Page 3 - Sanger Herald 11-22-18 E-edition

Random thoughts Unfortunately there are a few things to be sad about this Thanksgiving ...
Almost.
Actually, I’m thankful for Sanger politics and politicians. They’re maybe not quite as nutty as their state and national counterparts, but for a small town without an upscale res- taurant, night club, movie theater or bowling alley they can sometimes be darned enter- taining.
And, speaking of nuts, I’m also thankful It's almost time for one of my favorite Sanger Herald traditions; our 23rd annual Christmas CookieContest!
Bring a dozen of your homemade cookies
- along with the recipe - to the Herald office at 740 N St., by 1 p.m. next Thursday, Nov. 29, forachancetowina$75,$50or$25giftcer- tificate.
It's one of my favorite traditions because I get to be a judge and I love all kinds of cook- ies, especially the ones with raisins and nuts.
••• Ihavealottobethankfulforthisyear,in
addition to our impending cookie contest. • You are high on my "thankful" list.
By Fred Hall
Let me begin this week with a 'happy thought' by wishing all you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is a nation- al holiday celebrated on various dates in The United States, Canada, some of
Happy Thanksgivng to each and everyone
vidual who is just too lazy to drive down to the local school, church or government build- ing,notsomuch. Those,itseems,arealways the ones which tend to turn the results of an election. Theyjustpresenttoogreatofan opportunity for malfeasance in their counting and handling to carry such weight in results. We've pushed “motor voter” and all sorts of voter registration schemes until there is no real way of determining who is a legitimate citizen voter and who is not.
Before you start, there should be no way anyone would be disenfranchised. I bring that up because there is a segment of our society who feels there is no need for any sort of identification being required to cast a ballot. Whatutternonsense. Everythingelse we do in life requires ID of some sort and yet the central point of our democratic republic requiresnothing. Basically,onecansimply showupandvotewithoutchallenge. It'stime that we began to take this fundamental right more seriously.
If you feel that I am being overly dramat- ic, I would call to your attention that there
is a city in this area where it has become a standing joke about one of their local politi- cians having a pocket full of absentees and yourabsenteeballotcanbesoldfor$20. The funny thing about that is you probably won't even have to guess which city that we're discussing. Suchurbanlegendsareusually grown from at least a germ of self-evident truth.
That's just “food” for thought!
This Thanksgiving enjoy your family, your friends and your meal but never lose sight
of the fact that we have been divinely gifted and, as caretakers, have a huge, overarch- ing, responsibility to preserve and protect thisgreatRepublic. MayGodblesseachand every one of you and see you safely through this holiday with a common goal of attempt- ing to make life better for everyone so blessed as to be an American.
But, as always, that's only one man's opin- ion.
InadditiontotheSangerHerald,Publisher Fred Hall oversees two other Mid Valley Publishingnewspapers-ReedleyExponent, and Dinuba Sentinel. He can be contacted by phone at (559) 638-2244 or by email at fred@ midvalleypublishing.com.
SANGER HERALD 3A THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2018 EDITORIAL & OPINION
By Dick Sheppard
Today's Thanksgiving Day Random Thoughts col- umn is not guaranteed to be totally free of rants about local politics and municipal governance or whatever passes for it in Sanger.
However, in view of the
holiday,I'll trytokeepitalmostrantfree.
Thanks for reading this column and giving me so much feedback, constructive criti- cism and frequent encouragement. Thanks for never letting me get out of Gong’s or Walmart before my ice cream melts because you want to talk about the latest city council story or give me a heads up on what should be the next city council story.
• I'm thankful for my family. Everybody's healthy, doing well and, as far as I know, is aboutashappyasmostlynormalpeoplecan expect to be.
• I'm thankful for my loving dog kids, past and present, whose hugs, wet kisses
and understanding looks have helped me remain reasonably functional during the past dozen years of reporting stories that petty politicians and their minions would rather not have reported. “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.”– George Orwell.
• I'm thankful for the wonderful people I work with, my second family. They under- stand the best solution for almost any prob- lem is another potluck - or donuts.
• I'm thankful for all the Sanger drivers who haven't run into my car while I'm back- ing out of one of those downtown diagonal parking places.
• I'm thankful my fast metabolism won't let me gain weight no matter how much holi- day food or Christmas cookies I eat.
• And I'm thankful for the awesome Apache football team that brings us together as one town, one tribe and one team no mat- ter how we feel about the president, the weather or our city manager.
••• "Tis the season."
It’sjustdifficulttofigureoutwhatseason.
Walmart was playing Christmas music the day after Halloween and one of the Fresno radio stations is already playing all Christmas musicallthetime.That'sjustweird.
Yards in my neighborhood have dueling season decorations.
One has a left-over, slightly withered HalloweenJack-o'-lanternpumpkinnexttoa yard with a cardboard Thanksgiving Turkey that’s not far from a yard with an inflatable Santa Clause.
Will Valentine's Day hearts appear in stores and on Sanger lawns the day after Thanksgiving?
•••
Unfortunately there are a few things to be
We're thankful!
A great big "thank you" to Sanger fire department and the Red Cross.
We were blessed to have them come to Vista del Monte Mobile Home Park to check and replace all fire alarms for those wanting or needing their generous donation.
It was greatly appreciated. Thankyousovery verymuch.
Rose McCloud
sad about this Thanksgiving.
I’ve lived in Sanger for almost three
decades and, in that time, we’ve never had a homeless problem quite like the one we have now.
The Sanger Herald has never before pub- lished such a small Thanksgiving edition of the newspaper. That’s a sad reflection of the shrinking base of advertisers in our commu- nity.
Therearefeweradvertisers,fewerbusi- nesses and fewer jobs than once upon a time; no matter what city hall propaganda says about how fast our community is growing.
Yes, we are gaining houses, but a lot of those houses are homes for people who work and shop in Sunnyside, Clovis and Fresno.
In my opinion, our great little town is not going to get jump started again with busi-
ness and industry, we're not going to get to be thankful for that upscale restaurant, night club, movie theater or bowling alley until our current city administration stops focusing on nonessential details and starts looking at the bigger, longer term picture.
Our city administration, that includes the city council, has to stop putting people in charge who place an emphasis on why things can’t get done and find people who will put theiremphasisonwhyandhowthingswill get done.
•••
"We have met the enemy and he is us."
- Pogo
Comments, complaints and suggestions may be emailed to sangerherald@gmail.com or may be made by calling 875-2511.
Dick Sheppard
In my OPINION
May God bless each and
everyone this holiday season
Fred Hall
Sad to say, religion is far less predominant in younger generations and has essentially “fallenoutoffashion.” Itservestoremind me of the old military saying that “one will never find an atheist under fire in a foxhole.” Funny how that has a way of focusing one's mindonwhat'strulyimportant. Eventhe most cynical among us are not above asking for divine intervention when faced with a specific need or eminent threat.
Being free to break bread with fiends and family on this day of thanksgiving should not be taken lightly in the world's greatest coun- try where freedom, food and the comforts of lifearesoplentiful. Whereverpossibleand practical, we urge you to reach out and share life's blessings with those who find them- selves in unfortunate, and often dire, circum- stances. Charitybyindividualshasalways beenoneofAmerica'sattributes. Tryingto supplement or replace individual giving with the bumbling attempts by our government isafool'serrand. Guidingthedistribution
of goods is an area where bureaucrats are particularly inept and truthfully is not their charge! Weshouldnevercomfortourselves by declaring that the government already “steals” enough from us to care for the less fortunate. Atleastweknowthatourinvest- ment, made personally, goes directly and totally to the recipient.
If you will bear with me for a moment, I would like to shift gears for a moment and talk about some of the turmoil which sur- rounded recently completed elections.
It seems to me—remembering that I am only one man—that much of the questionable occurrences had their genesis during the days in which we removed much of the vot- ingfrompollingplaces. Thereactuallywasa time when voting was a personal responsibil- ity. Increasinglyabsenteeballotsarebeing used with problematic results.
I can see it continuing with the elderly, handicapped or the military but for the indi-
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the Caribbean islands and
Liberia. Althoughithasbecomeessentially a secular celebration, it began from religious roots when celebrants offered thanks for the blessing of a successful harvest and of the precedingyear. Perhapsthiswouldbean excellent time, when offering your pre-meal prayer, to offer condolences and prayerful thoughts for those so impacted by the fires inCalifornia. Remember,aswell,outnation which is so divided along petty political lines and issues exacerbated by political infight- ing.
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