Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/52634
4A Daily News – Friday, January 13, 2012 Opinion Brave news world 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 It's been an interesting and fruitful week at the Daily News since the cancellation of the Mon- day edition. 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 The lessons in going through such a transition weren't lost. Readers who were keen to the change made suggestions, and many of them were incorporated. Others solutions grew organically as we settled into the shift. We anticipated moving colum- nists and special pages, as I wrote last week, but didn't consider comics — particularly those that are serialized. While we consid- ered floating one or two elsewhere in Tuesday's edition, we have decided to try publishing the entire Monday comics page in Tuesday's edition. We'll give it a shot next week. Each of these changes was fair- ly smooth and painless because it involved solving problems in the print edition — our buddy, the one we've been working with for years. Many other changes have resulted on redbluffdailynews.com — the beast many journalists feed as an afterthought. When we found ourselves without that com- fortable print edition Monday, it forced us to adopt its cyber cousin as our priority. Throughout the weekend, news was posted as it was written, rather than sitting around until the next print edition. This prompted a minor revolution in how the news- room looks at reporting the news. We're used to covering news and knowing exactly how much time we have to write and lay out a story before sending it to the press. That's no longer the case. When news happens, we can post it on redbluffdailynews.com as soon as it's written. We should be doing so more often, particular- ly with incidents that impact pub- lic safety. We have been aiming to increase value to redbluffdai- lynews.com, where you could have read news from Saturday, Sunday and Monday as it was posted. You'll note that sev- eral print stories this week were marked, "Originally published on redbluffdailynews.com on Saturday," or Sun- day or Tuesday. This is a reminder that stories don't need to wait until we fire up the presses and, especially over the weekend, they won't. We've added a rodeo section to red- bluffdailynews.com, which contains far more rodeo informa- tion than any print edi- tion would allow. I'll ask any rodeo devotes who wish to promote the sport to contact me about writing a rodeo blog. Scams are a constant. I get asked every week to write a story about a scam somebody received — and sometimes fell for. But Chip Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. there are simply too many to write about each one individu- ally. On redbluffdai- lynews.com you will soon find a breakdown of the top scams for 2011 and warnings about those coming in 2012. This is far more text than we could ever provide in print, but it's easy find space online. This list will be updated as new scams are revealed, so check back often. While we are as sorry as readers are to see Monday's print edition fall by the wayside, it has given us the kick in the pants needed to make the most of the digital edi- tion. Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by e-mail at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. 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), 2595 Cean- othus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 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. Commentary Oops! Sources say most accidents happen in the home. The time: Early evening at the ranch. The scene: The kitchen. The missus speaks. "I hope you like the Chicken Pot Pie you selected at the supermarket. It is not, as you recall, the brand I told you to get." "I know you ordered the brand that said 'honey roasted'on the label, but the Marie Calendar I selected for myself looked more appetizing...so I got one of your brand and one of mine. Are they about ready to come out of the oven? I'm starved." "Fed Murray Clyde yet?" "I have, and I brought in wood for the evening's fire. I am all 'saucered and blown' as my sainted grandmother used to say!" "That is an old fashioned expression no longer in use today." "I'm an old fashioned guy." "Whatever," she said. "Stand back. I'm going to remove them from the oven." She proceeded to do so by first extracting her brand of Chicken Pot Pie and placing it on the counter. Then she grasped my brand, and, while walking to the drain board, it col- lapsed in the middle and the contents were unceremoniously dumped on the rubber mat in front of the counter. "Oh gawd... look what happened! Your brand had a cheap cardboard container that just collapsed...whereas mine has an alu- minum liner...and I had just washed the floor! Well, you will just have to eat mine and I will fix myself some gruel or some- thing." She did not say "gruel," but you knew her heart was not in it. "Nonsense," says I. "I shall just scrape it off the mat and it will be as good as new." "You can't eat something that just fell on the floor!" "I certainly can. I've eaten something far worse when I was in the Army." I scraped the pie delicately off the mat onto a plate like a painter with a palette knife, and viewed the results with a certain satisfaction. "You see? Good as new. Worry your pretty head no longer. Let's go eat and watch the game." Thus endeth another mini household drama. *** Speaking of Murray Clyde, he was all choked up when he heard that our City Man- ager was high tailing it off for a position in the loftier climes of Susanville. I consoled him by saying, "At least he will have a shorter commute from Paradise" and the big dog agreed. However the thought of a currently sit- ting City Councilman tak- ing over the manager's reins sent a shiver through both of us. Pity Herb Nel- son is not available. *** And speaking of other dogs, you will be pleased to know that P. Gunsauls' ticket for leaving his stock dog un-tethered in the back of his pickup was dismissed by a dog loving judge who ruled that stock dogs can bly be free. How can that be? For a coun- try decimated by war in the forties, that baby has come a long way. *** Robert Minch I Say romp in the back of pickups to their heart's content. *** We may bemoan the demise of print newspapers, but what of letter writing? The computer literate write few letters these days. But when they do, they are generally letters of condolence or perhaps praise for some deed well done, for the letter is meant to be saved. To be retained and savored or shown as proof that somebody cares. This is not so with e mail. It is quicker, of course, but it is often impersonal...and sometimes downright dangerous. Ever type a message in haste or perhaps ardor...and then wish you had not hit the send button? Some astute observer of humor, folly and frailty said that a diary was a letter to one's self. If you keep a diary, it is generally meant for your eyes only in your lifetime. When you send an e mail, you may hope (except for business records) it is here today and gone tomorrow. So, let's hear it for the lowly letter...the snail mail of today. It may not be around tomor- row. *** Sources say that parents of children born this year can expect to pay $150,000 tuition at a public U.S. college versus $500,000 for four years at a private col- lege. However, if a baby were born in Ger- many, university education would proba- M. Ness, rapidly becom- ing the go-to historian for our fair city, in film and photo, states that, in 1928, Purity Stores opened in Red Bluff in the Cone & Kimball Building. I didn't know that. In 1932 the Bend Colony bridge was dedicated, and in that same year, Fisher Grocery was operating on the corner of Main and Pine, beer licens- es were authorized by the City Council a year later and popular businessman George Growney and den- tist Fred Godbolt drove a to Sacramento in 12 hours in a 25 horsepower Nash engine boat. *** Last week's quiz was once again first answered by N. Rick who knew that Cin- derella's sisters were Anastasia and Drizella, the Andrew sisters were LaVerne, Maxine and Patricia, and that to join the Ananias Club one must be a habitual liar. This week's quiz: When Action Comics first introduced Superman, in 1938, how did he transverse the sky, how many months have 28 days, and which sentence is correct: A) Mary and I went to the store. B) Me and Mary went to the store. Okay, then how about these two sentences: A) Dad gave my sister and me each a dollar. B) Dad gave my sister and I each a dollar. ? *** A new secretary in the surgeon's office was enthusiastic, though inexperienced. She was busy typing the doctor's notations when she became puzzled by the note, "Patient shot in the lumbar region." After a moment's hesitation, she smiled and typed, "Shot in the woods." 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.