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4A – Daily News – Thursday, March 18, 2010 Opinion 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 Walmart, nose piercing and skates, oh my Editor: There are a few subjects that certainly evoke emotion and war- rant worthwhile debate in our local news. 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 Nose piercing by a elementary student isn’t one of them; howev- er, thank you Wilkie Talbert for your continued support of abating the “evil empire” from expanding in our town. Fifteen minutes up I- 5 to Anderson should satisfy the lust of any and all Walmart devo- tees. As I recall you, Mr. Talbert, were also instrumental along with the Hakes in making a skateboard park in Red Bluff a reality. My hat’s off to you once again. Here’s a thought for the vacant Ford building on North Main — two words: roller rink. Chico has a great team of gals — Nor Cal Roller Girls — this building could lend itself to a positive activity that doesn’t necessarily involve beer, boats, horses, bovine or maintaining a captive populous of low socio-economic individuals paying daily homage to Mr. Walton. Georgia Scott, Red Bluff Dam reduced fish numbers Editor: It seems that there is a dilemma of how to get by with- out Lake Red Bluff now that the Red Bluff Diversion Dam (RBDD) gates will no longer be closed. Whether you believe the diversion dam was an asset or a detriment if you just give a little thought as to the Bureau of Reclamation’s (B.O.R.) operation of the dam, as opposed to the way it was designed and intended to be operated, you may get the notion to target your anger at the B.O.R… When the RBDD was con- structed in 1964 it was designed and intended to divert water for irrigation during the irrigation season, leaving the gates open the rest of the year. The first year of operation it was operated just that way, the year after the gates were closed and not to be opened for over three decades. During this time the negative impact was not only to the fish (salmon and steelhead) but also to Reeds Creek and the slough where the boat drags were held. The sed- iment load from Reeds Creek filled the mouth of Reeds Creek to a point that resulted in flooding on Aloha Street. The slough (a flood overflow bypass) was also filled with sediment. Both had to be cleaned out at the expense of the taxpayers. After the slough and Reeds Creek were cleaned out and the gates opened dur- ing the non-irrigation season (May through September) that problem seems to be solved. How did the local communi- ty survive before the RBDD? They did very well because before the RBDD the returning salmon numbered in the hun- dreds of thousands and the steelhead that followed them were plentiful also. People would come from all over the country to fish for steelhead and salmon in their shirt sleeves for the fall run of salmon and steelhead. Locals would get up a little early to catch a steelhead in the Red Bluff city limits before going to work. Motels, restaurants, gas stations and guide services did a booming business with the money spent in pursuit of the salmon and steelhead and also the shad. Fishing season was extended in the tributaries from the gauging station at the mouth of the canyons to the river for the pursuit of the steelhead. All this money was spent here in Red Bluff and Tehama County and no tax dol- lars were spent to get them here. Your Turn salmon and steelhead finger- lings after being released from Coleman Fish Hatchery to get past the dam on their way to the ocean. Very few, if any, could survive going under the dam gates being disoriented for waiting squawfish. The water would actually boil with squawfish gorging themselves on the fingerlings that were spawned at the expense of the tax- payers. The remain- ing few that got past the squawfish were picked off by the seagulls and what got past the seagulls had to navi- gate past unscreened pumps along the river and the big pumps in the Delta. What do we locals have left in the wake of all of this is, no lake, no fish, no guides, no tourist dollars. Let’s not forget the value of the Sacramento River Salmon to the commercial fishing fleet off the north coast. Eighty per- cent of salmon that were caught for a good stretch of the coast north of San Francisco were spawned here in the Sacramento River. Was the RBDD the only rea- son for the decline of the fish- ery? No. But it was a major one when it came to the young The Coleman National Fish Hatchery was built to mitigate the Shasta Dam Project. I’m sure improvements have been made, but at best it was only intended to produce about 15 percent of the returning fish. Perhaps they can reach that goal now that the percentage isn’t that big. Is the B.O.R. responsible for the problem? You decide. Will the fish come back? Certainly not to historic levels but would- n’t it be nice to see them return in numbers enough to enjoy a quality salmon and steelhead fishing experience? Les Wolfe, Red Bluff Your officials 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. Massa is taking back the spotlight from the starlets Commentary Congressman Eric Massa’s abrupt retirement and his ensu- ing talk show blitz consumed the media with tawdry details of his career’s implosion. The first and only term now former US Representative from New York went on Glenn Beck’s Fox News program with the promise of naming names and exposing the corruption of those who Beck suspects of nefarious deeds — i.e. social justice. He said that all Americans needed to hear Massa. “This is the moment that will decide the course of this nation possibly,” Beck told his audi- ence as a teaser to the epic hour- long interview with the Democ- ratic Congressman with an axe to grind. “This is the guy we’ve been looking for.” The Massa interview on Beck’s show was a mess-a. He admitted to groping a male staffer, happily. He talked about his aggressive birthday-induced tickling and something about how that’s just a thing guys do in the Navy. The sentence “It looks like an orgy in Caligula,” was uttered. Then just to make it weird, he meandered around general Democratic talking points about getting involved and reforming campaign finance. It was yet another sensible claim Beck promised his audience that has yet to come true. Nazi commu- nism, anyone? But then Massa went on CNN’s Larry King Live reveal- ing even more of his escapades. Stories have surfaced about the Catholic former Republican for- mer Naval Officer and the term “snorkeling” was forced into the public discourse. It all seems pretty salacious. Very tabloid- esque. Very Hollywood drunken diva-like. Something you’d see right before a publicist announces their client has been checked into secluded non-spe- cific rehab for exhaustion. Has Hollywood corrupted the way we see our politicians? Worshiping actors as idols is a relatively new practice. During the Dark Ages, before anyone figured out it was rats spreading the plague it was blamed on traveling actors, which were held in similar esteem. People who made their living acting onstage during the Victorian era were akin to how we view strip- pers today. Yes, people went to go see them…but ya know. Acting was a subculture of a lowly form for nearly all of its history. It wasn’t until Holly- wood made stars out of celluloid and media made them alluring did we care about actors in a broad sense. Now we’re mindful about their opinions on everything from energy policy to which lip gloss is the glossiest. When they say stupid things it’s a scandal. When they do stupid things it’s a story. When they are stupid things it’s an obsession. When actors were seen as vermin, the object of our affections and repugnance were people with actual power: politicians. They were the Lindsay Lohans of the early part of this country. Think of the Burr- Hamilton Duel between then former Secretary of the Trea- sury Alexander Hamil- ton and sitting Vice President Aaron Burr as the E! True Hollywood Story of the 19th century. Cleveland paying child support, if you could read in the first-half part of this country’s history, politicians were going wild. Then by the turn of the 20th century, star- lets came along and usurped political fig- ures from the lone wrath of public specta- cle. Now because of reality shows and 24- hour news they have to share the limelight with a zillion other kids of notables. Tina Dupuy There were no sports figures at the time. No recording artists. No mothers of multiples. The only icons were politicians, tycoons and criminals. Or Wyatt Earp who was really a bit of all three. And of those it was politi- cians were the most subjected to outrage for immoral behavior. They were the tabloid stars of the 19th century. Between the published rumors of Thomas Jefferson fathering children with his slave Sally Hemmings to bachelor President Grover But Congressman Massa, impugning the conduct of the military and the House of Rep- resentatives in one non-denial denial Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and the editor of FishbowlLA.com. Tina can be reached at tina@tinadupuy.com. brush stroke is a throwback to a better time. The good old days. The pre-cotton gin days. Politicians in garish sex scandals like Eric Massa, for- mer Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford and Nevada Senator John Ensign are just taking back their country from Hollywood. ----