Page 4 - Mid Valley Times 9-30-21 E-edition

Thursday, September 30, 2021 | 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
In my OPINION As seasons change, the
political climate is chilling
Rough weekend for air quality, but Dinuba welcomes back Raisin Day
Fred Hall — Publisher
Jon Earnest — Editor
Dick Sheppard — Editor Emeritus
We can't be sure how many of you even noticed, but last Wednesday — Sept. 22 — was the Autumnal Equinox, the first day of Fall. That would be the day, if one were standing on the equa- tor, the sun would rise due east and set due west. This season will officially extend through the Winter Solstice on Dec. 21.
The air quality may not have cooperated, but at least the temperatures did as Di- nuba residents and the public once again were able to enjoy the basics of the city's annual Raisin Day event.
Crowds responded, at least on the Friday afternoon-eve- ning of Sept. 24 as families and children came to Rose Ann Vuich Park to visit the carnival midway at the north end of the park, as well as the crafts and food booths on the west and southeast portions. Attendees were hardy, and it appeared the majority followed the Dinu- ba Chamber's request to wear a mask at the outdoor event to mitigate the risk of the COV- ID-19 virus. Then again, people may have been happy to mask up given the air quality condi- tions. They were ranging on the verge of unhealthy on Sept. 23, and in nearby Orosi the air was at such unhealthy levels
that the high school moved a scheduled game from Ed Coats Stadium to Caruthers High. Give the Cardinals credit for defeating their West Sequoia League rivals under unusual circumstances.
I earlier called the Raisin Day festivities "basics" because the event still wasn't back at its normal schedule. Organiz- ers decided to pass one more year on a full parade through downtown; instead opting for a reduced parade "procession- al" through the park. Parade watchers were able to watch a mini-parade featuring Miss Dinuba, Alyssa Romero, the reigning Central Section Di- vision III softball champions from Dinuba High, and the high school's NJROTC unit. In other instances, the event was still its usual Thursday through Sunday with the carnival, al- though vendor booths were limited to some food the first
and last day.
In an ideal
world, next
year's event
will return to
normal with lit-
tle to no COVID
to worry about
and a wildfire-
free September. In today's Cali- fornia, that's asking a lot.
•••
Next up on the event cal-
endar is the annual Reedley Fiesta on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9-10. A return to the tra- ditional live parade is planned, and anyone interested in en- tering the parade still can by contacting the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce. Unlike last year's virtual "reverse" pa- rade, there will be the opportu- nity for the Grand Marshal and Fiesta King and Queen to again travel the parade route.
Jon Earnest is news-sports editor for The Times.
Fred Hall
Men and women are social creatures, and must have that interaction for their mental health. I've had people tell me that they lost beloved family members, not be- cause of COVID-19 but rather from sheer loneliness from being kept from those they hold dearest.
As joyous as changing seasons should be, this year is tainted by political issues which, given better political judgments, would not exist at all. Although most of our small local city governments are doing a a pretty good job, the ball is dropped when one considers county, state and federal governance. That would be qualified by the disclaimer that we're not talking about those locales who do not attempt to micromanage our personal existence.
That's a long way around to make the point that for roughly nine months — now encompassing three seasons — Joe Biden and his administration have been in charge of foreign and domestic affairs in this country. Frankly, one could have not made a bigger mess of things if that were their plan.
Beginning with day one and the president's execu- tive orders, with the stroke of a pen he made the United States once again dependent on foreign oil. When the price of gasoline soared by $1 to $1.50 per gallon, Mr. Biden pleaded with OPEC to increase their production — to no avail. So much for “building back better” and global respect. The guarantee of continuing energy inde- pendence was wiped away when the Keystone pipeline was suspended and federal mineral leases in places like Alaska and other petroleum producing regions.
Fossil fuels have always been the energy that drives our economy. This “climate change” religious experi- ence has no validity until alternative energy can be sup- plied on an economical and dependable basis. Currently, the technology is out of the budgetary reach of the aver- age American.
Another of his “executive orders” opened wide our southern border. Construction of the wall was summar- ily halted and everyone was welcome! With America quickly becoming a welfare state, all we needed was a couple of million low-educated people who are quickly immersed in the Democrat philosophy in anticipation of their being declared citizens. They need no vaccinations or masks, and are quickly disbursed to American cities and states where they become someone else's problem.
There was time when immigration either required sponsorship or some kind of guarantee that one would not become a burden to American taxpayers. Learning to speak English and assimilation were also requirements.
Apparently there is little anyone can say or do to hammer home the bumbling mess Biden created in Af- ghanistan. We literally are a heartbeat away from losing the America we love and cherish!
Jon Earnest
Put simply, that is the day when
daylight and night are approximately equal and calen- dars begin to fill with activities associated with the Fall months and cooler weather. Cool nighttime air, temper- ate days, football games, and various city celebrations of this area's heritage have all teamed up to engage a public who have been shut down for far too long by government officials. Locally, trees will assume a cloak of magnificent colors before shedding those beautiful leaves.
But, as always, that's only one man's opinion.
Tips for older adults to reduce risk of falls
By Dr. Timothy Lee
Guest columnist
As we age, we begin to learn — sometimes firsthand — how devastating a fall can be. It isn’t quite as easy as it once was to hop back up and con- tinue on our way.
September has been Nation- al Falls Prevention Month, and is a great time for older adults to learn about the dangers falls pose to quality of life and in- dependence and tips to reduce risks factors.
Each year millions of older adults experience falls and fall-related injuries. California ranked 20thth in a state-to-state comparison with 25.4 percent of adults age 65+ reporting a fall in the past 12 months, ac- cording to new local data from the 2021 America’s Health Rankings Senior Report. About one in four people in the Unit- ed States over age 65 reports falling each year. Among older adults, 1 out of 5 falls causes a serious injury, including 90 percent of hip fractures and 51 percent of traumatic brain injuries.
Contributing factors for falls include poor balance, poor vision, certain medications, al-
cohol consumption, physical in- activity, osteoporosis, physical disabilities and general frailty.
Being aware of the risk factors and following these tips can reduce your chances of serious injury, and help you maintain and improve the qual- ity of your health and remain independent.
• Medications — Any time you get a new prescription, ask your pharmacist or doctor about side effects like dizziness or drowsiness that can affect balance.
• Review Your Health Ben- efits — As we approach the Medicare annual enrollment period in October, older adults should consider whether their current plan includes pro- grams that can help reduce the chances of a fall. Many Medicare Advantage plans, for example, include benefits that Original Medicare does not cover that can help reduce the risk of falls like vision and hearing benefits; gym mem- berships; and disease manage- ment programs.
• Stay Active — Do exer- cises that can strengthen your legs and improve balance.
• Talk to Your Provider — A health care provider can help
assess and reduce your fall risk. Medicare-eligible individ- uals can access care through an Annual Wellness Visit, which is free to anyone on Medicare. UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members can take advantage of the HouseCalls program, which brings an an- nual health assessment to the convenience and privacy of home, at no additional cost.
• Footwear — Make sure your shoes fit, have good trac- tion, and are comfortable. See a doctor if you are experiencing foot pain.
• Check Your Home — Most falls happen at home. Remove clutter, fix steps that are un- even and make sure there is adequate lighting. Install grab bars and handrails in the bath- room and on stairways. Use a cane, walker, crutches or other support if needed.
Falls can present a more significant health threat than many may realize, but by un- derstanding risk factors and how to reduce them, older adults can empower them- selves to live healthier lives.
Dr. Timothy Lee is chief medical officer for United- Healthcare of Northern Cali- fornia.
Letters Policy
MID VALLEY TIMES invites letters from the public on any topic of local relevance. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity or brevity, and we reserve the right to NOT publish them if they could be deemed libelous or profane. Letters should be 350 words or less, and bear the author's name, address, and phone number. Letters can be mailed, emailed, submitted via our website, or personally delivered to: Editor, Reedley Exponent, 1130 G St, Reedley CA 93654.
QUOTE
“Both the cock- roach and the bird would get along very well without us, although the cockroach would miss us most.”
— Joseph Wood Krutch (1893 - 1970)
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