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8B Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Bulletin, Progressive, Record, Reporter
]00DITORIAL
A N D
OPINION
EDITORIAL
Best local
news is in
the local
paper
Few would argue that America's metropoli-
tan newspapers are in trouble, beset by declin-
ing circulation and ad revenues and free online
competition. But rural and community newspa-
pers, like the six weeklies we publish here in
Plumas and Lassen counties, are weathering
the storm.
In the United States, some 7,500 community
newspapers -- papers with under 30,000 in cir-
culation -- still hit the streets, front porches
and mailboxes at least once a week.
A 2010 survey conducted by the University of
Missouri, Columbia for the National Newspaper
Association produced-some enviable statistics:
More than three quarters of respondents said
they read most or all of a local newspaper every
week, averaging 40 minutes and sharing it with
2.36 additional readers. In contrast, 54 percent
say they never read local news online.
And for our business partners trying to mar-
ket their goods and services in this ever-chang-
ing media landscape, survey results showed
that newspaper advertising handily beat the In-
ternet and was four times stronger than direct
mail as the primary source for advertising.
"The community newspaper business is
healthier than metro newspapers, because it
hasn't been invaded by Internet competition,"
says A1 Cross, director of the Institute for Rural
Journalism and Community Issues at the Uni-
versity of Kentucky. "They have no effective
competition for local news. Rural papers own
the franchise locally of the most credible infor-
mation."
This is not to say that rural papers are simply
going gangbusters. Like every small business
across the country, community newspapers, in-
cluding this one, have had to make adjustments
during this relentless recession..
Rural newspapers make for lean living and
.busy workweeks these days. In addition to be-
ing the community's watchdog, reporters have
to wear many hats to put out a local paper, in-
terviewing Eagle Scouts, snapping photos of the
rodeo queen, attending an array of sporting
events and writing editorials on a myriad of lo-
cal issues. The advertising and graphics depart-
ments continually look for new, innovative
ways to ensure businesses get the results they
deserve (and need) from their ad investments.
And, when all that jells, just like clockwork the
paper's production crew prints and packages
your newspaper, delivering a colorful and crisp
product stuffed with assorted ad and news cir-
culars.
So, thanks for inviting us into your home and
making us a part of your family. We know you
enjoy reading us our consistently strong cir-
culation numbers and in-house surveys prove
that.
We are your hometown newspaper. We look
forward to embracing change and innovation to
ensure we remain the written record of your
community for decades to come.
A "% "e
00eath0000ng
000000oaper
Breaking News .... t
go to plumasnews.com
Mic.hael C. Taborski ............. :Publisher
Keri B. Taborski ...Legal Advertising Dept.
Delaine Fragnoli ........ Managing Editor
Alicia Knadler ........ Indian Valley Editor
M. Kate West. ............ Chester Editor
Shannon Morrow .......... Sports Editor
Ingrid Burke ............ ':...Copy Editor
Staff writers:
Michael Condon
Ruth Ellis
Will Farris
Barbara France
Mona Hill
Susan Cort Johnson
Diana Jorgenson
Dan McDonald
Pat Shillito
Brian Taylor
Kayleen Taylor
Trish Welsh Taylor
Sam Williams
Feather River
Bulletin
(530) 283-0800
Westwood
PinePress
(530) 256-2277
Lassen County
Times
(530) 257-53211
Portola Reporter
.(530) 832-4646
Chester Progressive
(530) 258-3115
Indian Valley
Record
(530) 284-7800
[J/as it really worth a life?
.. '.
MY TURN
MONA HILL
Staff Writer
mhill@plumasnews.com
The events of last weekend up near Ante-
lope Lake have preoccupied the newsroom
since the story broke Sunday morning.
From reports currently available, it
sounds as if a bunch of young men were be-
ing stupid, trying to steal some solar yard
lights. It also sounds as if a homeowner re-
acted out of all proportion.
Notice the use of key phrases: "sounds as
if' and "reports currently available." It's
worth remembering the incident is under
investigation.
Apparently, that hasn't kept folks from
commenting online.
Case in point: "These six were'nt men
but a pack of theving wolves on the hunt.
In a rage of anger and fear he was intimi-
dated and lost his sanity. They initiated it
and caused him temporary insanity. They
are lucky to be alive and since they go free
so should he. PS they can pay their own
medical bills."
Or: "that is what you get for stealing
stuff ,that-he worked hard for"
Really? Wow!
The law provides for people to protect
themselves, inside their homes, with rea-
sonable force if they are in fear of their
lives or have reason to believe their lives
are in danger.
The law doesn't provide for protection of
property with lethal force only lives.
You call the cops for that kind of stuff or
write down a license plate number.
To be fair, a great many people posting
comments took the higher road, suggesting
such novel ideas as waiting for the out-
come of the investigation or that solar gar-
den.lights didn't seem to be worth a young
man's life.
Sadly, comment on this story typifies the
viciousness of online comment.
My first experience with the knee-jerk
nature of online cpmmentary came years
ago when my sister and I posted comments
H00ere in the World?
PFC Reid Culver. a
combat medic stationed at
a small army strongpoint
somewhere in southern
Afghanistan, stands in front
of his aid station. His
parents are Robin and Luke
Culver and grandfather is
Bill Dennison. Reid spent
much Of his life growing up
in Chester. Next time you
travel, share where you
went by taking your local
newspaper atong and
including it in a photo.
Then e-mail the photo to
smorrow@plumasnews.com.
Include your name,
contact information and
brief details about your
photo. We may publish
it as space permits.
about the terrible state of one store in a
well-known pet store chain. People who
took exception to our comments about one
store labeled us commies or members of
PETA.
The nature of discourse online allows
people to hide behind their anonymity and
leave behind common human decency. Dis-
sent from the mainstream comment and
you will find yourself attacked viciously,
even in some innocuous format such as Ya-
hoo! Answers.
What happened to civilized debate?
There are many ways to live life. Some
methods may be more effective than others
but different doesn't automatically mean
wrong.
Whether the discussion is religion, poli-
tics, budgets or right to life, people seem to
have become incapable of agreeing to dis-
agree. Somehow, the rightness of my posi-
tion has come to depend on your agree-
ment with it.
In fact, the rightness of my position de-
pends on my moral and ethical compass. I
have to look me in the mirror and like me.
I am responsible for acting on my beliefs
but I'm also responsible to review them
from time to time.
What if more information about the ef-
fects of an unbalanced budget becomes
known? Don't I have to consider that new
information or do I just say, "My mind's
made up, don't confuse me with facts"?
We don't know what happened that night
or why the homeowner felt it necessary to
chase down and shoot up the car and the
people in it. The homeowner and the sur-
vivors will tell their stories and a jury will
decide.
I'm horrified these readers have not
stopped to consider the lives ruined by this
incident. Not only has a family lost a son,
but also another family is likely to lose a
father. Young men's lives have been irrev-
ocably altered and their families' lives as
well.
When Jenny Carrigan and Steven Furta-
do were murdered in May 2008, her brother
died in a crash and their families were torn
apart. A whole community, indeed the en-
tire county, was stricken.
I find the attitude of bloodthirsty
vengeance shocking and incomprehensi-
ble. I am appalled anyone thinks petty theft
requires a life in restitution.
That attitude harkens back to the days
when a child who stole a loaf of bread in
England suffered penal transport to Aus-
tralia for life.
The Western world finds barbaric the
enforcement of the Islamic law that pun-
ishes theft with amputation of a hand.
It's always sad when the penalty for stu-
pid, thoughtless behavior is death. More
lives are damaged than those of doer and
done to.
To those vengeful readers, try to show
some compassion; consider if your son
were dead, how would you feel about the
price he paid for a silly stunt?
If you can't show somecompassion,
could you please refrain from sharing with
the rest of us?
REMEMBER WHEN
KERI TABORSKI
Historian
75 YEARS AGO ....... 1936
World renowned bronco riders will take
part in the 16th annual Chester Rodeo'Sun-
day. Admission to the 3,000 grandstand
seats is $1.00 plus ten cents tax.
50 YEARS AGO ...... 1961
Carrying out the 1961 Plumas County
Fair theme of Green is Magic, the 30 Chi-
nese hackberry shade trees that were
planted at the fairgrounds earlier this
spring are doing well. Other trees in four
other varieties were also planted.
25 YEARS AGO ...... 1986
California Highway Patrol Sergeant
John Lighthill of the Quincy CHP was rec-
ognized and awarded a plaque for over 25
years of service.
Vi Orange, executive secretary to the
Plumas National Forest Supervisor retired
after many years with the United States
Forest Service.
10 YEARs AGO ....... 2001
Plumas County Board of Supervisors
amed Bob Meinert as the new director
the Plumas County Alcohol & Drug
partment. Since the resignation of
& D director John Crawford last year
e department has been run by two
interim directors.
P"" " " 00otjusti
t_,lrlzen execution IS ce
: : ...... ne else. Unfortunately that didn't
A. t e Itc hS th: ::1 full hefy:S n°; aml saml e°2::n - ta;; era:?
all be it the wrong lesson. ;dl:°euldihr $£::t S race theyoUnvgemenfmad e Vme:?:
Yet, I am not going to give those Young
men a complete pass. One comment on I
lassennews.com stated, (The) boys were roperty after getting a license plate num-
, .... only playing a, prank. It is not a prank to er and let the police handle the theft or let
teal someone s property. It is theft, pure /allin-Reed make a citizen's arrest until
MY TURN
BARBARA FRANCE
Staff Writer
bfrance@lassennews.com
There is absolutely no explanation or
excuse alleged murderer Gregory Wallin-
Reed can give for chasing six Susanville
men off his Janesville property into Plumas
County and choosing to shoot at the men's
car with an assault rifle. I don't even care
that he chose to call law enforcement and al-
legedly admit that he shot the driver in the
head fatally wounding him.
Wallin-Reed may end up claiming Post
Trauma Stress Disorder as a former Army
Ranger, he was protecting his property or
the men fired first, which the evidence so
far has proven false. Once Wallin-Reed left
his property and chased the car in his truck
he lost his right to protect his property.
and simple.
It doesn't matter if the solar light in.
question cost $1 or $29.95.
Some are saying boys will be boys. Well,
maybe whea they were 10 years old or
even 13, but these were 19 and 20 year olds.
They were adults and they knew better. If
anything the ugly words on the sign posted
on Wallin-Reed's property stating he
would use deadly force if anyone violated
his space should have been warning
enough that the alleged 36-year-old man
was not a normal Janesville resident en-
joying a Fourth of July weekend in the
woods.
As one of my eloquent co-workers has
said, "Yank a mad dog's chain and you
might get bit."
Of course, the best scenario would have
been for those young men to have just go
camping and mind there own business and
tw enforcement came and made an arrest
)r theft.
The men may have been charged for
theft and had to pay some fines or receive
s me jail time. The sentence would fit the
c rime.
Citizen executioI] is not how America
doles out justice.
Again, there is no excuse for Rory's
death and the two other men being shot
and another three men literally running
fi)r their lives.
Wallin-Reed will get his day in court.
However, it is also a good reminder that
a I1 of us need to mind the law because we
ever know who may be out there ready to
t ke the law into their own hands even to
t: m point of murder.
My condolences to the McGuire family
and his friends on the death of their son
and friend.
not try to take anything that didn't belong i I believe in the justice system.
' i