Page 4 - Mid Valley Times 7-11-19 E-edition
P. 4

Thursday, July 11, 2019 | 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 Degrees, diplomas are no
substitute for common sense
Random thoughts about good and not-so-good times in Sanger
Rick Curiel — Dinuba Editor Jon Earnest — Reedley Editor Dick Sheppard — Sanger Editor
QUOTE
“On account of being a democra- cy and run by the people, we are the only nation in the world that has to keep a govern- ment four years, no matter what it does.”
— Will Rogers (1879-1935)
Since I was a small child, I have always loved the Fourth of July and its blatant “in- your-face” display of all things that make us proud to be Americans. The omnipresent American Flag; skies filled with fireworks; parades packed beginning to end with ev- erything from veterans groups and military displays to classic and collector automobiles; marching bands playing patriotic songs and a multitude of things that made us all proud to be Americans, especially on this historic day.
Fred Hall
By Dick Sheppard
From time to time I am remind- ed of a book I was assigned to read at Dinuba High School. (Thanks, by the way, for the email reminder from classmate Robert Sloan who pointed out how long ago we were in high school.) The book, A Tale of Two Cities begins, only slightly paraphrased, “It was the best of times, it was the most annoying of times ...”
Last week was one of those times I remind myself that life is an aver- age where we celebrate the best of times and mourn the most annoying of times while taking care of business somewhere in between.
I came away from an early week city council meeting annoyed by comments from councilmembers and some residents who spoke during a public hearing about state ordered rezoning of 54 acres to accommodate “affordable” housing.
Several residents followed up NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) re- marks by demonizing all “Section 8” and poor people. When it was the council’s turn, the comments were only a tad more subtle.
Mayor Frank Gonzalez and coun- cilmember Humberto Garza did not participate because of economic in- terests in property near parcels that could have been rezoned.
Mayor pro tem Daniel Martinez said he based his decisions on experi- ence as a planning commissioner. Eli Ontiveros cited his experience as a de- veloper and Esmeralda Hurtado said she was acting as an advocate for peo-
ple who needed affordable housing. My mama taught me that actions speak louder than words and in spite of the sincere sounding words spoken from the dais, the actions by a cou- ple of councilmembers shouted that NIMCD (Not In My Council District) was likely the real motive for their
decisions.
The council trio tossed out 50 per-
cent of the sites recommended by planning staff and commission, caus- ing me to wonder again — along with the grand jury — why Sanger even bothers to have advisory bodies like the planning commission and the Mea- sure S oversight committee, if it’s go- ing to ignore their recommendations.
Three people who attended the meeting live at a homeless shelter while trying to find affordable hous- ing. They said they felt profiled as "bad people" just because they don’t happen to have as much as some other people. “It was embarrassing,” said Grace Mendez. “I was in disbelief of the con- fusion and misunderstanding that was expressed at the meeting,” said Julie Mendoza who runs the shelter.
“It was an exercise in benefitting individual districts,” said planning commissioner Vincent Wall who sat through the meeting, watching the commission’s recommendations be- ing cast aside.
Only 1.36 of the 54.09 acres select- ed by the council is near the heart of the city. The remaining 52.73 acres are closer to city limits, mostly on the east side of town. Two of the rezoned sites totaling 21.36 acres are in Hurtado’s district, two totaling 12.73 acres are
in Garza’s district, one with 10 acres is in Martinez’s district and one with 10 acres is in Ontiveros’ district.
My humor im-
proved later in the
week at a Sanger
tradition. The Dick Sheppard Fourth of July Jen-
ni Park Neighborhood Parade and Ice Cream Festival — or something like that — it’s pretty informal. The "pa- rade" steps off every year from the park for a flag waving walk around the block. Then Mary Tieche who or- ganizes the event these days hands out ice cream cones and popsicles. Christi Garza got the tradition started about 19 years ago. There are always 75-100 neighbors in the parade with lots of U.S. flags, cute kids, cute pets and usually a boom box in a red wagon blaring patriotic music.
I was in such a good mood I almost forget an annoying conversation I overheard at the council meeting. A women in the audience told the person next to her — in a derogatory tone of voice — "All 'those people' in Section 8 housing buy their clothes in thrift shops and at Walmart."
I realized I would probably be on her "those people" list because most of my clothes come from Costco or the REI bargain attic in Berkeley, and my shoes are from a Big 5 sale.
Thrift shops and Walmart might be a step up for me.
Dick Sheppard can be contacted by email at sangerherald@gmail.com.
The most recent iteration of pride in
America featured something I had never witnessed before, and that was the open hatred for the country and this president. New- ly-elected Democratic Congress people openly cursed this country over its common-sense position on illegal immigrants. Mexico now is helping more to stem the flow of illegal immigration than our own Democrat-controlled Congress with their bitterness toward anything Donald Trump.
The left-wing media condemned the president over his pa- triotic parade in Washington D.C. and proclaimed it was self-ag- grandizement and a political event when it was neither. Having watched the president's speech, parade and fly-overs I can only say there were moments when one's chest swelled with pride and tears wet one's eyes at this display of what makes this country great.
Hate, when teamed with anger and envy, is just inherently ugly. How can those who dominate our media and the Democrat politicians they support so openly fail to be aware of how they ap- pear? These are all well-educated people who should know better than to believe they are swaying attitudes of red-blooded Ameri- cans. Maybe the fact they are so educated by the current system is part of the problem!
Almost daily, I hear the president being called racist while there is apparently no reason in fact. Democrat politicians who are running for the presidency or any other office are busy apologiz- ing for their whiteness. Antifa is busy tearing down statues and monuments to individuals who were part of the building of this country, while others are being covered or moved into hiding. A has-been NFL quarterback with an IQ that is about room tem- perature declares that a Betsy Ross flag on a pair of sneakers is racist and the huge multi-national company which sells them im- mediately pulls them off the market. We are losing our collective minds and the current insanity sweeping this nation in the form of Trump Derangement Syndrome must stop!
College diplomas and all the advanced degrees in the world can never be a substitute for good old everyday common sense, and that they lack.
Out of ordinary, everyday curiosity, we checked on the dic- tionary-defined description of "common sense" and found that it is "simply having or exhibiting native good judgment." That's it! No disclaimers or qualifications about any particular advanced studies or deep educational process. It should be, and is, God- given. All of us are born with a modicum of common sense and its application is strictly at our discretion.
It continues to amaze us how often common sense has either been “educated” out of people or otherwise they tend to ignore the very fact that the solution that is most practical and obvious is probably the correct one. The current crush of political cor- rectness which seems to be sweeping our educational institutions is particularly ignorant of all issues involving common sense. Reparations and “free stuff” which simply squanders the public treasury is no solution.
Case in point would be the school system in San Francisco deciding to spend $600,000 to paint over a mural of George Wash- ington because someone decided that Washington was a racist. How in the world does someone manage to look back in time over almost three centuries and decide that, even with all of his ac- complishments which have benefitted everyone in this country, George Washington must have been a racist?
All indications are that the hatred for one man by Hollywood, the mainstream media and one political party indicates that almost one-half of the country has lost its collective mind!
But, as always, that's only one man's opinion.
Public finally can enjoy the Kings River again
For the second time in three years, the Kings River was closed for more than a month to water sports enthu- siasts and the public in general. Wet winters in 2017 and 2019 along with record snowpack in the Sierra Nevada led to the closures. This frustrated boaters, floaters and swimmers who had been looking forward to a long stretch of enjoying the river after years of drought.
The 2017 closure was understand- able, because two months of pounding winter rain led to flooding that contin- ued throughout most of the springing into the summer. It was harder for wa- ter enthusiasts to accept this year, as heavy water releases from Pine Flat Reservoir began in March and against created summer river flow levels.
Extra water releases were needed after unexpected heavy snow fell in the High Sierra in May. The reservoir
remained at a high level of capacity at that point, causing the three coun- ties the river runs through to close off access because of what they called unsafe conditions. That re- sulted in more frustration from riv- er enthusiasts, who saw the lowering water flow levels as June progressed. Still, the river remained closed.
Kings County was the first to reopen the river to floating and boating on July 2, but the river was still cut off to Fresno and Tulare County visitors on the July 4 holiday. But a day later, the public finally received the news they were waiting for — the river would reopen on July 6, in both Fresno and Tulare counties. That's important to note, because local recre- ation spots like Lindy's Landing campsite are in Tulare County.
We were ready to run a guest col- umn by Fred Smeds, a Reedley resident and longtime river enthusiast who was
questioning if the
statistic and data
supported closing
the river. He was
making the point
that if the sheriff
felt the river below
the Annadale Bridge
was too dangerous
to open now, then it
always would be too
dangerous. However, the river now is open and the public is happy.
Based on California's climate his- tory, the river probably will begin a downward descent in depth and flow if drier and even drought conditions return. In two or three years, we again could be looking at dried pockets of river bed in the later stages of summer.
Until then, enjoy what should be a bountiful summer of boating, swim- ming and floating on the river.
Jon Earnest
We are a 'republic'
When did the Democratic par- ty changed due course? It began with President Obama. He said to the world that America had lost all shame and had a lot to answered to. He asked for forgiveness for the way this country behaved and for its treatment of other nations. He described the Constitution as being deeply flawed.
A sitting president takes an oath to defend and protect the U.S. Constitu- tion. “Obama said: 'We will transform America.'” Did he mean transform America to the far left, with liberal-
ism and socialism ideologies? Once, the Democrats upheld our borders. Now they say open borders for all ille- gal immigrants who enter this country. Liberals even recommend free citizen- ship for illegal immigrants’ welfare, healthcare, free schooling with paid tuition, for all immigrants.
As you read this, some illegal em- igrants who are inside our borders, are already receiving “pro bono” free legal attorney services. Most liberal states have created sanctu- ary cities where lawless immigrants can hide without being deported. The “bad hombres,” are cheering! For all these great freebies available to
them. The Democratic Party has ulti- mately and completely gone haywire. Their only care, is to win the presi- dency and Congress in 2020.
We are a “republic” a constitu- tional government and one nation under God. We are ordained by the rule of law. Nowhere does it say in the Constitution, that we are a de- mocracy. This might be of interest to everyone. The word ‘democrat’ is derived from the word “Democracy.” The word ‘republican’ is derived from the word “republic.” God bless America... if we can keep it!
Manuel Madrid Reedley
Letters from readers
Have an opinion? Want to share it?
Weigh in. Let your voice be heard.
Send us your letter to the editor (350 words or less) for publication on this page and on our website.
news@midvalleytimes.com


































































































   2   3   4   5   6