Highlights and lowlights from the week’s news
HIT » We believe in riding a hot streak, and that’s why Aaron Rodgers is back with a second “hit” in a row.
The Pleasant Valley High alumnus not only excelled in the Green Bay Packers’ 32-18 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC divisionalround playoffs last week, he had a pretty big week off the field as well.
Rodgers couldn’t help but smile while surprising Burger Hut owners Erin and Rick Kusie with a video call last week to tell them they’d be getting money from The Bartstool Fund, a fund he supports that helps businesses during these pandemic-challenged times. Rodgers earlier donated $500,000 to the fund.
The Green Bay Press Gazette reported Rodgers began the call by saying “Chico in the house!” to the Kusies. We can only imagine their shock and amazement upon not only seeing Rodgers, but finding out some financial relief was on their way.
For Rodgers, the call was as easy as one he makes every time he visits his home town.
“I was pumped, because I’ve been going to Burger Hut for years. Every time I come back into town, I’ve got to stop by,” Rodgers said. “What Dave and his people have been doing is unbelievable.”
Meanwhile, Rodgers and the Packers look to keep doing the “unbelievable” in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field. A return trip to the Super Bowl is on the line for Rodgers; we wish him the best of luck, and many happy visits to Burger Hut in the future.
MISS » It didn’t take long for Joe Biden to continue what is becoming an unfortunate theme in his party — “Rules are for little people.”
We’ve already seen our governor dine mask-less at his favorite restaurant; a mayor from Texas sending a “stayat-home” video message to his fellow citizens while he was vacationing in Mexico; a Los Angeles County supervisor dining out on the same day she voted to ban outdoor dining; and, of course, the Speaker of the House getting her hair done in a salon that was closed to the public. (Remember, these are just a handful of the people who have been caught; no telling what they’re getting away with when the cameras aren’t around.)
And now we can add our president to the list. On the same day he signed an executive order requiring the wearing of masks on all federal property, Biden was photographed — you guessed it — without a mask. At the Lincoln Memorial. (That’s federal property, by the way.)
When asked about this the next day, White House press secretary Jennifer Psaki gave a typically smug answer: the president has “bigger issues” to worry about.
Loosely translated, that means “Rules are for little people. Do as we say, not as we do.”
HIT » While the local coronavirus numbers are nothing to feel good about, it’s always worth noting a trend in the right direction.
We have a good one in Butte County.
As of Friday morning, there were 512 active cases in Butte County. That’s down from 937 cases just nine days ago. And the number of hospitalizations, which had hovered in the low 60s most of the month, was down to 51.
With vaccination clinics now open for residents 75 and older, we have reasons for optimism that this trend will continue.
In the meantime, stay smart and be safe, everybody.
MISS » Meanwhile, leave it to Sacramento to once again find a way to snub rural northern California.
The state has been disproportionately sending money to more-populated counties than rural areas in the fight against COVID-19, state Auditor Elaine Howle said Tuesday.
Newsom’s administration and the legislature have given $1.3 billion to county governments, and more than half of that has gone to the 16 biggest counties in the state.
The big counties got about $190 per person. The 42 smaller counties got $102 per person.
As Assemblyman James Gallagher noted, it’s a “pretty common frustration” for our end of the state.
Almost as common as “rules are for little people.”