Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/55349
4A Daily News – Tuesday, February 14, 2012 Opinion Branding is good for business 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 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 Branding and earmarks are useful for more than cattle man- agement – they are essential to the creation of a robust tourism indus- try. Now I'm not suggesting that local professionals go get tattoo's and ear piercings, but that we get behind the professional examina- tion and development of concepts to help develop the local tourist trade. I was quite skeptical of the value of such an effort at first, see- ing it as an opportunity for out- siders to get paid to tell us what we should already know. That was until I read the "Assessment Find- ings and Suggestions Report - Tehama County, California -Sep- tember, 2010" prepared by Deci- sion Development International (DDI) for the Red Bluff-Tehama Chamber of Commerce. The assessment provides an unbiased overview of the county — how it is seen by a visitor. It includes a review of local market- ing efforts, signage, attractions, critical mass, retail mix, ease of getting around, customer service, visitor amenities such as parking and public washrooms, overall appeal, and the community's abil- ity to attract overnight visitors. This nearly 100-page report is chocked full of observations, pic- tures, and concepts to attract and retain repeat visitors to our area and local businesses. DDI's obser- vations are from the perspective of important target audiences for the growth of our local economy, specifically well heeled travelers in search of new and exciting experiences worthy of an overnight or longer stay. The authors astutely recommend that we promote activities, not just scenic vistas and ambiance. When people see others doing fun activi- ties in a great setting, it's easy for them to imagine themselves there too. Visitors don't really care about boundaries - it doesn't mat- ter if they are in a specific region, county, district, city or town. Con- sequently our prime locations such as historic downtown and scenic wonders are not principle lures, instead they are opportunities we must develop to produce the ambiance and activities they can provide. While such a distinction may seem obvious it is not. Consider the movie "Field of Dreams," where it isn't the real estate that brings throngs of players and fans to the fields of Nebraska, it is the draw of well played baseball and the passion of the people involved. Such is the value of the unique attributes of the North State with our robust agricultural and ranch- ing industries, rich history, and wonderful outdoor attractions. Efforts like the tasting rooms at Lucero and local vintners, the fruit stands and businesses along State Highway 99E, and Lassen Nation- al Park are great examples of expe- riences that bring people and money to our area. More of the same is called for to highlight local ranching, fishing, hunt- ing, hiking, river rafting, craftsmanship, and his- torical touring to name a few. I highly recommend that anyone with an interest in the local econ- omy and business devel- opment review this excellent report and get behind the proposal now on the table to grab the bull by the horns and build our own field of dreams. Please take the time to consider DDI's proposal for helping us do just that by examin- ing the document enti- tled: "Proposal for Tehama County, California — Tehama County Branding, Devel- opment & Marketing Action Plan — September, 2010. Both the assessment and proposal docu- ments can be viewed at http://www.redbluffchamber.com. Pursuit of their proposal will provide Tehama County with a unique flexible plan and step-by- step guide to developing a strong county-wide umbrella brand (what we want to be known for); it includes product development action steps (what we need to do to "own" the brand) and a marketing plan (how to tell the world). The plan will also provide a guide for brand development for the com- munities of Corning, Red Bluff, and Manton — their own unique focus under the county- wide umbrella brand. I suggest that Vina, Ger- ber, Tehama and Los Molinos be added to this list. While one might Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point wonder why we can't just do the work our- selves, after some thought it is easy to understand we lack the objectivity and experi- ence needed to come to do it in a timely fash- ion. The passion of those with a stake in the outcome can be a liability instead of an essential force for advancement without tactful direction. The chamber needs our involvement and sup- port and they are worthy of fund- ing from local businesses and our city and county commissioners because branding is good for business. Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research enginee. He makes his home in Los Molinos, where he operates a BBQ equipment and supply business. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. 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: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Ceanothus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 893- 8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Fein- stein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707.Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Mont- gomery St., Suite 240, San Francis- co, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. In high dudgeon over facts, opinions Commentary Having had the temerity to dis- pute the arguments of my liberal antagonist, I seem to have really struck a nerve, you might say. Describing my writing as "mush" that is at once "maligning, mis- characterizing and misleading" might be considered pompous, arrogant twaddle, but I'll allow readers their own take. I find our liberal writer regaling readers with recycled spin from the environ- mental left over their ideological, hobby-horse obsession, the Key- stone XL pipeline, to be about as irrelevant to local readers as you can get. But the artifice of using Congressman Herger's positions on issues of national debate, in order to pontificate on this page, has been employed repeatedly, so … nothing new there. After reviewing my column devoted to rebutting his enviro-lib- eral arguments, I found the follow- ing, regarding facts and opinions: Paragraphs 1, 3 and 4 contained 15 pure facts; Paragraphs 5 and 7 mixed a total of eight facts with some opinions; Paragraph 2 con- sisted only of opinion; Paragraphs 8, 9, and 10 referred to searchable articles, as well as my blog, "Pole- cat News and Views" (DonPol- son.blogspot.com). My column is still available online at the Daily News web site, and readers are welcome to look up the articles by title, click on the "energy/resources" label at my blog and peruse the most recent of some 180 posted articles of fact, research and analysis under that label. I did find, in the first paragraph, my use of the term "wacko" to be inappropriate, as it could have been taken to refer to President Obama (being disrespectful on my part), or to my liberal antagonist, in which case I retract it as unpro- fessional. No one has emailed, nor posted online comments, nor writ- ten a letter (as of Saturday) taking me to task; I made this call on my own to elevate the debate. My final paragraph, assigning blame to Obama for skyrocketing gas prices, is clearly my opinion, as the President does not set the prices. However, when you con- sider that 1) then-candidate Obama stated that his energy poli- cies would cause prices to "neces- sarily skyrocket," 2) his only con- cern over $4 to $5 a gallon gas was that it would be better to occur gradually, and 3) oil drilling leases and permits have drastically declined as a result of his policies – there is simply no one else to blame. Our liberal writer is on record having no quibble with $5 a gallon gas (online comment). My ideological brother Les has admirably responded to the false assertions by the liberal columnist that the environmental groups named are not among the ideolog- ical fringe. I will add that fringe is as fringe advocates and believes, not unlike the Gump-ism about "stupid is as stupid does." Ameri- cans polled by Pew overwhelm- ingly found "global warming" to be a last place concern, and had among the steepest declines in concern. Building the Keystone pipeline had 60 percent support; 75 percent said the "U.S. is not doing enough to develop its gas and oil resources" according to Rasmussen Reports. I think that the cost of gas and electricity, as well as the scarcity or rising costs of same, is inherent- ly and locally relevant. It requires our Golden State residents to be at the mercy of imports of commodi- ties that lie in abundance under our own ground and off our own shores. Obama's agencies have also refused permission to access vast oil deposits under the Arctic Sea north of Alaska, which could yield between one and two million barrels a day to American refiner- ies and consumers. Absent those oil resources, the entire Trans-Alaska pipeline could become useless due to lack of supply; envi- ronmental regulators have already shut down exploration on Alaska's north slopes. Finally, on the subject of par- roting others' words, please con- sider the following statements and draw your own conclusions: "The number of doctors, nurses, and health care professionals in the National Health Service Corps has nearly tripled in the last three years. For the first time in its forty year history, the National Health Service Corps can count more than 10,000 members in its ranks." (Positive Point, "2011 was a year of accomplishment," Jan. 2) "U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Sec- retary Kathleen Sebelius today announced that the number of par- ticipants in the National Health Service Corps has nearly tripled. Today, more than 10,000 National Don Polson The way I see it Corps members … care for Amer- icans … Thanks to investments in the National Health Service Corps through the Affordable Care Act, the American Recovery and Rein- vestment Act and annual appropriations … there are nearly three times the number of NHSC clinicians working in communi- ties across American than there were three years ago …" ("HHS announces record number of National Health Service Corps members—More than 10,000 primary care providers—largest number in history sup- ported by Obama Administration Invest- ments," HHS.gov, October 13, 2011). Shameless lifting of, and booster-ism for, Obama pro- paganda? You decide. And those accomplishments? In "Poll: Majority says Obama has accomplished 'little,'" Washington Post-ABC News found "that 52 percent of voters have a negative assessment of the president's track record … The poll is a stinging rebuke to an administration that privately believes their domestic and foreign policy accomplish- ments are unmatched in recent his- tory." More about green energy rat holes next week. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988.He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.