Your opinions

Don’t forget to thank postal workers

In reading your paper, I noticed all the people and businesses you acknowledge for their work and service for us. I totally agree with you, but, and however the United States Postal Service and its employees are never acknowledged. If it was not, is not for the post office and its multiple employees all over the world, including us in Chico, CA, we would not get ourmail.

My friends, Jawanna and Bob and I have been talking about this for some time and they said itwas OK to put their first names down in this letter.

Thank you Enterprise-Record for your reporting and for the delivery personnel and remember to thank our post office people.

— Sharon Chambers, Chico

Not much hope for a Utopian society

I would say the chances of a smooth transition of power is about like hitting back-to-back lotteries here in 60 days with the same numbers. I’m just hoping a second shooting civil war doesn’t kick off. Both sides have the right to bear arms. Just the thought of Trumpers killing Biden or viceversa is more than I could possibly come to terms with. I firmly believe democracy is more than a bitwobbly. There has already been way more violence of late. I just don’t see a Utopian society around the corner in 2021. As of now I don’t trust any outcome!

— Kent B. Christensen, Palermo

Remember to give thanks for what we have

We all have much to be thankful for during these uncertain times. We still have firemen, policemen, teachers, doctors, nurses, farmers, crop gatherers, truckers, food processors, garbage collectors and people that provide services to make our lives easier.

This is the time to come together for understanding and change. This is the time to be appreciative, respectful and helpful.

All nature andmankind matter in this world so now is the time to remember that none of us will be able to breathe without the cooperation of every one.

— DixieHulley, Chico

Some history about the USPostal Service

A bit of history about the US Postal Service: it took at least 50 years to evolve into the convenient service we rely on every day, starting in 1863. It did not serve people living outside cities. Around here we benefit from RFD. What’s that?

“Rural Free Delivery is a service begun in the United States in 1896 to deliver mail directly to farm families. Before RFD, rural inhabitants had to pick up mail themselves at sometimes distant post offices or pay private express companies for delivery. Free mail delivery began in cities in 1863, but it took more than 20 years of agitating by the National Grange for the service to be extended. Thomas E. Watson, a congressman from Georgia, pushed through legislation for an RFDsystemin 1893. Local shopkeepers, fearing competition from mail-order merchandisers, sought to delay establishment of the service, and not until October 1896 did the first five riders go out on delivery routes in rural West Virginia. After that, however, the service expanded quickly. In 1898 officials of the Post Office announced that any group of farmers could have free delivery merely by sending a petition — along with a description of their community and roads — to their congressman. The flood of petitions was overwhelming, and by 1905 the Post Officewas serving 32,000 RFD routes. In 1913 the RFD system was supplemented by Parcel Post. The mailorder houses boomed as a consequence …”

URL: https://www.britannica. com/topic/Rural-Free-Delivery

— Kristi Ayars, Chico

Flavored nicotine is leading tomore smokers

I am responding to a letter by Daniel Nakanelua opposing SB 793, banning the sale of flavored tobacco products in California. I believe that his arguments are based on flawed assumptions and tobacco industry rhetoric that is both unproven and dangerous.

Take the assumption that vaping is somehowsafer or healthier than smoking, I have seen no proof of that, but plenty of reasons to doubt it. From June 2019 to February 2020 the CDC reported 2,807 Americans hospitalized from vaping related lung disease, 68 died, the youngest was 15. The nicotine industry claims this was due to “blackmarket” products, however of the hospitalized patients who only used nicotine 70% reported that they had always purchased from retail outlets.

Switching from cigarettes to vaping is simply changing delivery devices to continue the addiction, the industry loves it. However, there are 7 FDA approved medications to help smokers quit, designed to be used to get though withdrawals and then stopped. I used nicotine gumto quit and have been nicotine free for over 25 years.

Furthermore, according to researchers at the Dartmouth University Medical School, for every 1 adult who “quits” smoking by vaping, 80 young people that never smoked are becoming addicted to nicotine by starting to vape flavored products, and young people who vape are much more likely to go on to smoking cigarettes than their peers who don’t vape. Flavored nicotine appeals to youth and is increasing the number of smokers, costing us all dearly.

— Bruce Baldwin, Magalia

Ignoring the evidence of Trump’s true character

We have seen photographs of our president posing with friends among whom are: 1. Jeffery Epstein (the procurer of teen girls for sexwith oldmen); 2. Stormy Daniels (porn star); 3. Jerry Falwell, wife and pool boy; 4. He has had a years long relationship with the self-admitted Tri-sexual Roger Stone. 5. The tape of his attitude toward women as disclosed in the conversation with Billy Bush was impossible to explain. Aman’s character is revealed in part by the company he keeps.

Would readers of this paper choose such a depraved person to sit at the family table and advise the family about how to live. And now we are supposed to be surprised that the President lied about the true impact of the coronavirus. When you hire a moral vacuum of a person you get a morally void performance on the job. What sort of country hires such a person as the leader? What sort of person defends the behavior of such a depraved human being?

And then there are the people he disdains such as gold star families, prisoners of war, and our honored dead. He ridicules the disabled, women, and anyone who does not look “just right.”

His defenders carefully step around this alarming body of evidence as though it did not exist. Eyes wide shut and minds twisting facts to suit their desires and wishes. And truth dies in the process.

— Larry L Baumbach, Chico

Multiple causes for catastrophic fires

Governor Gavin Newsom came for a quick photo op at Butte County and blamed all the fires on just one source — “Man Made Global Warming.” Nancy Pelosi exclaimed Democrat “science” saying,“Mother Earth is angry,” between bites of fifteen dollar a pint ice cream. They and their “Eco Warrior” friends claim no culpability.

Anyone with a computer can research the fact that thewest has had worse droughts. In

1090 and again in 1130 severe droughts brought disaster to the Anasazi civilization. Science!

During a 200-year megadrought in the SierraNevada between the 9th and 12th centuries Fallen Leaf Lake next to Lake Tahoe dropped about 150 to 200 feet below its current level, and giant trees grew there. There are also three older trees, which drowned between 18 and 35 centuries ago suggesting that severe droughts struck even further back in time. Science!

Walk the woods and see the fuel loads frommismanagement. NPR reported Bill Oliver, a wildfire scientist, said the forests are dangerously overgrown today due to prior forest management decisions. Fires now rip through communities. NPR further admitted “Indeed, much has changed since the 1970s and 1980s, which marked the height of the timber wars over clear cutting and the spotted owl. Since then, the amount of federal land open to logging has dropped precipitously.”

Anyone with a brain can see there are multiple causes for these fires not just one cause “Eco Feelgood Science” dribbled out by today’s “Political Scientists” shouting “Mother Earth is Angry.”

— B K Brooks, Chico

Science always gets the last laugh

An open message for “the Donald”:

Even the Pope was finally forced to publicly acknowledge reality before his faithful, albeit several centuries after the Galilean controversy’s springing into life.

Science wins the tussle with pronouncements from on high — every time.

— Rolland K. Hauser, Chico

Ober’s long history of making Chico better

I’ve had the great good fortune to know Rich Ober for many years. Rich is a genuinely kind, caring person, as well as an active and effective community leader. I truly can’t imagine anyone better suited to serve as a City Council member.

In fact, he’s been serving Chico, in myriad ways, since it became his home town, 26 years ago. From the start, he was always doing something — often, many things at once — to make Chico more vibrant, beautiful, inclusive, equitable — or just, plain, fun.

The word “tireless” is probably overused. Ditto, “selfless.” But in Rich’s case, those words are perfectly apt. I honestly don’t know how he does it all.

When Rich loves, he loves all the way. And he loves Chico. That love is what drives his desire to be of further service to our town, as a member of our City Council.

That love is vitally important. Yet to be an effective City Council member, particularly in these challenging times, we need somuchmore. We need leaders who add deep experience to their passion. Leaders for whom collaboration, cooperation, and unity are core values, not political catchwords. Who see ways in which our wonderful community can grow to be even better, and who have real, workable plans to help us get there. Leaders who are committed to creating, together, a Chico inwhich every single one of us can thrive.

Rich Ober is that leader.

— Barbara Hill, Chico

A good time to contemplate life and death

September 11th — a good time to contemplate life and death.

“A healthy democracy needs a healthy president,” by Linda Cheffet, 9/11, pretends to a knowledge of “sociopathy” listing 14 disorders, attributing them to — essentially — “diagnosing” President Donald Trump.

What kind of brain expects us to believe a President is anti-social— when his job involves nonstop inter-action, whirlwind duties, meetings with world figures daily — allowing little time for privacy, peace, and quiet? The first “no-no” behavior listed — obviously uppermost in Cheffet’s heart — is “Disregard for right and wrong.”

Roger Beadle’s 9/11 letter, “Trump and his betrayal of US laws” wrote, “I really don’t knowany people that support President Trump’s agenda.” He “knows” — it’s fact — President Donald Trump was duly elected by millions of “very real,” upstanding American supporters who approve his agenda and will continue their support.

Who supports the Biden and Harris obsession to abort the human race? Do they fear women will stop providing approximately a million and a half jobs each year for Planned Parenthood?

Allowme to enlighten Cheffet, Beadle, Biden, andHarris about “right and wrong” — about “betrayal of our nation’s Rule of Law.” Having babies is an “inherent given.” Abortion is killing — a betrayal of our Rule of Law. They are not rights, not choices. They are life and death — “irreconcilable opposites.”

“Having babies” ensures the continuity of the “human race.” It’s good. Using abortion to kill is the irreconcilable opposite — it discriminates against the “human race” — against every human — against us. It’s evil.

— Ruth Ruhl-LaMusga, Chico

COVID-19 safety is not optional

On Monday September 14, local business owners primarily restaurants with community members packed outside on the patio at a local burger spot in Oroville without masks or social distancing. They held a noon meeting to show a united front in protesting the state’s health orders prohibiting indoor operations for restaurants due to COVID-19.

Among various speakers our illustrious State Representative Gallagher spoke as well as Mrs. LaMalfa.

Look I’m so old; I remember when it was illegal to break the law.

I’m so old; I remember when diphtheria, small pox and polio viruses were dire threats. Thankfully science caught up with these viruses! Quarantine was enforced, vaccines were developed and the diseases were conquered worldwide.

COVID-19 responsibility? Not so much with some testy and irresponsible Oroville restaurant and business owners. Do they require their staff to wash hands after visiting the loo as required by law or is this just another option, hepatitis A?

— Pam Ludemann, Oroville

Thin the forests — or lose them completely

I spentmy summers as a young adult working at Camp Lassen, the Boy Scout camp just 40 miles from Chico in Butte Meadows. Though it has been nearly 10 years since my last summer on staff there, I can still smell the Ponderosas and Doug Firs. I can still smell the fine volcanic dust of the lower Sierras. And I can still remember the first time I saw a section of forest that had been thinned by Sierra Pacific Industries. I remember at the time thinking “Good lord, the forest seems so empty!”

It was after my first summer working there that I became a Parks and Natural Resource Managementmajor at Chico State. I learned about things like fuel management and ladder fuels and the kinds of conditions that sparkedmassive, uncontrollable wildfires, and I thought back to those logged portions of SPI land near camp. I suddenly realized that if a fire moved through there, it might scorch the trunks of the trees, it might burn the leaf litter, but it wouldn’t destroy thewhole forest and even the slightly charred trees would likely recover in time.

Even if climate change is contributing to California’s massive fires, one thing doesn’t change: We need to remove the excess fuel. Our forests are chokedwith underbrush, with dead trees, with piles of dead fuel that can ignite with a single spark or lightning strike. The choice is simple. We can thin the forests, or we can lose them altogether.

— Timothy T Lynch, Chico

Rich Ober for Chico City Council

I have known Rich Ober for almost two decades in a variety of public service contexts in Chico and have always been impressed with his humanitarianism, his concern for the improvement of our community, his intellect, and his ability to listen to and help bring people of differing views together. He is not daunted by the considerable problems facing our community and our country at this time. He is forward-looking with specific plans to help our neighborhoods, housing the homeless, preserving our green space, and improving our infrastructure. He will be a fine representative of the many disparate groups in our city. If you need more information, check out his website and VOTE.

— Marcia Moore, Chico

Looking at notes during a speech? Not new

Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? In a recent paper, someone writes that Biden was looking at notes during an interview. Have you not noticed Trump reading every single statement he makes? The man can’t make a speech without help, unless, of course, he’s trashing someone else.

— Frances Perata, Chico

Vote for Denney to help slow climate change

As of September 11, 2020, another incredible record was set: over three million acres burned in California for this year, to date. The old record, set in 2018, was 800,000 acres — and that was acreage burned for the entire year! Oregon burned up 900,000 acres in three days.

For Oregon, the average acreage burned per year was half that number.

How long have many Americans known about the pending disaster of global warming and climate change? Thirty years? Doug LaMalfa, like Trump, continues to deny climate change. To this day! Could that be because 85% of LaMalfa’s funding comes from outside the district, like from the fossil fuel industry? LaMalfa votes with Trump 95% of the time, whether it’s to defund Medicare, roll back the clean air and water acts, eliminate the voting rights act, or stand alone as the only advanced country in the world to deny climate change.

We need to elect someone to actually represent people in this district. Audrey Denney has a plan to act on climate change. We cannot continue with a climate denier. We need to get rid of LaMalfa, the no-empathy Congressman with the phony cowboy hat, who posted on California’s 170th birthday September 9th: “…please blow your #%*% candles out.” Denying climate change is no laughing matter. Dump Doug LaMalfa, or California will simply continue, year after year, to go down in flames. Vote for Audrey Denney on November 3.—

Vote for those who will protect environment

In 2016, there were 17 Republicans vying for the presidency. Not onewould acknowledge climate change as reality. Locally it’s the same. I heard the denial from LaMalfa’s own lips.

What we’re enduring today in forest fires, derechos, increasing hurricanes, droughts, abnormal weather events worldwide, are all a direct result of climate change.

All Republicans deny it; all Democrats will work to save our planet. FromBiden/Harris down to city councilors we must vote November 3 to restore normalcy to the U.S.

Audrey Denney will represent all the people of her vast district, not just farmers. JimHenson likewise. Elizabeth Betancourt too will work to reverse climate change. For city council we should stay with our steady Mayor Ann Schwab, and Randall Stone, and add Rich Ober and Curtis Pahlka.

If you’re tired of living in the pandemic and smoke, vote November 3 for those who will work consistently and effectively to restore our environment. Biden/Harris have pledged to do the hard work needed to make our planet livable again.

Trump’s lying to the American people is well documented. Can we afford him any longer?

— Robert Woods, Forest Ranch

Exactly who he told us he was

As you consider your vote for our next Congressional Representative it is good to remember a meme going around. ” When they tell you who they are, believe them.”

Mr. LaMalfa has told us numerous times that climate change wasn’t happening. “Just weather,” he said, while ignoring world-wide consensus that catastrophic weather events were imminent. He parrots the party line that he isn’t a scientist, but is a farmer. A farmer who is not a scientist is a failed farmer.

And now, climate change has created conditions that result in the loss of our lives, destruction of our homes, our livelihoods and our communities. Paradise burned! And now in the midst of record-setting hurricanes in the south, the west coast is on fire, as is everything between Oroville and Quincy.

You will remember that Mr. LaMalfa has always been antienvironment as evidenced by his failed efforts to get California voters to exempt major polluters frompaying for the clean-up of their toxic chemical events and oil spills.

The Republican Party represents the only major governing party on earth to deny global climate change to the point of actively making it worse. That is part ofwho Mr. LaMalfa has told uswho he is.

— Chris Yates, Cohasset