Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/5995
4A – Daily News – Friday, January 15, 2010 A MediaNews Group newspaper 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 Opinion His name was Braden. Because of him, I haven't slept much this week. He was just a boy when his life suddenly and tragically came to an end. He was a fifth grade student at Bidwell School. He roamed the same hallways and play- grounds as my own son, Ethan, who is in kindergarten there. For what it's worth to the family, Braden might as well have been my own son. That's how much my heart ached this week. You see, it easily could have been Ethan who got sick and died. Being a father – should I say a real father – brings about huge burdens for men. For those who watch over their children like lions protecting their den, fathers know the dangers that lurk in the real world. So do mommies. And, try as we might, there is no way we can keep our kids from enduring heartache and pain. That's just the way life is. However, we can shelter them to a certain degree. We can make sure they look both ways before crossing streets, and refusing rides from strangers. We can teach them right from wrong, tell them to make good choices, and also pick good friends. There's a lot we can do to protect our kids from certain things, but not everything. For me, that's the hardest part. I can't control, for exam- ple, when and how my kids get sick. In a way, it almost doesn't seem fair. So, I stayed awake in the middle of the night this week, thinking about and praying for all those kids who need our col- lective arms around them. I thought about Braden and all the other children who can become seriously ill in the blink of an eye. And then, they're gone. Just like that. That's why I feel so badly for Braden's family and friends. We don't think this will ever happen to us, and then it does. And frankly, we're never ready. Who is? To me, kids are meant to be young, to hold on to their inno- cence while not being tainted by society. Kids are meant to laugh, dance and play. They're meant to skip, run and ride bikes. They're meant to climb trees, fish in quiet streams and grab Mommy's leg when they're scared. They're not meant to die in a hospital bed. They're just not. Honestly, I'm not sure how to finish this thought. Maybe it's this way: Love your kids more. Hug them a little more tightly. Read to them on the floor. Bend down when they talk to you. Lower your voice when you're try- ing to explain some- thing they did wrong. Get up in the middle of the night and watch them sleep — I do this all the time. Talk to them while they eat lunch or dinner. Watch their favorite shows with them. Spend some time at their school. Help them with their homework. Get them their favorite cookie when you're at the store. Tickle them until they cry from laughing. Tell them how great they are and how proud you are of them. If you have a daughter, tell her how beautiful she is. Tell your son he's growing up to be a lit- tle man. I saw a picture of Braden the other day. What struck me was his face and smile — he had the brightness in him. His straight blonde hair fell down upon his forehead. He seemed a very happy boy. This week at work I stood above the baseball field that overlooks the Bidwell playground. I could hear the screaming voices of the kids drifting through the air over to me. A friend walked up behind me one morn- ing and did the same thing. Neither of us spoke – we just lis- tened. Then he said, "That's the good stuff right there." That's what Braden was. He was the good stuff. ——— 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. The good stuff exists in our kids Commentary N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY 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 Pat Gleason Simply Put STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), 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. Your officials For those of you who are not teenagers, Twitter is all the rage. Twitter allows anyone with a computer or modern cell phone to send out 140- character updates to, poten- tially, millions of followers simultaneously. Facebook, a social net- working platform, offers the same type of service, but messages are less limited in length and may include pic- tures and video links. So, why is it so important for us to let everyone know what we are doing and how we are feeling at all times, instantly? That's been the subject of great debate, but when it comes to newspapers these two services are powerful tools. Here are a couple of recent examples from right here at your Daily News. Saturday I received a call from a coworker in another department who saw Red Bluff River Park swarming with police as she drove past. I called reporter Geoff Johnson, who was on duty Saturday, and he got straight to the scene of what would turn out to be the discovery of a pipe bomb. The catch? Our next edition wasn't due to land on your doorstep until Mon- day morning. That's where technology comes in handy. Geoff and Web master Senia Owens- by were able to get the story written and posted to redbluffdailynews.com along with a photograph Saturday afternoon. They also sent a Twitter mes- sage, or tweet, to the newspa- per's followers and posted a link to the story on Facebook for the paper's fans — all a good 36 hours before our next edition hit the streets. Sunday afternoon, when I arrived to put out Monday's edition, technology came into play again. Tehama County Public Health had sent a release announcing the tragic story of the death of a 10-year-old Red Bluff student due to bac- terial meningitis. Health offi- cials needed to get the word out immediately to the pub- lic. Once again, the story went live on the Web site, with the link post- ed via Twitter and Facebook — mean- ing Web readers who may have waited until Monday to return to the site were tipped off to breaking news. Technology is not for everyone, and the rapid rise and slow fade into obscu- rity of fads and failures — think Friend- ster — make it tempting to simply ignore it all. But when newspapers, thought of as lethargic by today's 24-hour news stan- dards, are handed a tool that allows them to meet, and often beat, television and radio news, we stand and take notice. Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by e-mail at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. Chip Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. Who tweeted? Sympathy for resident's loss of his driver's license Editor: My heart goes out to Robert Roof after reading the recent article about Mr. Roof losing his driver's license in your paper because of a minor fainting problem after getting a flu shot. I too had my driver's license taken from me when I lived in the Bay Area a few years ago after accidental- ly overdosing on a medication. To my knowledge it was the first time in my life I fainted, it's a ludicrous law denying people the right to drive who are just as healthy if not more healthy than most people who drive the public streets. Moreover, since Mr. Roof was surprised to receive the notice his driver's license was being suspended, I would assume the medical personnel in the emergency room failed to inform him that they were going to noti- fy the DMV. The medical personnel in the ER should of had the courtesy to inform him they were going to notify the DMV of his fainting and the subsequent suspension. How many people enjoy a surprise letter that they're losing their driver's license. Jack Johnson, Red Bluff Happy with new columnist Editor: I'm pleased to begin the new year on a positive note by expressing my appreciation for Richard Mazzucchi's weekly column, "Positive Point." Those of us who have spent all or most of our lives in this rural area are indeed fortunate to have the bene- fit of the experience and wisdom of a worldly research engineer. His observations and opinions, so freely shared, enable many of us to live more responsible and more satisfying lives. Mr. Mazzucchi is clearly an accomplished scholar and a persuasive writer; were he to use fewer big words, he'd likely have even greater influence on the lifestyles and attitudes of his target audience. Linton A. Brown, Red Bluff