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JANUARY 25, 2008

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Give 'em a brake

  Re: “Roadkill,” Oct. 12, 2007— Although we expected some negative feedback on this photo spread of animals that met their end by being on a road at the wrong time, we never heard anything. That is, until last week when a woman called the newspaper office to conduct some other business and gave John an earful.
   In case others are wondering or didn’t read the accompanying column, we published these photos to highlight a problem of speeding cars vs. wildlife in this town that is transected by a state highway. We had discussed this graphically-disturbing photo gallery for more than a year before going to work on it and after over a decade of writing too-gentle reminders about slowing down and watching for wildlife.
   Although a warning was placed on the front page about the graphic content (which was mainly so parents were forewarned and could keep the paper away from their kids), it’s not like these photos were something that no one has seen before; that is, unless you drive with your eyes closed.
   Well, we don’t drive with our eyes closed and are saddened by the death of these animals. That’s why we published these photos; consider it a roadkill-reduction campaign and a way to encourage more vigilant driving — motto: Give Wildlife a Brake.
   We are committed to promoting responsible ways to co-exist with wildlife. Consider these facts:

  —If traveling on dry pavement at 55 mph, it will take 300 feet to stop. The range of an average car headlight is 200 to 250 feet. In order to avoid hitting animals at night, drivers should slow down to 40 to 45 mph. Coincidentally, that’s actually the speed limit through Three Rivers.

  —The eyes of animals actually reflect a vehicle’s headlights, allowing drivers to see them in the darkness if alert.

  —Always watch the sides of the road while driving and be on the alert for animals trying to cross.

  —Wildlife is more likely to be encountered prior to a storm and are most active on the road at dawn and dusk as they search for food and water. These poor lighting conditions affect a driver’s ability to see animals attempting to cross the road, so slow down at these times of day.

  —Remember: Many people have been killed and more are seriously injured due to vehicle collisions with deer and other wildlife. So protect yourself and your property by driving cautiously and watching out for wildlife.
   As for the photo spread, if one driver lightened their foot on the accelerator, then our feeble, albeit controversial attempt at a campaign was successful. If a reader has an alternative way to proactively reduce the amount of roadkill, let’s hear it.

JANUARY 18 , 2008

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

The rest of the stories

  Here are a few thoughts and conclusions to some previous articles:
   Re: “Recovery effort,” Nov. 30, 2007— It was an emergency call about an injured animal in the river that dispatched Tulare County firefighters to the upper Kaweah River Drive area. The animal was a deer, and a state Department of Fish and Game warden ordered it to be put down because it was too injured to save.
   There was some speculation as to what caused the deer’s injuries and how it got into the river. Was it hit by a car? Chased by coyotes?
   A Kaweah River Drive resident stopped in the office later and confirmed that it was dogs running loose that killed the deer.
   Re: “The flood of December 1937,” Dec. 14, 2007— Robert Blaszak of Three Rivers assisted in putting this time period of 70 years ago into perspective by dropping off a receipt dated April 9, 1937. The consumer purchased bread for 13 cents, butter for 33 cents, sugar for 25 cents, Karo for 13 cents, and some other item of which I can’t make out the handwriting (yes, a handwritten receipt; no computer), but it cost 10 cents, for a grand total of 94 cents for groceries. Aaah, the good ol’ days.
   Re: “Running start,” Jan. 11, 2008— Bill Pooley of Three Rivers emailed to say, “That was us in the picture of the kayakers on the front page of the Jan. 11 edition…”
   In addition to himself, he identified the kayakers as Jeff Gymer, Sean Sangree, and Evan Lloyd. I regretted that in the caption of the photo, taken by Darlene Mackay of Three Rivers, I had not pinpointed their location.
   The kayakers were on the Middle Fork at the Pumpkin Hollow condos.

  “We were in the pool just below the big rapid called Osterizer,” said Bill.
   Also in the caption, we alluded to “rising river levels,” as we landlubbers tend to view the river in terms of seasons; it’s winter and will soon be transitioning to spring, so the river’s rising, right?
   Not according to Bill Pooley, who looks at river levels on a daily — okay, hourly — basis from the perspective of a kayak seat.

  “The river had receded significantly by Sunday when we made the run, but it was still muddy and cold,” he reported. “Not my idea of the clear water and warm days during the normal spring boating season. The snowpack this year is off to a good start for a boating season better than last year’s low-water year.”
   Now that’s a river assessment you can take to the bank. To watch river levels, see reports and photos, view a weather station and a river gauge, watch a webcam and browse the image archive, and receive dozens of links to other river sites, visit Bill’s informative and educational “The Kaweah River Page” at http://c2.com/kaweah.
   And one more thing. For those longtime residents who recognized the name of Jeff Gymer, Bill said that, yes, he is the Jeff Gymer who grew up in Three Rivers, currently residing in Visalia.

NOVEMBER 30 , 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Taking a test

  STAR, SAT, midterms, finals, AP, spelling and math… kids grow up studying for and learning how to take tests. I passed a test recently that takes no studying, but instead requires, although not foolproof, adherence to a healthy lifestyle and the commitment to actually take the test when it is so much easier to avoid.
   I received my test results in the form of a letter, which also means a passing grade. A phone call to relay the test results is something no one would want to receive.

  “Dear Ms. Elliott,” the letter stated. “We are pleased to inform you that the results of your recent mammogram are normal.”
   As most women know, early detection of breast cancer is important. Self-testing is also necessary, but a mammogram can find an irregularity before it grows large enough to even be felt physically, and that is key.
   And this column isn’t for women only. Men also may get breast cancer, so a doctor should be consulted about risk factors and advice as to whether a mammogram might be prudent.
   For women, the American Cancer Society recommends mammograms and physical breast exams by a medical professional annually beginning at the age of 40. Mammograms are very quick with only the feeling of minor pressure on the breast as it is squeezed by the compressor that holds it in place for a clear x-ray, of which about four are taken.
   Most insurance policies cover a mammogram. In Visalia, there is the newly opened Visalia Women’s Imaging Specialists, located at 1700 S. Court Street.
   My doctor told me to tell them I was from Three Rivers, which I did, and they saw me without an appointment and with a minimal wait.

NOVEMBER 30, 2007

MAKIN' HISTORY :

Growing old... gracefully

  It finally happened. I turned 57 earlier this month and came to the realization that I might be a senior citizen… or am at least at the threshold of one of life’s milestones.
   I started contemplating being a senior by doing something that I’d been putting off for the past few years, pretending like all those solicitations with my name on them were in error. I joined AARP.
   That’s right, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Like most baby boomers, especially ones like me who have been self-employed their entire career, I actually can’t imagine not working.
   The AARP discounts are substantial and really help in booking travel, eating out, and with nearly every kind of insurance that, unfortunately, as one grows older but remains working, becomes a substantial part of the expense ledger.
   For our family, we also must factor in the extra expenses of getting two kids through college simultaneously. It comes down to choosing to save for retirement or pay for college. We chose the latter, at least for now.
   But that’s why it’s even more important for folks like me to be proactive and make a lifestyle change or two. I can’t continue to burn the candle at both ends for much longer.
   I don’t believe I’m in dire straits healthwise, but I must face the facts — the relentless deadlines of the newspaper business are bound to exact a toll.
   So what’s a stressed out Boomer to do? Art Molina, M.D., Three Rivers’s former resident physician, once told me after an exhaustive physical: “No matter how good you’re feeling now, we’re all dying of something.”
   But how much can we influence the when of the good doctor’s inevitable prognosis? The answer to that important question is plenty. At a recent lecture for Cal parents and alumni, we were a given a very sound five-point plan of action.
   The plan is in actuality a proven methodology for maintaining a healthy brain, according to Dr. Marian Diamond, a Cal professor of anatomy and one of the world’s foremost neuroanatomists. She is the author of more than 100 scientific articles and three books including her best known work, Enriching Heredity, published in 1988.
   Dr. Diamond practices the cortical fitness she preaches. After all, brain function and mental acuity is at the essence of life itself, and the still vivacious and vibrant Dr. Diamond, at age 81, is living proof in the product of her more than five decades of research.
Here are Dr. Diamond’s fab five principles for a healthy brain:
   (1) DIET— The brain needs protein and the array of B vitamins for healthy growth and development. A malnourished brain is smaller and cannot function at its full potential. And feeding the brain begins prenatally.
   (2) EXERCISE— This is a no-brainer, pardon the pun. The brain needs exercise, like any other muscle or organ. Dr. Diamond says at least one hour daily of the physical exercise daily is essential to optimal brain health. She gets that part of the equation at 6 a.m. swimming laps in the pool at the Hearst Gymnasium on the UC Berkeley campus. Exercise should be as regular a routine in our lives as brushing teeth and getting dressed.
   (3) NEWNESS— The brain continually needs new things to do, such as varying activities and different stimuli from learning that taps seldom used parts and opens new doors of perception — new pursuits, new activities, new ideas.
   (4) CHALLENGE— What have you done lately to challenge you and your brain? When we get older we tend do less, but we need to do even more — learn a language, up the crossword puzzle level, play math Scrabble, or just read voraciously.
   (5) LOVE— And the greatest gift of all these five is love, and not necessarily the physical kind, but loving relationships with each other, families, grandkids, neighbors, friends, or God… it’s your call. But in a healthier brain, heart, body, the whole is equal to the sum of its parts. The optimal person is one who realizes the fulfillment of a loving relationship.

OCTOBER 12, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Roadkill

  In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks this year, 14 bears have had collisions with vehicles (or visa versa). Fourteen!
   Part of the magic of living in the Sierra foothills is the close proximity to wildlife. In addition to bear, we have deer, mountain lion, fox, bobcat, coyote, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, skunk, various rodents, and more.
   Bird life consists of, but is not limited to, eagles, hawks, ravens, quail, great blue herons, owls, blue jays, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, mourning doves, western bluebirds, and mallard ducks.
   Sadly, there’s not a day that goes by that one can travel the local roadways and not see a dead animal. It could be a wild species or a beloved pet, but there they are, usually with more insides showing than outside.
   Some of these run-ins can’t be avoided. But if you travel the speed limit, use your high-beams at night, use extreme caution at dawn or dusk, scan a wide swath of the roadside, and slow down and honk the horn if there’s an animal alongside the road, many deaths can be avoided.
   High season for car crashes with wildlife in Kaweah Country is October through December. Animals are instinctively on the move due to mating and migration habits.
   They are also busy locating food sources in preparation for winter and often forget to look both ways before crossing the highway. And water sources by this time of year usually consist of only the main rivers as the tributaries have all run dry.
   The shorter days also increase the risk of vehicle v. wildlife collisions. Animals are more active at night and more drivers are on the road at dawn and dusk.
   Use caution after rainstorms as well, another time when animal activity increases.
   Never swerve around an animal because it could move in the same direction or you may inadvertently hit another vehicle, drive onto a dangerous shoulder, or lose control of the car altogether. If traveling at a sensible speed, when seeing an animal in the roadway, the only thing a driver can safely do is brake while staying their lane of traffic.
   Increased traffic and excessive speed are really the culprits. These aren’t quiet country roads anymore, but wildlife still have to cross them.
   Other hazards include the trees and vegetation along the roads that minimize visibility. Food and garbage thrown out of car windows also attracts animals to the roads, so aesthetics isn’t the only reason to pick up trash.
  A prerequisite to living in Three Rivers is to live harmoniously with the wildlife whose environment we are privileged to share. Drivers, slow down!

OCTOBER 5 , 2007

MAKING HISTORY :

The rest of the stories...

  So often when we publish a story like last week’s “Impaired driver destroys local landmark” more details come to light after the news circulates. Several readers contacted the Commonwealth with new information relative to the accident and the carving of the large redwood slab.
   The slab was carved into an Indian head by Tony Haywood, an accomplished chainsaw carver from Australia. The slab had not been carved prior to the opening of the Indian Restaurant but was left in situ as a roadside ornament by the former owners who operated a real estate office and store there before the premises were remodeled.
   One day, not too long after the place opened as The Indian, Haywood, a bar patron, said he could envision the head of an Indian chieftain in the huge slab and if permitted, he would execute his vision with his trusty chainsaw.
   His request was met with a resounding “Go for it,” though it is unclear what, if any, compensation Haywood received for his efforts. One eyewitness did report that he made the creation of the artistic carving look very easy.
   As to the accident itself, some good may come from near-tragedy as the driver has expressed regret for her actions. Hopefully, one day, she will look back on this incident as the wake-up call that reversed a bad behavioral trend.
   This recent traffic mishap reveals some good and bad news about what’s going on out there on the mean streets of Three Rivers. Firstly, the recently passed teen driving laws — like, for instance, during the first year, new drivers may not give rides to passengers under 25 nor are they permitted to be driving after 11 p.m. — really do work and save lives. That’s the good news.
   The bad news is that parents often are not aware of the laws or simply choose to enable their teen drivers to ignore the law because it’s often a hardship to transport teens in the wee hours of the morning. Reportedly, the subject driver in the accident at The Indian had her license for approximately a month.
   Even more alarming than driving after midnight is that a couple of weeks ago the driver in question was stopped at a sobriety checkpoint on Mooney Boulevard in Visalia. The officer discovered an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the vehicle.
   Evidently, the teen driver was not cited and allowed to leave the scene. As more details are revealed about this incident, it’s apparent that this driver was an accident waiting to happen. She said the last thing she recalled doing was trying to send a text message on her cell phone just before she lost control of her vehicle on rain-slick pavement.
   In an effort to avoid another such potentially deadly accident, Gov. Schwarzenegger recently signed legislation that makes it illegal for teens under 19 to use any electronic device — from cell phones to laptops — while driving.
   In a separate accident that occurred on Sierra Drive on Saturday, Sept. 15 (“Two injured in Highway 198 accidents,” Sept. 21, 2007), a 20-year-old female motorist said she couldn’t avoid rear-ending another vehicle because she wasn’t able to stop in time. That mishap occurred near Three Rivers School and admittedly there are lots of things to distract the unsuspecting motorist.
    Shortly after that accident, the youthful driver told a bystander that she knew she was going 50 m.p.h. because that’s where the cruise control had been set.
   Cruise control is certainly not appropriate while driving through Three Rivers and young drivers need to be informed of this if they can’t figure it out for themselves. Too many twists and left-hand turns, pedestrians, wildlife, and scenic distractions.

SEPTEMBER 28 , 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Feeding bears -

A tale of death and destruction

  A bear not yet two years old died by the hand of man last week. The youngster approached a hiker and got a bit too aggressive when he tried to shoo her away.
   This behavior is unusual. Normally, a bear would be fearful of humans and rather avoid a person than approach one.
In fact, a black bear has never killed anyone in California. Not so true the other way around, is it?
   Most likely, this underweight yearling was looking for a food handout, which means she had one before. After all, she more closely resembled a teddy bear than a wild animal, and oblivious park visitors would think they were helping her by providing food.
   Also, by giving her food meant she would stay put long enough for some really cute photo opportunities, something that wildlife is usually reluctant to do. Good thing there are pictures because now she’s dead.
   A bear that loses its fear of humans inevitably receives a death sentence by park managers. That’s the last thing they would choose to do, but once a bear gets a taste of human food, there is little else that can be done; relocating her into other bears’ territory also means certain death.
   Whether a resident of a community in the wildland interface or a visitor to the bears’ mountain habitat, it is important that everyone understands that they should never, ever feed any wild animal. By following a few obvious rules and exerting a little extra effort, bears and humans can coexist peacefully.
   In the October issue of Backpacker magazine (California edition), an article entitled “The World’s Smartest Bears,” describes to what lengths rangers in Yosemite National Park will go to keep bears from obtaining human food. On a smaller, less-congested scale, Sequoia-Kings Canyon institutes the same practices.
   The story isn’t about a bear problem, actually. It comes down to a people problem.
   Bears are in their natural habitat, but they couldn’t avoid the temptation of our food if they tried. In addition to clueless campers who don’t store their food properly, there is trash, litter, restaurant refuse, and backcountry travelers with really big packs.
David Graber, senior science advisor at Sequoia-Kings Canyon, was interviewed for the article:

  “I’ve only invented one thing in my life: the bearproof food lockers,” says David Graber, an NPS biologist who’s worked with bears since 1974. Back then, White Wolf Campground [Yosemite] was plagued by bears. “So we had steel boxes welded up, and the local ranger was almost fascist in forcing people to keep food stored except when it was in their mouths,” he says. Overnight, White Wolf went from food chaos to zero. “For a week those bears went through the campground, pounding on lockers, literally roaring,” says Graber. “Then they disappeared. There was nothing to eat; they had to bail.”
   The article is a virtual encyclopedia on bear habits and activity. It also reveals how exceptionally intelligent bears are; after all, despite all the warnings to, and constant education of, park visitors, they are still ending up with our food.

  “The most foolish stuff we see is when people in the wilderness sleep with their food,” says Harold Werner, a wildlife ecologist for Sequoia-Kings Canyon since 1969. “We average about two injuries a year, and the top cause is people sleeping next to their food…”
   In response to the recent capture and euthanization of the young bear in Kings Canyon, Harold revealed that it felt like a personal failure. It always crosses his mind that maybe he wasn’t there enough, or maybe he didn’t give up enough days off, in order to ensure this situation was avoided.
   As it is now, bear managers make sure every Sequoia-Kings Canyon campground is patrolled well into the night. They check that campers have properly stored their food while harassing any bear that enters the perimeter.
   And food that’s stored in a vehicle is as good as gone.
   Unfortunately, bears can open them like a pop-top. In Yosemite Valley, there’s a standard break-in pattern. Bears pound out a side window, grab the top of the window frame, and fold out the door’s top half like origami. If food’s in the trunk, no problem; they just power-mulch their way through the back seat.
   One sophisticated bruin took larceny to the next level, learning to open car-door handles with his mouth. “People kept saying they found their car wide open, but nothing was stolen,” says Rachel Mazur, a [wildlife] biologist in [Sequoia and] Kings Canyon (and Yosemite alumnus). “He was going after cars that didn’t have any food because it was so easy, he just checked them all.”
   How many times, how many ways does it need to be said? DON’T FEED THE BEARS!

JUNE 15, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Beat the heat

  Growing up in Three Rivers, I have, over the years, developed several strategies to surviving the hottest days. With this week seeing the first triple-digit days of the year, here are some survival tips; I invite others to share theirs as well.
   I learned long ago to start the day early… well before sunup. Easing into the heat makes it more bearable and summer mornings in Three Rivers are spectacular.
   The morning is a good time to do anything that is heat-generating: from exercising to firing up the oven.
   We are lucky, of course, to live in an area surrounded by water. During the hottest part of the day the body temperature is instantly cooled by dipping into the river, lake, or a pool. Stay wet!
   It’s also enjoyable to end the day outdoors. After dark, when the house is still hot or filled with canned air-conditioning, it is cool outside.
   Another trick is head for the high country. My ancestors did it for an entire summer. These days, we can hop in our cars (or on a shuttle), be at 7,000 feet in an hour or so, spend an afternoon in the cool of the mountains, and be back home by dinner if necessary.
   Breakfast during the summer consists of a smoothie: blend together nonfat yogurt, juice, banana and other fruits (strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, pineapple, etc.), and crushed ice; no other sweetener is necessary. I also add flaxseed oil (Omega-3), psyllium husks (fiber), and protein powder for a balanced meal that is so icy cold that I often have to wear a sweater to drink it.
   For dinner, avoid the oven. Try a salad as a meal by getting an oversized bowl and adding mixed greens and other favorite veggies (carrot, cucumber, edamame, tomato, mushroom, peas, onion, etc.). Top with protein such as whole wheat pasta and beans or brown rice and beans or tabouli or eggs or shrimp or sliced deli meat or cheese or any leftover in the fridge. One of my morning chores is to bake tofu that I’ve marinated. It’s a great salad topper and another good source of protein, which helps you feel full. Add a tablespoon or two or your favorite dressing and you’ve got an amazing dinner that won’t heat up the house or you.

JUNE 8, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Bound for Capitol Hill

  Mark your calendars… there will be no Commonwealth on Friday, June 22.
   We will be accompanying our son, 16, to Washington, D.C., as he was selected last September to be one of 150 delegates to lobby Congress for increased funding for Type 1 diabetes research and remind the administration of the critical need to find a cure for this disease.
   These children and teenagers, ages four to 17, will be representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia on behalf of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. They will team with six international delegates from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Israel, Greece, and the United Kingdom to convey the message to the U.S. government that Type 1 diabetes is a global problem that requires a global solution.
   The event known as Children’s Congress has been held every other summer since 1999. It will be led by JDRF’s International Chairman Mary Tyler Moore and include congressional meetings for the delegates and a congressional hearing where Moore, select delegates, researchers, a professional athlete, and business and community leaders will testify on the need for continued funding for research of diabetes and its serious complications. The group, under the theme of “Promise to Remember Me,” will ask members of Congress to support an increase in federal funding for diabetes research, as well as discuss issues such as stem cell research and institutional problems with the healthcare system.
   Thank you to all our readers for your understanding as we take the week to support the important cause of raising national awareness about Type 1 diabetes.

maY 25, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

The cost of war

  It is hard to get through a Memorial Day in recent years without remembering that this country is currently fighting two wars.
   So far in 2007, 64 young men and women from California or stationed here have been killed in the Iraq war. We’ve listed them all in this newspaper.

  Since the last Memorial Day, over 1,000 troops have died.
   In total, 3,395 American troops have perished in Iraq (as of Friday, May 18) and 324 have died in and around Afghanistan (as of May 16). The following are the most recent California residents killed in Iraq and Afghanistan as announced by the governor’s office:
   U.S. Marine Corporal Charles O. Palmer II, 36, of Manteca, died Saturday, May 5, as a result of injuries sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   U.S. Army Private First Class William A. Farrar Jr., 20, of Redlands, died Friday, May 11, as a result of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Al Iskandariyah, Iraq.
   U.S. Army Specialist Rhys W. Klasno, 20, of Riverside, died Sunday, May 13, as a result of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Haditha, Iraq.
   U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Joshua R. Whitaker, 23, of Long Beach, died Tuesday, May 15, as a result of injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire in Qalat, Afghanistan.
   U.S. Army Sergeant Steven M. Packer, 23, of Clovis, died Thursday, May 17, as a result of wounds suffered when his dismounted patrol encountered an improvised explosive device in Rushdi Mullah, Iraq.
   U.S. Private First Class Victor M. Fontanilla, 23, of Stockton, died Thursday, May 17, as a result of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Iskandariya, Iraq.
   U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Christopher Moore, 28, of Alpaugh, died Saturday, May 19, as a result of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq.
   The human toll is steep. So is the economic toll as the cost in dollars is approaching $500 trillion, enough to provide 400 million children with health insurance.
   Take time this Memorial Day to remember our soldiers, past and present, who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country.

maY 18, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

What's BEST this year?

—KAWEAH COUNTRY READERS' POLL 2007

Now ongoing...

PARTICIPATE: Get your ballot here (PDF)

  Living in Kaweah Country is a never-ending process of exploration and discovery. Whether it’s peering into the nooks and crannies of a Sierra Drive gift shop, taking an evening walk along a riverside road, or touring the nearby national parks, chances are something new and exciting will be encountered.
   We want you to share your findings so others may get excited about this astounding place, whether a resident who may be looking for a change in routine or a visitor planning a vacation.
Inserted in this issue of The Kaweah Commonwealth is the current Best of Kaweah Country readers’ poll ballot.
   We have two reasons for the poll. One is really an ulterior motive.
   Sometime after beginning publication of this newspaper in early 1995, we realized we needed a vacation! In addition, our children were very young and we owed them some quality family time.
   We work twice as hard to prepare this issue in advance because we are concurrently working on others, but it buys us one week without a deadline.
   As of this issue, we have published 41 newspapers in 41 weeks. It’s a grueling, frenzied pace, and our creativity and motivation are only renewed with a little time off.
   But more importantly, the Best of Kaweah Country, which is now in its ninth year, provides an indispensable, year-round source of visitor information.
   This year, after nearly a decade, we pared down the poll a bit. Gone are the nonsensical categories such as Best Public Restroom and Best Health Food Store, which were included basically to make a point that there is a need.
   Last year, we had more Three Rivers residents than visitors complete the poll. That was the first year this has occurred and it made for the best Best of Kaweah Country yet.
   Just like the restaurant with the most cars in the lot is a good indicator of where to eat when traveling, so are the recommendations of readers in a local newspaper’s poll when researching a destination.
   And the poll serves an immediate purpose as well. In addition to the obvious publicity and promotion of what locals prefer, there are many who are waiting to discover all that Kaweah Country has to offer.
   Since our website went online in 2003, we have had inquiries annually from online visitors asking when the current year’s results would go online.
   For local businesses, this is an easy (and free) way to promote themselves. For a little effort, there’s a lot of return.
   For voters, this is your annual chance to celebrate the people and places that make Kaweah Country the absolute BEST all year-round.
   So fill out the sheet and turn it in (by Friday, June 15). Make copies for your family, friends, and customers. Or pass the assignment off to the kids; their answers are always insightful.

march 23, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Spring things

by Sarah Elliott

  If we didn’t have clocks, calendars, and meteorologists on the six o’clock news, nobody in Kaweah Country would have noticed that on Tuesday — which was overcast, drizzly, and chilly — there was a subtle change in the seasons from winter to spring.
   The first day of spring varies on the calendar a bit, but the season arrives when the Earth is tilted directly over the equator. In the Northern Hemisphere that is usually somewhere on or around March 21.
   The first day of spring is also referred to as the vernal equinox. Vernal means spring; equinox means equal.
   On this day, at every place on Earth, night and day are the same length — each about 12 hours long during an equinox. This happens twice a year, in spring and autumn.
   From now on, our days will get longer and the air warmer.
   Spring is a time of renewal as is so evident in Three Rivers.

  “Each leaf, each blade of grass vies for attention. Even weeds carry tiny blossoms to astonish us,” writes Marianne Poloskey in Sunday in Spring.
   In the past, when life was less mechanized, Mother Nature was in total control. The changing of the seasons at the equinoxes was widely interpreted as markers to begin planting seed or harvesting crops.
   The two weeks before and after both equinoxes are said to be times of great tension. This is because all the elements of life on the planet are being brought into new balance, psychically, as day and night attain equal length.
   Spring Break, spring cleaning, spring clothes, spring planting, spring weddings… We spring to life when spring rolls around.

march 16, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Take time

by Sarah Elliott

  It is interesting that the nation Marched their clocks forward one hour and the whole Daylight Saving Time concept took a giant Spring forward by four weeks, no questions asked.
   Time is so important to us these days. It’s obvious because there are clocks everywhere — on computer screens, kitchen appliances, cell phones — everywhere.
   But if time is such a priority, why can it just be moved around at a lawmaker’s whim? Congress is the boss of our clocks.
   The federal government says that the time change is to save energy. The general population is refusing to realize that it’s time to do what’s responsible by turning off the lights and conserving.
   Native Americans didn’t wear wristwatches. Day-to-day, they watched the sun and the moon to plan their activities.
   Season-to-season, they watched the weather, the wildlife, and the vegetation to tell them what they should be doing and when. They arose at daybreak and slept when it was dark.
   An alarm clock in the morning is the rudest timepiece around. But clock-watching is most prevalent when on the job because nobody wants to miss a minute of lunch or heading out right at quitting time.
   Our roadways would be safer if we weren’t tuned into the clock, because most people would no longer feel the desperate need for speed.
   We have to get to the bank before it closes, the doctor on time, class before it starts, the post office before the mail goes out, and start dinner because the clock says it’s time.
   We have a certain time that the newspaper has to be completed each week. That can cause some clock-watching fits, like right now!

march 9, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

To write a wrong

by Sarah Elliott

  I just wanna write. That's why I agreed to this challenging profession. That's why I started this column last month.

  I want to write, it's one of my favorite things to do, but it's so hard to find the time. The day-to-day business of the newspaper — subscriptions, billing, and other paperwork — exhausts my mind and drains all creative juices.

  So features like Hiking the Parks and Roadside Attractions, which I always intended to turn into books, have taken a leave of absence recently.

  Then I thought, okay, I'll take one column, right here, each week. I certainly should be able to find the time to fill eight measly inches.

  It's a lot harder than it sounds, even though I've got a long list of subjects on a sticky note on my computer that I want to tackle. So here it is, Thursday morning, 9 a.m., with a deadline looming, that I stare at this column and actually consider not writing because I don't have time.

  Each week, I first have to see to the Snapshots and Letters to the Editor page, then complete the Kaweah Kalendar and type up the Neighbor Profile. There is the Classifieds page, which can take up a couple hours easy, and by then, all the other pages are staring blankly at me, so I rewrite press releases, organize and convert copy, add photographs, followed by making it all magically fit like a puzzle around the ads and looking pretty .

  Then there's the unexpected or unavoidable, such as a Tuesday with no electricity. Yikes!

MARCH 2 , 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Dedicated Californians

by Sarah Elliott

    Here is a list of a couple dozen California residents. Besides the state in which they reside and being in the prime of their lives, try to guess what else they have in common.
   Mark J. Daily, married for 18 months; Jeffrey D. Bisson, Eagle Scout and skydiver; Andrew G. Matus, avid hunter, fisherman, and weightlifter who loves all things mechanical; Emilian D. Sanchez, raised in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.; Brian S. Freeman, Olympic hopeful; Michael C. Balsley, newlywed; Carla J. Stewart, ballerina; Cornell C. Chao, a golfer, pilot, and engaged to be married; Anthony C. Melia, 2005 graduate of Thousand Oaks High School; David T. Toomalatai, high school football star; Adam Q. Emul, recent high school grad; Alejandro Carrillo, determined not to die on the streets of L.A.; William M. Sigua, nicknamed “Will the Thrill”; Keith Yoakum, passionate about flying; Jared M. Landaker, skier and snowboarder; Clarence T. Spencer, quarterback of his high school football team; Jennifer J. Harris, ranked fifth in her high school class; Travis D. Pfister, worked for months to create the perfect recipe for barbecue ribs; James R. Tijerina, his dad is his best friend; Dennis L. Sellen Jr., studied media design and computer networking in college; Carl L. Seigart, native of San Luis Obispo; Ronnie G. Madore Jr.; Blake H. Howey; Brian A. Escalante; Clinton W. Ahlquist; and Louis G. Kim.
   So what does this group of diverse individuals have in common besides the state in which they reside? They were all killed in Iraq in just the first two months of this year.
   These 26 men and women, ages 19 to 41, are the bravest of the brave and American patriots. They are heroes who gave their all for their country.
   They are more than just a number or a list of names and ages. They are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, boyfriends and girlfriends, grandchildren, friends, loved ones.
They were our future...
   Army Second Lieutenant Mark Daily, 23, a lifelong resident of Irvine, died January 15 after three months in Iraq as a result of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Mosul, Iraq.
   Army Specialist Jeffrey Bisson, 22, of Vista died January 20 as a result of injuries sustained when an IED detonated near his Humvee in Karma, Iraq.
   Marine Lance Corporal Andrew Matus, 19, and Marine Lance Corporal Emilian Sanchez, 20, were based at Camp Pendleton and died January 21 as a result of wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Army Captain Brian Freeman, 31, of Temecula died January 20 as a result of wounds received when his meeting area came under attack by mortar and small arms fire in Karbala, Iraq.
   Army Private First Class Michael Balsley, 23, of Hayward died January 25 as a result of injuries sustained when an IED detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq.
   Army Reserve Specialist Carla Stewart, 37, of Sun Valley died January 28 as a result of injuries suffered when her convoy vehicle rolled over in Tallil, Iraq.
   Army Chief Warrant Officer Cornell Chao, 36, a pilot from Orange City, died January 28 as a result of wounds suffered when his helicopter crashed during combat operations in Najaf, Iraq.
   Marine Lance Corporal Anthony C. Melia, 20, of Thousand Oaks died January 27 as a result of injuries sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Army Private First Class David Toomalatai, 19, of Long Beach died January 27 as a result of injuries sustained when an IED detonated in Taji, Iraq, near the ambulance in which he riding as a medic attending to wounded.
   Marine Lance Corporal Adam Emul, 19, died January 29 as a result of injuries sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Marine Sergeant Alejandro Carrillo, 22, of Los Angeles died January 30 as a result of injuries sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Army Sergeant William Sigua, 21, a paratrooper from Los Altos Hills, died January 31 as a result of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire during combat operations in Bayji, Iraq.
   Army Chief Warrant Officer Keith Yoakum, 41, a pilot from Hemet, died February 2 as a result of injuries sustained when his Apache helicopter was forced to land during combat operations in Taji, Iraq.
   Marine First Lieutenant Jared Landaker, 25, a pilot from Big Bear City, died February 7 as a result of injuries sustained when the helicopter he in which he was flying crashed while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Army Private Clarence Spencer, 24, of San Diego died February 4 as a result of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire in Baqubah, Iraq.
   Marine Captain Jennifer Harris, 28; Marine Sergeant Travis Pfister, 27; and Marine Sergeant James Tijerina, 26; all based at Camp Pendleton, died February 7 as a result of injuries sustained when the helicopter in which they were flying crashed while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Army Specialist Dennis Sellen Jr., 20, of Newhall died February 11 in Umm Qasr, Iraq, as a result of non-combat injuries.
   Army Sergeant Carl Seigart, 32, of San Luis Obispo died February 14 as a result of injuries sustained when an IED detonated hear his vehicle in Baqubah, Iraq.
   Army Specialist Ronnie Madore Jr., 34, of San Diego died February 14 as a result of injuries sustained when an IED detonated hear his vehicle in Baqubah, Iraq.
   Marine Lance Corporal Blake H. Howey, 20, of Glendora died February 18 as a result of injuries sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Marine Lance Corporal Brian Escalante, 25, based at Twenty-nine Palms, died February 17 as a result of injuries sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Marine Sergeant Clinton Ahlquist, 23, based at Camp Pendleton, died February 20 as a result of injuries sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
   Army Specialist Louis G. Kim, 19, of West Covina died February 20 as a result of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq.
   At nearly 3,200 U.S. deaths in four years of fighting in Iraq (in contrast, there have been 300 U.S. deaths in Afghanistan in five years), there is a gaping hole left in a generation that could have used the ingenuity, courage, inspiration, mettle, and intelligence these individuals would have contributed.
   Now they will be only memories etched on tombstones.
   I love the warriors, hate the war. The cost is too high.

FEBRUARY 23, 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

Shop with a conscience

by Sarah Elliott

  Global warming is a hot-button issue. Just read the letters to the editor on page 2 in this issue and in every issue for the past two months.

  Although there is debate whether the entire planet is heating up to life-threatening levels or not, there can't possibly be any debate that automobiles contribute to unhealthy air quality.

  To that end, it is imperative the automakers act responsibly by taking steps to combat carbon dioxide pollution emitted by cars and trucks by reinventing the wheel and other parts of vehicles to reduce emissions. Car dealers have a part to pl ay in this effort as well .

  In 2002, California's Global Warming Standard for Vehicles was signed into law. This legislations directs the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that require carmakers to reduce global-warming emissions from new passenger cars and light trucks by about 30 percent by 2016.

  In December 2004, all of the major automakers and 13 Central Valley auto dealers filed suit against the people of California to overturn this law. Amidst public pressure, three auto dealers have since dropped out of the lawsuit.

  These businesses, who view their bottom line as more important than clean, healthy air should not receive any car-buyer's business so they realize that consumers, at least, have their priorities in order. Here are the names of three local dealers who are a party in a lawsuit that is fighting the mandatory reduction of pollution:

  Bob Williams Chevrolet in Lemoore, Sturgeon and Beck in Tulare, and Swanson Fahrney Ford in Selma.

FEBRUARY 16 , 2007

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS:

News crews and blues

by Sarah Elliott

  Last week was a challenging one in terms of providing Three Rivers and our subscribers with the weekly newspaper. In fact, it came close to not happening.
   We operate with a skeleton crew here at TKC. One person takes care of their specific job duties and there is little time left to learn, let alone do, anyone else’s job.
   This has worked fine for the past several years, and we actually have settled into some semblance of routine, where the newspaper is cranked out week after week after week after week for nigh on 600 issues now.
   Concurrently, however, publishing technology has changed by leaps and bounds, and it’s difficult to keep pace. At the same time, when the large dailies are threatened by everything from 24-hour cable news networks to bloggers, community newspapers have found their niche by providing information to their readers that can’t be found anywhere else.
   Last week, our not-so-finely-tuned, not-so-well-oiled machine hit a bump in the road. Many of you know Nancy Brunson; she has worked for us for more than a decade as well as many other businesses and nonprofits around town.
   She was very ill last week and by the time she dragged herself into the office, it was mid-morning on Thursday, mere hours before deadline. She realized she was too sick to work and soon was driven home.
   A medical examination later that day determined her diagnosis to be a ruptured eardrum. Within three days, she was in the hospital with tests being run for meningitis.
   Meanwhile, back at the office that Thursday, there was a newspaper awaiting publication. My job throughout the week — which I perform from my home office because I do double-duty as a full-time mom — is to complete the Snapshots, Letters to the Editor, Classifieds, and Kaweah Kalendar, then input and lay out all pages with additional copy and photographs. This was completed about 1 p.m.
   At this time each week, I normally take a deep breath and relax for an hour or two before beginning on subscription preparations. Last week, I checked in at the office and heard, “We need you in here right away”
   I had already been working nine hours by the time most people take their lunch breaks. What was still to be done at the office is what Nancy completes for us each week — last-minute ad changes, compiling the ads onto their respective pages, merging the ads with the copy on each page, and packaging it all to be electronically sent to the printer.
   Sounds simple enough, right? This is where importance of keeping pace with technology caught up with me.
   Nancy insists on working with certain software for the advertisements. I work with an entirely different program for the page design and layout.
   These two programs are so incompatible that they can’t even be installed on the same computer without causing glitches. So, each week, the ads and copy are merged into a completely different program before being converted into a format for the printer to read.
   I had only been instructed in the process once previously about two years ago. So it was at 10 p.m., after an 18-hour workday, that I completed these tasks on a wing and a prayer.
   Working under such duress, I had to put aside some of my perfectionist ways and just let some things go, such as the page heading on the Kaweah Network page; it still read February 2. In addition, Sequoia Pacific Realty took a hit because their logo didn’t make it through the final step of the conversion process.
   About 4 a.m. Friday morning, a phone call from the printer had me up and running once again with completion of the newspaper once again in jeopardy.
   One page had not arrived. Gridlines were appearing on three pages. Elements had disappeared from certain ads.
   Into the night I went, back to the office to add, delete, resave, reprint, rearrange, and resend. By 9 a.m., the pages were all at the printer and in an acceptable enough form to be put onto the press.
   This week wasn’t much different except that we had more notice that we would be shorthanded.
   Enough of the newspaper staff’s problems. Nancy’s problems are greater.
   She was hospitalized for several days, but by the time you read this article, she should be home. Because her jobs are all freelance, if she’s not working, she doesn’t get paid.
   An account has been set up in her name at the Valley Oak Credit Union to accept donations to help offset living expenses and what are sure to be some astronomical medical bills.
   And, finally, the February 9 issue of The Kaweah Commonwealth would not have hit stands and mailboxes at all had it not been for the incredible team effort by the following people:
   KATHY CASEY— She’s worked at the Commonwealth for less than six months, but she worked late into Wednesday night, arrived early Thursday morning, and stayed till dinnertime that day to create ads and make ad changes. She was calm and steady as a rock.
   About 5 p.m. that Thursday, I ran into a problem in converting the pages from one format to another. I thought I had hit the ultimate roadblock and was ready to finally admit that the newspaper was not going to be printed.
   I explained the problem to Kathy, who made a simple suggestion in her rational way and, poof, the paper was back on track toward completion. It wouldn’t have happened without Kathy.
   DEBORAH JENSEN— She offered to make the 4 a.m. run to Sanger on Friday to pick up the newspaper from the printer and deliver it to Three Rivers. She ended up waiting in the pressroom for three hours because of the kinks being worked out back in Three Rivers. But it was Deborah who reported back to us the efforts of the pressroom manager, as well as transporting the newspaper back to town safe and sound.
   STEVE PERRY— This is Kathy’s life partner who supports her unconditionally and, because she now works at the newspaper office, that support carries over to us as well.
   MO BASHAM— Every Friday morning, she delivers a stack of newspapers to park headquarters at Ash Mountain. Because the newspaper was late last week, she came down on her lunch hour, picked up papers plus made a couple of extra distribution stops for us on the way back up the hill.
   MIKE HUERTA— He is the pressroom manager at Mid-Valley Publishing in Sanger. Week after week, he and his staff take the Three Rivers newspaper from computer screen to negative to printing press to final product. Last week, he went above and beyond by allowing us three missed deadlines but still printed the paper so it could be distributed Friday. The man has the patience of a saint.
   SUBSCRIBERS AND ADVERTISERS— Week in, week out, we couldn’t do it without the support of these folks who believe in our product, trust us to get the news out, and read it religiously. It’s what keeps us going no matter how tough that going may get.