Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/82924
4A Daily News – Friday, September 14, 2012 Opinion DAILYNEWS 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 week wanting to find out how to contact the campaigns of state-level candidates in the November General Election. Shouldn't be too difficult, just hop on the web and it will just take a second. Yes and no. I found myself earlier this Based on visits to cam- paign websites, some were easier to connect with than others. Calling all candidates much smaller type than the plea for donations at the top of the site. Dan Logue, candidate for Assembly and Senate — take your pick — offered a full name and phone number on his site created for his Assem- bly race. He has yet to create a site for his Senate race. Those wishing to make contact with Logue's cam- paign may call Cliff Wagner, 916 319-2003. State Sen. Doug LaMalfa has "Campaign Phone: 530- 538-1008" on his site. At the bottom of his home page. In Still, LaMalfa does offer the contact information on the home page. That can't be said for Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, our neighbor in Gerber. The best I could find on nielsen- forsenate.com is a form that can be filled out and submit- ted. There are buttons to at the top of the page to follow Nielsen on Twitter, like him on Facebook and even down- load the Jim Nielsen app. I couldn't help myself. I down- loaded the Nielsen for Senate app. But it still didn't offer a phone number. It did give the option of emailing Jim, even listing the email address jim@nielsen- forcalifornia.com. So, just find a smart phone, download the app and you're good to go. Or you could just stop by his Gerber home instead. Mickie Harring- ton, who recently entered the Senate race as a Democrat, doesn't appear to have set up a web- site yet. reed2012.com lists info@jim- reed2012.com and 530 336-5050 — albeit at the bottom of the home page, like LaMalfa, but also at the top of the page by clicking "Con- tact." Charlie Rouse, another Democrat, running against — maybe, but probably not — Logue for Assembly, offers a phone number of 530 824-2321. In addi- tion to the contact information, a visit to charlesrouse.org offers a folksy musi- Chip Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. cal selection encouraging visi- tors to support the candidate. It's worth a listen. LaMalfa for Congress, appears to be the most accessible. Jim- Jim Reed, running against Those already serv- ing in Sacramento — Nielsen, LaMalfa and Logue — are fairly easy to track down at their legislative offices, but that's not much use when you want to discuss cam- paign issues. After all, their jobs and their campaigns are com- pletely separate, right? Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by email at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @editorchip. 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: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Cean- othus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 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; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. For whom the bell... Commentary window in our office at 760 Main. If you press your nose against the glass you can see it on your left. It is a big bell and must weigh in excess of 300 pounds. It was cast in 1886 by the Clinton H. Meneely Bell Company in Troy, N.Y. It once adorned the clock tower of the late Cone & Kimball Company for nearly 100 years. With such credentials, you would assume that the proprietor of the Plaza would welcome the opportunity to place same on the hallowed grounds. How- ever, there has been no response to my offer to not only donate it but to display it at no cost to the proprietor...said proprietor being the Red Bluff chapter of Rotary Internation- al. Why is this, you ask? The story is familiar to residents who I have this large bell. It sits near the front Rotary Wheel and act before I plant it at the ranch for Murray Clyde to attend it. *** viewed the original building prior to its demise in April of 1984, and to those who witnessed the fire and cleanup of the lot fol- lowed by our listing and sale of the site by owner D.R. Mann to R. Barrett of Santa Rosa. Mr. Barrett subsequently died and his family agreed to sell the property to the Rotary Club. Our ad hoc committee man- aged to sell enough commemorative bricks to pay off the Rotary mortgage thereby awarding the club clear title to the corner. With a grant plus more donations, a replica of the clock tower, designed by Steve Jud- son, was erected on the corner of the Cone & Kimball Plaza. So why the delay in grant- ing a spot to display the bell? Here is an idea that has far reaching implications. A cemetery in Europe has come up with a living tombstone. It is a conven- tional stone except that it has a bar code thereon. By activating it with a hand held device, a person can learn about the deceased ... sometimes in their own voice. This is really some- thing and I can't wait until I can make use of it person- ally. Well, I can wait for it until Oak Hill Cemetery can implement it, but gosh, what an opportunity to put in one's famous last words. However, as cremation is in vogue, we may have to rethink this thing, but it is challeng- ing. When the dust settled on the completed project, certain members of the tower com- mittee were honored by Rotary by awarding them Paul Harris Fellow status. The club members are aware that this award is not given promiscuously, and I think allows the holder a free lunch. I have my framed award on our office wall to be inspected as to its authenticity. However, at one point, I became critical of the size of the replica thinking the estimated $800,000 cost could have been used in a more beneficial manner, and poked a bit of fun at the project which apparently irked a few Rotarians. So, per- haps I am now persona non grata and that is the reason why Rotary is dragging its feet regarding my request. So, if you think the bell should be ensconced in the park, you might nudge members to get off their On the business of "supporting the troops" via bumper stickers, I am reminded of a letter to the editor by L. Boett who wrote in response to my I SAY in 1966: "Is Mr. Minch really saying what he appears to be saying in his paid advertise- ment that he chooses to camouflage as a cross between a gossip column and editori- al comment? He appears to be implying that people who use "Support Your Local Police" bumper stickers are members of the John Birch Society, and worse than this, that those who actively support the police are somehow subject to suspicion." And she continues, "This time Bob Minch has gone too far. What he implies is a shocking attitude for an American citizen to profess and comes very close to defama- tion of character. I hope you print this because I believe it is imperative that some- one stand up and publicly object when such irresponsible and potentially dangerous statements are allowed to appear in print." Mrs. Boett was one het up school *** teacher. That the editor at the time and I had a good laugh and that I was not tarred and feathered must have been a great disap- pointment to her. What did I write that riled her so? It was an observation that people who pledge their support via bumper stick- ers might think they would gain leniency or avoid a ticket if pulled over by a police car. Tsk, tsk. *** Robert Minch I Say entombed therein. A trick question. J.B. Stacey was first in with the correct answers. This week's quiz submitted by V. Shaw caused me great unrest: A man wakes to find himself in a brick cube with no doors and no windows. All that is in there with him is a mirror and a table. How does he get out? Hint: Answer involves homonyms. *** A woman on vacation went to her hotel roof for some sun. She wore a bathing suit, but since no one was around, she removed it in order to acquire an all-over tan. She was lying on her stomach when she was suddenly confronted by the assistant hotel manager. "Excuse me, madam. The hotel does not mind you sun bathing on the roof, but please wear a bathing suit while doing so." "What's the problem", she replied. "No one can see me up here!" Last week's lament that we were receiving no responses to our quiz brought out the readers in droves ... 15 or more. All got the first part right: What has a bed but does not sleep, a mouth that does not eat and so on was of course a river. However, only a handful observed that Grant was not buried in Grant's Tomb but that he and his wife were "That's not quite true, madam. You're lying on the dining-room skylight." Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red Bluff, former columnist for the Corning Daily Observer and Meat Industry magazine and author of the "The Knocking Pen." He can be reached at rminchandmurray@hotmail.com.