Page 4 - Mid Valley Times 9-17-20 E-edition

Thursday, September 17, 2020 | A4 | Mid Valley TiMes Editorial & Opinions
Serving the Readers of the Reedley Exponent, Dimuba Sentinel and Sanger Herald.
A Mid Valley Publishing Newspaper
Founded March 26, 1891, in a two-story building on the corner of 11th and F streets, by A.S. Jones
Fred Hall — Publisher
In my OPINION Consequences of saving
our environment at all costs
A deeper look into Superior Court ruling on Immanuel Schools
Rick Curiel — Sanger Editor Jon Earnest — Reedley Editor Dick Sheppard — Editor Emeritus
QUOTE
“I must take issue with the term 'a mere child,' for it has been my invari- able experience that the company of a mere child is infinitely prefer- able to that of a mere adult.”
— Fran Lebowitz (1950- )
California is arguably the most beautiful state in America. We are blessed with a wonderful, temperate climate and a magnificently disparate collection of geographic wonders. We have locations that are below sea level; we have high, unbelievably hot deserts that bloom in the spring; we have soaring snow-capped mountains that provide irrigation for rich, Medi- terranean-like land that helps feed the world with fruits and vegetables.
Fred Hall
Distance learning seems to be in the immediate future for Immanuel Schools students, teachers, staff and families after Fresno County Superior Court judge Tyler Tharpe ruled on Sept. 15 that Fresno County health officials can apply for and deliver a primary injunc- tion order to the private Chris- tian school to halt in-person in- struction on its south Reedley campus.
Despite the best efforts of Immanuel officials — who stat- ed they have had no positive COVID-19 test results from stu- dents, faculty or families since beginning the school year on Aug. 13 — Tharpe ruled that the county can issue the prelimi- nary injunction ordering Im- manuel to "immediately cease and desist from conducting, participating in or attending in-person class instruction..." That order likely will come this week after being submitted to the court by mid-afternoon on Sept. 16.
It's a legal fight Immanuel officials fully intend to con- tinue. In a statement released shortly after the decision, the school plans to file a cross com- plaint against Fresno County. A legal action taken by immanuel along with other private schools
didn't receive any further re- view or decision from the Cali- fornia Supreme Court.
"We have seen first-hand the importance of having school on campus based on the excite- ment of our students and com- munications with our families," the Sept. 15 Immanuel state- ment read, "We still believe strongly that we have the con- stitutional right to provide the on-campus education that all students need and deserve while also leaving that decision up to our families."
In his legal ruling, Tharpe cited a 1905 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that used "compel- ling interest in public health" that allowed forced smallpox vaccinations. That case ruled that "upon the principle of self- defense, of paramount neces- sity, a community has the right to protect itself against an epi- demic of disease which threat- ens the safety of its members." That particular court decision also held that "under the pres- sure of great dangers," constitu- tional rights may be reasonably restricted "as the safety of the general public may demand."
It appears certain that Im- manuel's fight for on-campus instruction will continue, al- though given the most recent
court decision a closure of cam- pus seems in- evitable. We'll continue to fol- low the story's developments.
••• Jon Earnest The entire
Immanuel vs. Fresno County stalemate would become a moot point should the county reach the point of being removed from the color-coded county monitoring watch list. There fi- nally is a glimmer of hope — es- pecially in Tulare County — as the numbers of active COVID cases and hospitalizations are headed in the down direction. It's very encouraging in Tulare County, where active cases fell by 244 in just a week. WIth only 451 active positive cases as of Sept. 15, the hard-hit county has seen its recovery rate climb to more than 95 percent.
Removal from the monitor- ing list means schools can re- turn to on-campus or blended (online and in-person) instruc- tion at schools. Still, longterm setbacks his this week, such as the cancellation of the 2021 World Ag Expo traditionally held in February.
Jon Earnest is Reedley edi- tor for The Times.
People travel here from all over the world to visit breath-taking beaches and coastal areas that are unri- valed. It would have to considered an asset — most of the time — that California is the center of the enter- tainment industry. Tourist destinations are unrivaled.
One would think that, with an economy that is larger than most countries and a rich abundance of natural resources — living here would be edenic. Truth is, that with the country's highest taxes, most expensive real estate market, most expensive cost of living and utili- ties that soar above all others, the actual picture is very different. Power and water are mismanagement prob- lems that can be laid directly at the feet of our political gang operating out of Sacramento.
Love the idea of saving our environment at all costs? Looking for a terrific example of just how it would work? The soaring costs of electricity and the “rolling blackouts” can be attributed directly to en- vironmental lobbyists and their minions in our state Senate and Assembly. The constant tinkering with the operation of our power grid by mandating more and more solar, wind, and steam usage in the production of energy which Californians consume drives costs. Re- quirements placed on Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to use these alternative sources damage our ability to deal with power crises that other states regularly manage.
The devastation of our beautiful and once produc- tive forests doesn't have to be anything like what we now are witnessing. There are so many dead trees in our forests, much of California resembles a box of kin- dling. When an infestation of insects began to attack our timber a few years ago, much of this beautiful natu- ral resource could have been saved.
Then, faced with dead trees, we find that nothing could be done by way of harvesting lumber to help with building affordable housing. Environmentalists and politicians made sure that would not happen. Don't ask how that makes any sense whatsoever.
Water can't be considered a creature comfort, rather it's a very existential need. We've basically lost count of the number of water bonds that have been passed by our politicians over the last two decades. Storage, while scheduled to have been a part of every one of these bonds, remains unimproved with huge amounts of water either flowing to the ocean or being syphoned off for other environmental projects.
It's good to remember that California basically has an infrastructure built for 20 million souls that has grown to 40 million in a very short time without being addressed by our state leaders. Their biggest concern seems to be centered on growing the number of illegal citizens with an ever-increasing wish list of free benefits. They seem willing to grow the dominant political party at all costs and expect the taxpayer to pick up the tab.
About 30 years ago, Hollywood released a really aw- ful movie entitled "Weekend At Bernie's", which seems to be the absolute paradigm for the current Democrat/ Joe Biden presidential campaign. In the movie, two young men find themselves invited to their boss' Hamp- ton home. When our protagonists arrive at the beautiful Hampton estate they find their boss has been killed by the Mafia. The rest of the movie involves the young men moving Bernie's corpse from situation and loca- tion to situation and location. It reminds me of what the Democrats are trying to do with Joe Biden.
But, as always, that's only one man's opinion.
Change is inevitable, but come on!
They say the only constant in life is change. But this year has had more change than some can wrap their head around.
A global pandemic, shelter- in-place, quarantine, isolation, masks, a crashing economy, people losing their jobs, defin- ing essential workers, polariza- tion, police brutality, massive protests, riots, looting, political turmoil, civil unrest, these are just a few of the things we’ve had to deal with just over the first half of this year.
As we enter the second half of 2020, we could only hope that things get better. But now California is on fire as if it were one giant smoke signal to the world. I’ve lived in the Val- ley my entire life. I have never seen so many devastating fires wreck havoc on the state and now the Valley.
It makes me wonder. If a deadly pandemic can be played down to the effect of nearly 200,000 lives lost (making up approximately 20 percent of the world’s coronavirus deaths despite the fact that the Unit- ed States makes up less than
5 percent of the world popula- tion), is global warming also being played down? If so, could the implications of disregard- ing the science when it comes to climate change have even more devastating results?
Perhaps we should ask the half-a-million people evacuated from Oregon or those who have lost their homes in the foothills to the north.
But I digress.
It seems this year is one we hope to forget about but will likely be remembered for ma- ny years to come.
We grow hungry for nor- malcy. We want to eat at our fa- vorite diners. We want to visit with friends and family. We want to go to the mall. We want to go on vacation. We want our lives back.
Enter a little good news from the world of sports. I have to say, I was happy to see Major League Baseball return to television last month. I didn’t even mind the recorded audi- ence inserted for effect.
I was super excited when the NFL made its return this past weekend. Finally, some
normalcy!
But, what’s
this? The Las
Vegas Raiders?
The Washington
Football Team?
The LA Rams
are playing in
a new stadium in Inglewood? Tom Brady is playing for the Bucs? Cam Newton is leading the Patriots to victory? Phillip Rivers is now quarterback for the Colts? What in the world is going on here?
Ok, when did we enter this parallel universe?
Well, it is what it is. Change is certainly inevitable in our lives and this year we have def- initely received our fair share – and then some.
The best we can do is learn to adjust and make changes as need be. Otherwise, change can be overwhelming for those who’d rather not have it. But change can be good if we use it to invest in the future.
So here’s looking ahead.
Rick Curiel is Sanger editor for The Times.
Rick Curiel