Page 4 - Reedley Exponent 2-22-18 E-edition

The Reedley Exponent A4 Thursday, February 22, 2018 Editorial & Opinions
Serving “The World’s Fruit Basket” since 1891
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
With the tranquility of this country being ripped with reports of another school shoot- ing, this one in Florida in an exclusive neigh- borhood, perhaps it is time — once again — to examine the causation of such mindless events.
Jon Earnest — Editor
Chris Aguirre — Sports Editor Felicia Cousart Matlosz — Panorama Editor Budd Brockett — Editor Emeritus
QUOTE
“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.”
— Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
Former format returns for this year’s Chamber of Commerce awards Feb. 24
I’ve reached an age when I have to admit,
or perhaps be proud of the fact, that I went to
school in the 1950s when no one could even
conceive of such a deranged individual whose
sole drive was to slaughter innocents. The kids
I went to school with all lived in homes that had
firearms available, and none ever were discovered or used in the classroom for the student to commit harm on others.
As I recall, it was a much more simple task to acquire a weapon for the citizenry to use for sporting purposes or hunting. Many were sold at your local hardware store or department store. Government regulation and requirement was far less than today’s ”advanced” so- ciety. To my best recollection, the youth of that day dealt with similar sources of angst as today’s student.
Perhaps it’s a radical thought, but has anyone ever thought that perhaps some of the blame might lie with a changing culture? Violent video games that feature killing opponents as a central objective or movies made in Hollywood where carnage is optimized in storytell- ing have so desensitized the last generation to a point which should raise concern.
We played “cops and robbers” and “cowboys and Indians” as children with toy guns, and no one seemed scarred for life or turned into a sociopath as with the products of today’s modern, informed generation. As I recall, my first purchases as a young man consisted of a .410 shotgun and a .22 pistol. No permitting and no wait — I walked out the door with the firearm and the ammunition. I’ve never killed anyone so obviously I wasn’t somehow twisted by the ease of purchase!
The National Rifle Association, which is regularly demonized by today’s politicians and press, is nothing more than an organi- zation whose goal is to protect and preserve Second Amendment rights of all Americans. This is a group that teaches and advocates firearm safety. Politically, they seem to be the easiest target when some nut fires a gun in anger. Their basic purpose is as a lobby- ing group.
Much was made this past weekend in a local paper about the fact that NRA money went to Republicans instead of Democrats. Forgive me for questioning their rationale, but it just seems like common sense to support those who support you.
There is no designation of Phd after my name to indicate that I’ve been sufficiently schooled to qualify as a true scholar by those in academe, but we believe that even when it comes to the human psyche, there should be an element of common sense.
During the last half-century, with all of the growth in products which tend to make our lives easier, the main thrust of our endeav- ors is to invent new and exciting ways to entertain ourselves. It doesn’t require a rocket scientist to realize that the source of most of things being offered for our leisure wasting of time are produced or otherwise connected to Hollywood. That’s hard to deny when some of us even take our political guidance from “movie stars” and celebrities.
I don’t believe there is a single gun ordinance — there are, after all, hundreds of them — on any of the books that would have stopped the most recent school shooting in Florida. When one’s mind has been so warped by one’s surroundings that such an act is even conceivable there is a real problem. Early intervention by mental health profes- sionals may have helped and there seemed to be many warning signs that this young man had serious mental problems.
But, as always, that’s only one man’s opinion.
Letters from readers
Lisa
drews, the 2018
chairperson for
Reedley Relay for
Life, has notified
The Exponent of
some upcoming
events before the
2018 Reedley relay
on Saturday and
Sunday, April 14-15 at Reedley High School. The February team captain meeting is Thursday, Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Reedley College staff din- ing room. Subsequent monthly meet- ings are scheduled for Thursday, March 22, and Thursday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the college.
Fred Hall
The Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet is returning to its previous format whenthe2018awardsdinnerisheld on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Reedley College Student Center and cafeteria. Socialhourwillbeat5p.m.intheStu- dent Center. Dinner and the program will begin at 6 o’clock in the college cafeteria.
Last year, the Chamber put on an Academy Awards-style event where winners were announced at the din- ner. But once again, winners have been selected in advance. This year’s winners are:
• Citizen of the Year — Jean Clem- ons
• Junior Citizen of the Year — Emma Reynaga, Reedley High School • Business of the Year – Rabobank • Ag Business of the Year —
Brandt Farms
• Entrepreneur of the Year —
Chris Boss, Michael’s Environmental • Educator of the Year — Santa Caldwell president of Reedley College • Health Professional of the Year –
Matthew Tuttle, Gnardog Crossfit
• Reedley Beautification Award — Jose and Wendy Rivera, Hotel Bur-
gess
Erik Valencia, executive director
for the chamber, said that in addition to dinner and the awards music will be performed by homegrown talent. He said the public still has time to buy tickets individually or by table. Ticket information is available by calling the chamber at 638-3548 or going online
to info@reedleychamberofcommerce.
com.
••• OneweekfromSaturday,March
3, the Reedley Lions are putting on the annual Blossom Trail Bike Rides. Threemorningridesarescheduled— the 60-mile starting at 7:30 a.m., the 40-mile at 8:30 and the 20-mile at 9:30 — and all will go off rain or shine with no refunds.
Interested riders have until mid- night on Monday, Feb. 26 at lower pre- registration prices. Entry fees vary depending on the ride.
To register online, go to blossom- bikeride.com and use the “registra-
tion” link.
•••
Monday, Feb. 26, will mark the 10th annual flag-lowering ceremony for the late Javier Bejar, the Reedley police officer who died in 2010 after being shot during a standoff in Min- kler. The ceremony will begin in front of the Reedley Police Department at 8:30 a.m., and the public is invited to pay tribute to Bejar.
The annual event has a Reedley police honors unit raise and then lower the American flag to half-mast. The flag will remain that way until Thursday, March 1. Bejar was the first Reedley police officer killed in the line of duty in the century -long history of the department.
After the ceremony, the public is invited to an informal gathering at the Minkler Memorial site for reflection and prayer.
••• McAn-
The “Fill the Bucket Challenge” is scheduled for Friday, March 2, at the intersection of 11th and G streets in downtown Reedley. Money will be col- lected by volunteer teams throughout the day. The following Tuesday, March 6, Relay volunteers will put on their annual “bra auction” from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at The Pub. A survivor’s birthday celebration is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 17 in the Reed- ley College staff dining room.
The final pre-Relay event will be a “Paint the Town Purple” activity from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 7. Each team of volunteers will be assigned an area in town to place purple ribbons in honor of the fight against cancer.
For more information on any of the Relay for Life events, contact McAndrews at (559) 305-1630.
Jon Earnest
Medicare can help protect your eyesight
Value of volunteer drivers
In Fresno County, it is esti- mated 3,500 residents will be di- agnosed with cancer this year, and for many of them getting to treatments can be their biggest roadblock. A successful trans- portation assistance program can be a tremendous, potentially life-saving asset to the commu- nity. That’s why volunteering for the American Cancer Society’s Road To Recovery program is so important.
Volunteer drivers can pro- vide as many rides as they want, creating their own schedules. All drivers must have a valid driv- er’s license, good driving record, access to a safe and reliable car, regular desktop, laptop or tablet computer access, and proof of car insurance.
As a Road To Recovery vol- unteer driver, I understand that when cancer hits, it hits from all sides, and lacking transportation to treatments should not be one of them. That is why I volunteer with the American Cancer Soci- ety, and help them attack cancer from every angle.
It is a great feeling to know that I am literally giving some- one a ride that is helping to save their life. I encourage everyone in our community to consider becoming a volunteer driver today.
To learn more about the Road To Recovery program, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer. org/volunteer.
Jan Walters American Cancer Society Volunteer Driver Fresno
By Greg Dill
Guest columnist
Are you at risk for glau- coma?
Glaucoma is an eye dis- ease that causes loss of vi- sion — usually side vision — by damaging the optic nerve, which sends infor- mation from your eyes to your brain. Some forms of glaucoma don’t have any symptoms, so you may have it even if you don’t have trouble seeing or feel any pain.
That’s why glaucoma is often called “the sneak thief of sight.”
Fortunately, you can prevent vision loss by find- ing and treating problems early. Medicare covers a glaucoma test once every 12 months for people at high risk for glaucoma, including people who answer “yes” to one or more of these ques- tions:
• Do you have diabetes?
• Do you have a family history of glaucoma?
• Are you African American and 50 or older?
• Are you Hispanic American and 65 or older?
Glaucoma tests are cov- ered under Medicare Part B
(medical insurance). An eye doctor who’s legally allowed to do this test in your state must do or supervise the screening.
How much will the test cost you? You pay 20 percent of the Medicare- approved amount, and the Part B deductible ($183 this year) applies. If the test is done in a hospital outpatient setting, you also pay a co- payment.
To find out how much your specific test will cost, talk to your doctor or other health care provider. The specific amount you’ll owe may depend on several things, such as:
• Other insurance you may have
• How much your doc- tor charges
• Whether your doctor accepts Medicare payment as full payment
• The type of facility where you’re tested
• The location where you’re tested.
There is no cure for glaucoma. Vision lost from the disease cannot be re- stored.
Without treatment, people with glaucoma will slowly lose their peripheral
(side) vision. If glaucoma remains untreated, people may miss objects to the side and out of the corner of their eye. They seem to be looking through a tunnel. Over time, straight-ahead (central) vi- sion may decrease until no vision remains.
Immediate treatment for early-stage, open-angle glaucoma can delay pro- gression of the disease. That’s why early diagnosis is very important.
Glaucoma treatments include medicines, laser tra- beculoplasty, conventional surgery, or a combination of these. While these treat- ments may save remaining vision, they do not improve sight already lost from glau- coma.
Glaucoma is detected through a comprehensive dilated eye exam that in- cludes the following:
Visual acuity test. This eye-chart test measures how well you see at various distances.
Visual field test. This test measures your periph- eral vision. It helps your eye care professional tell if you have lost peripheral vision, a sign of glaucoma.
Dilated eye exam. In
this exam, drops are placed in your eyes to widen, or dilate, the pupils. Your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye prob- lems. After the exam, your close-up vision may remain blurred for several hours.
Tonometry measures pressure inside the eye by using an instrument called a tonometer. A tonometer can detect glaucoma. Numbing drops may be applied to your eye for this test.
Pachymetry is the mea- surement of the thickness of your cornea. Your eye care professional applies a numbing drop to your eye and uses an ultrasonic wave instrument to measure the thickness of your cornea.
For more information on glaucoma: https://nei. nih.gov/health/glaucoma/ glaucoma_facts
Greg Dill is Medicare’s regional administrator for Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, and the Pacific Ter- ritories. You can always get answers to your Medi- care questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800- 633-4227).
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