Red Bluff Daily News

January 21, 2010

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4 – Daily News – Thursday, January 21, 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 I have written a few times about the charity, Mercy & Sharing, which has been work- ing exclusively in Haiti for over 15 years. Susie Krabacher and her husband, Joe an attorney in Colorado, have done amazing work for the children in Haiti. Mercy & Sharing, www.haitichildren.org has established schools, orphan- ages, a hospital, medical clinics and feeding centers despite cor- ruption, threats of violence and a lack of infrastructure. Most of their work is centered in or around Port-au-Prince. They have been responsible for saving thousands of children in Haiti from disease, poverty, violence and the black market. However, the earthquake that devastated the area is threaten- ing the well-being of their chil- dren as well as everyone on staff. What follows is an account sent to me by Joe Krabacher of their current conditions as of Sunday morning. It is a disturb- ing account of the nightmare that has descended on the poor- est country in the Western hemi- sphere that is only 600 miles from the coast of Florida. Susie drove into Port-au- Prince with a translator, securi- ty, satellite phones, medical supplies and new four wheel drives hoping that their children were spared the devastation. "Susie, Jeff, Bill, Jacques and two Haitian police (as secu- rity), crossed the border into Haiti and arrived at the Williamson project this after- noon," wrote Joe. "Unfortunate- ly, things are not as we had hoped. Typically we have approximately 85 employees working eight hour shifts around-the-clock. There were only a handful of employees on site trying to take care of hun- dreds of children. They are try- ing to stabilize the situation in Williamson before nightfall. "Many of the children have not had water or food in two days; the handicapped children have bed sores. There is no diesel fuel to run the generators, which power the water pumps, electric and internet communi- cations. The well's hand pumps are largely ineffective. They are getting water and food for the children this evening and then searching for a place to stay that might have Internet or other communications. "We now have reports that the children of the abandoned baby unit have been without food and water for two days. They are reportedly alive but the morgue is piling up with hun- dreds of bodies, and the morgue is located right next to the aban- doned baby unit. "The office building and hos- pital in Port-au-Prince have been completely demolished. We have lost all of our paper- work and records, which are lying in the debris and blowing around the streets. The project has been com- pletely looted. "The team is travel- ing to Port-au-Prince tomorrow to go to the Cazeau orphanage. We have reports that Cazeau is not safe because the walls col- lapsed, there are men with machetes robbing anyone with anything or value, and the people in the neighborhood have stormed the building, overpowered the guard and have taken up occu- pancy in what is left of the buildings on that property. We intend to remove all the remain- ing children from Cazeau and take them to Williamson tomor- row. "Madame Chenet, (a staff member) is very traumatized. She has been living in her car and because she has experi- enced the devastation, she is likely in shock. Dr. Rodriquez lost four family members, Dr. Algenor lost his brother. Our accountant lost his two brothers. Madame Chenet said it is total devastation around her. "Above all, pray fervently for the US team and the chil- dren, as well as the staff, our medical doctors and medical personnel." They are in urgent need of cash dona- tions and I've seen firsthand the love and support of my readers for others. If you would like to help Mercy & Sharing, you can donate on line at www.haitichil- dren.org. Please do not send supplies. The money that has been donated so far has helped them to collect over 100 tons of supplies that they are dispersing as quickly as they can to save the children and staff members in their care. Martha's latest book to embrace change, Live Your Big Adventure is now available at www.marthasbigadventure.co m. Email Martha at: Martha@marthasbigadventure. com. One story out of Haiti 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 Martha Randolph Carr 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 Stop holding up DC progress on health care Editor: These filibusters are un- American. We the people would like to move in another direction than what we have been doing. Something that is more fair to the people, and I would appreciate it if you would stop obstructing progress. The very progress we voted for in the last election. To reach a consensus there needs to be some give and take, and if you don't give in, we will work to take the fili- buster away. Joel Ankerich, Cottonwood Different take on school zones and speed rules Editor: I am a retired California Highway Patrol Officer. I hired on Jan. 6, 1958 and retired Dec. 25, 1985. While at the CHP Acade- my, in February or March 1958, we were instructed that there was an Attorney Gener- al opinion that clarified the school zone law. It stated that the law applied to when the children were going to or from school. That it did not apply to when the children were in the school buildings, behind the buildings or behind a fence. Up to the time that I retired in December of 1985 I did not hear of any changes to that opinion. There might have been a change since then that I have not heard of. In the last couple of years I have seen several statements in the paper that seem to be more opinion than fact. An Attorney General's opinion bears the force of law until it is overturned. I have traveled extensively within the United States and found that when the yellow flashing lights are on at a school zone then that is when reduced speed applies. I am older and do not have any children in school so do not know the school's hours or schedule. The original Attorney General's opinion sounds reasonable to me. Would this paper or the commander of the local CHP please contact the Attorney General and get a factual state- ment as to the school zone law? Otherwise, we'd just as well make it a perpetual 24- hour speed zone. Who knows when that school is having days off or extended hours? Loren Snead, Red Bluff Excellence in teaching recognized Editor: I would like to recognize, Lori Tem- pleton, a 2009-2010 Tehama County Teacher of the Year Award nominee. Lori received her Associate of Arts degree at Heald College and continued on with her Bachelor of Arts degree at Simpson University. She completed her student teaching at Live Oak and Bella Vista. Lori was then hired by the Red Bluff Union Elementary School District as the teacher for the Communi- ty Day School. While working at CDS, Lori furthered her education and received her Masters, as well as her Administrative Credential. This program has been a huge success because of the qualities Lori has brought with her to our school. Among the many, I would like to just mention a few. I would have to put motiva- tion at the top of the list. Some would ask why. That's simple. Our kids at Community Day respond to this more than anything else. If there is a way to motivate your child, Lori will find it. Dedication would be my next quality. I have never met a more dedicated person than Lori. She absolutely loves work- ing with her students at CDS, as well as the students that she has worked with in the past at other schools. Last, but definite- ly not, least, discipline and structure. These two go hand- in-hand. Our classroom would not be a pleasure to walk into if we didn't have these guidelines in place. Believe it or not, our kids want and expect these expec- tations from us. On a more personal note, Lori's love for teaching has made it a pleasure and honor for me to have worked with her for the last four years. I believe Lori is an inspiration to others who have struggled to achieve their goals, and at the same time, raise three well-grounded, intelligent young adults on her own. That alone makes it all worth- while. Lori was recognized by the Tehama County Education Foundation and the Tehama County Department of Educa- tion. Colleen Jaggers, Red Bluff Your Turn

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