Let’s not forget to bring back the person-to-person; mental health for emergency workers; sidewalk liability

You go on and on for years and years with the same routine. It works, in general, so why worry?

Then a major disruption occurs ... a pandemic, say ... and you’re forced to do things different. You have to look at what was necessary, what the real goals were, what the best way of accomplishing things is ... there’s no sense resisting, because change is the only option.

Then the disruption is over. You can go back to the way things were, or stick with the new way, or do some hybrid model.

We’ve been through a lot... and we hate the pandemic. But maybe there are lessons about working from home, working through technology, cutting travel time. We should realize advancements.

But we truly hope that the pandemic and our switch to at-home learning and at-home working don’t mean the further diminishment of person-toperson interaction.

We talk too little the way it is. We already wall ourselves off from other points of view. We’re already losing social skills. We already put our smartphones before friends.

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Thumbs Up: You will likely see some horrible things, if you have a career in firefighting, crime fighting, medical emergency response and such.

You will do a lot of good and you’ll find your occupation rewarding and fulfilling, but there will be a dark side. You’ll see things that will never leave your head; how people handle those sorts of drama and trauma make all the difference when it comes to mental health and living life to the fullest and staying in contact with your family and with reality. Being healthy.

So we’re very appreciative of the message from the family of Billy Lewis. They are preaching support and understanding for emergency services responders, access to mental health counseling without fear of repercussion, and recognition that the people we count on during the worst days of our lives need to be helped with the burdens we place on them.

Billy Lewis took his own life four years after being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder stemming from his time working as a firefighter and paramedic.

The Lewis family will never forget and the level of their loss will never be diminished; but, still, they’re trying to do something positive. They’re promoting education and awareness of such problems.

Our hats are off to them and to the organizations that accept their help.

Steve Miller is Editor of the AppealDemocrat

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If you’re discussing the news of the liability suit involving the city of Yuba City and the farmer’s market, make sure you understand: the city is not suing the market operators; it is suing the company that provided liability insurance for the market.

Vendors and customers alike are concerned about the future of the very popular farmer’s market around the city’s fountain square on Plumas -- the area’s longest-running certified farmers market.

In August 2019, it was reported, a man tripped on an uneven sidewalk during the market, which operates every Saturday morning, March through October. The man sued the city for damages.

City officials explained that a prerequisite for the market is to have liability insurance to protect the city from such accidents. The market obtained insurance that named both the market and the city as insureds.

“As such, we expect the city and the farmers market will work cooperatively and the matter will ultimately be resolved with no negative impact on the operation of the farmers market,” said interim city manager Diana Langley in a recent news story.

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Ugh: Quotes from a “middleaged” bowling league buddy:

-- “I’m at that delusional age where I think everyone my age looks way older than I do.”

-- “Not to brag, but I just went into another room and actually remembered why I went in there ... it was the bathroom, but still...”

-- “Why don’t I have any tattoos? For the same reason you don’t put bumper stickers on a Ferrarri.”