Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/7687
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, March 9, 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 Dear Canada. Way to go, you hosers. Did yourself proud and put on one heck of an Olympics. Congratulations for providing an incredible 17 days of thrills and spills on the ice and snow and in the slush and fog. That was a winter games for the ages, except for that excruciatingly obvious lack of winter thing. As it turns out, Washington, D.C. might have been a better host city, but who knew? Although, a quick call to Al Gore might have been worth the international toll-call charges. May I also offer up a big old heaping pile of thanks for keep- ing Celine Dion out of the Open- ing Ceremonies. I'm sure it was under the direction of Prime Minister Harper, counseled by a group of high-powered Ottawa lawyers to comply with certain articles of the Geneva Conven- tion, but still, please accept the grateful indebtedness of an entire planet. Then again, no Neil Young? I think you missed a slam-dunk there, eh? And good on you for winning the most golds. You may not have owned the whole podium but you certainly did hog that center platform, didn't you? You really deserve to go out and celebrate. Use a pocket full of loonies and buy yourself some extra gravy to pour over your poutine. Not to mention, could Bob and Doug McKenzie have asked for a more exciting conclusion? Yes, I'm talking the hockey final. At the arena you call The Hockey Place. Which I love. "What should we call that place where they play the hock- ey there? Oh, I know. The Hock- ey Place." That is so you. Of course, you must be aware we allowed you win. Yeah. We did. Threw the match. Let the red and white triumph over the red, white and blue. I mean, come on, it's hockey. It just seemed to mean so much more to you. And you were the hosts and it being your national sport and all. And you know what, it just felt like the right thing to do. Now, the Russians in '80, that was a different matter. And, by the way, where were you in that? Oh, that's right, you missed the medal round. See, you let us win on our home ice. We did the same for you. Don't you always take a dive when it comes to Olympic baseball? Quid pro Zamboni. You know that phrase, "We really couldn't care less." Nailed it. Have you seen the ratings for the Stanley Cup down here? Regularly gets beat out by "Murder, She Wrote" reruns on the Hallmark Channel. We wouldn't know a blue line from fuchsia linen pillow cases. For U.S. sports fans, hockey ranks right behind the women's NCAA Sweet 16 for water polo. Not trying to hork your excitement here, but I mean, come on. You Canuckleheads must have had known something was up. A notion. A glimmer of a suspicion. A slight case of dubiosity. Telltale signs were everywhere. Remember we wiped the ice with you in the prelims. Huh? All part of the script. Then, who's the hero? Nova Scotian Sidney Crosby, old number 87, scores the winning goal in over- time? You telling me you didn't know it was a set-up? How bout this: you don't say nothing, we don't say nothing. No need to thank us; what are neighbors for? Anyhow, once again, well done on the great games, and oh yeah, love your bacon. But you know what, it tastes a lot like ham. Will Durst is a San F r a n c i s c o - b a s e d political comic who writes sometimes. This is an example. Ask for his new one- man show, "The Lieutenant Governor from the State of Confusion" to appear at a performing arts center near you, or catch him in stand-up mode at the Vegas Improv March 9-14 or Acme Comedy Club in Minneapolis March 23- 27. His new CD, "Raging Moderate," will be available from Stand-Up Records March 23. E- mail Will at durst@caglecartoons.com. O Canada, eh? 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 Will Durst Raging Moderate 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 Supercenter not what it seems Editor: I can appreciate the mayor's concern for our economic devel- opment. However, opening a new (Walmart) Supercenter is not the answer. The Walmart we have can't generate enough sales to justify it's current staff and stock. We would be expanding the supply without expanding the demand. The only place the Supercenter can pull new shoppers from is existing local businesses. There is a Supercenter 15 minutes away. The economy being what it is, there is no business that would move into the old build- ing. It would stand abandoned and eventually become vandal- ized. This has already happened in more than 300 towns. It would jeopardize jobs and revenue at our two largest gro- cery stores. Huffington-Post reports "Walmart's opening in Chicago has produced a loss of 300 full-time jobs." Our town is not the only one fighting such development. This is so common that there are entire national organizations built to fight it. With the current Walmart and Raley's stores being eventu- ally abandoned, we will inevitably shell out tax dollars to clean up the left behind mess. This is not economic devel- opment. This is a huge corpora- tion preying on a small town, baiting us with promises of rev- enue that will never come. Noel Brown, Red Bluff What price health? Editor: We need to do everything humanly possible to stop Obama and his socialistic friends from bankrupting this nation with their universal health plan and taxation pro- gram. How stupid can we be? I really don't want an answer to that one. Looking out for our fellow citizens, many of whom fought and risked life and limb for this country, is too much of a finan- cial risk to take? Of course spending a trillion dollars on a war that never should have been started is OK. And taxing those kindhearted billionaires who have sent all our good jobs elsewhere is defi- nitely a no no. Tell me something, how do you expect to get this country out of debt when every last dol- lar in circulation is owed to a privately owned corporation called the Federal Reserve? And none of those dollars are interest free. Here is a news flash for you, number one in exports today is communist China. The number two spot is Germany, a socialist European country. In a purely economic perspective, socialism isn't really that bad. Just think, Germany is number two in exports in spite of universal health care and strong unions. We in this country won't tol- erate any of that socialist stuff like free education, medication or high wages. No, we will take our marching orders from a fat egotist like Rush Limbaugh, a politician who couldn't tell the difference between an old friend and a quail and a scatter brain from Alaska. Orval Strong, Gerber Cover-ups Editor: The Daily News' story Sher- iff: Much ado about memo is a perfect example of what I've been complaining about for the last 30 years. Politicians pass- ing the buck, when no one has done any investigation into the crime, because of polit- ical party affiliations, friend- ships and keeping secrets of each other's past cover-ups. Cover-ups are like lying, one lie begets another. One act of corruption begets more acts of corruption. The corruption continues in Tehama County. The Grand Jury has never properly investi- gated any allegations since 1995. They pass the buck to District Attorney, who is usual- ly part of the complaint or refer us to the Attorney General, who refers us back to the Grand Jury. This has been going on since 1986, when Sheriff Ron Koenig and other officials were accused by the 1986 Grand Jury. I wish I could say that was the end of it, but it started what has now turned into 20 years of corruption and cover-ups, right up to the state level. Many of the people currently involved in this cover-up with Jim Nielsen, including himself, have personal and political con- nections to Koenig, along with Judge Ed King and Sheriff Clay Parker. Democrats Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Attorney General Jerry Brown won't investigate the allegations, because they want our water. Between Nielson, Schwarzenegger, former Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa, Sen. Sam Aanestead and the self serving judge from Fresno, who ruled against Lake Red Bluff, they are on their way to stealing what water we have left for themselves and Nielsen's real constituents south of Sacramento. North State Republicans sit- ting on our Board of Supervi- sors and City Council are serv- ing up our water to Sacramento thieves and frauds on a silver platter. How come these local politicians, who supposedly care about water and agricul- ture, have been selling out Tehama County and the city of Red Bluff, instead of protecting our interests? We also have a serious prob- lem with our City Manager Martin Nichols and County Administrative Official Bill Goodwin. Like Nielson, they are carpetbaggers, who do not live here and obviously, have no interest in helping our commu- nity, but seem bent on destroy- ing it. I wish I could say this was the end of it, but until the com- munity rises up and tells these criminals to take a hike, our problems will continue. Pat Johnston, Red Bluff Your Turn