- ity of us will be turning pro in something other than sports." I love that line. I mention it because I couldn't help but notice in the Daily News that most of the boys wanted to become major league players. It said so in their personal bios. There's nothing wrong with that, I thought, but the reality is the odds are greatly stacked against them. This doesn't mean that they shouldn't try up to a certain age, but got back from Ohio, he sat me down in my bedroom and made sure I got that message. "Kid," he said, "We're proud of what you've accomplished, but you need to start thinking about what you're going to do if baseball doesn't work out." Pat Gleason Simply Put chances are each young man will become successful at something other than baseball. It's their parents and teachers job to make sure they understand that. My Dad did. Not long after I At the time, those were hard words to swal- low. As I got older and finally left the game, I'd gladly eat them for dessert. I am what I am – a teacher – because of my father's advice. Parents of little leaguers, I know you'll help your sons keep this incredible experience in perspec- tive. Have a great day. ——— Pat Gleason grew up in Los Angeles and has taught English at Red Bluff High School since 1990. He can be reached at phgleaso@rbuhsd.k12.ca.us.