Red Line (Dec. 22)
All comments are edited for length and content. Because of content or space limitations, some comments may not be published. More than one comment from the same person during the same week will normally not be published. Please limit calls to two minutes or less.
+ + +
“Reading Mr. Spencer’s letter in the paper,” said a woman, “Mr. Spencer is a pillar in his church. He believes what many Catholics believe and want, and that is separation of church and state.”
A male regular caller claimed “breaking news, first to be read in the Madera Red Line, there’s no quid-pro-quo on Guantanamo between our president and their president. The whole program is designed to get GITMO and the U.S. out of Cuba. After the GITMO transfer we will abandon Guantanamo and be free of Cuba.”
A lady “just wanted to call and say thank you for the student newspapers. It really helps the unemployed teachers and the county workers going on furlough, so we’re constantly looking in the want ads for jobs.” She went on to say she was “really disheartened that they are putting in another swimming complex at Madera High School in lieu of the fact that teachers have been laid off.” She ended wishing everyone a “Merry Christmas.”
“A parent of a child going to school in the Madera Unified District,” had this to say. “I just wanted to inform other parents what’s really going on. Our superintendent, John Stafford … is fixing to give himself an 8 percent pay raise that the (school) board has approved. It is not right.”
Another “parent” had a similar comment. “Let’s see, teachers getting laid off, other employees forced to take non-paid furloughs and the superintendent getting a large raise. What’s wrong with this picture? Between the school board and the county supervisors, is the City of Madera, who has not had any layoffs or furloughs, the only government entity doing it right?”
A lady said, “on Dec. 15 I received a ticket for not having my dog on a leash. That is okay. I don’t mind. What I do mind is having one of the animal control officers (name given) kick my 5-pound Chihuahua with her size 7 steel-toe boots. I did some investigating and found that physical violence (against animals) is a last resort. I called her boss (name given) who works for the City of Madera and complained. She thought it was not wrong for her officer to kick the dog in the mouth. She must have been really scared of a five-pound Chihuahua. She knocked out four of his teeth. I’m a dog lover and they are wrong. I hope the SPCA reads this.”
A man called about “the Cleveland and Gateway intersection. When are they going to do something about that? Get some officers out there. People coming off the freeway and on the freeway you can’t even get across.”
Another caller had this to say on the same subject. “I was coming from the theater (on Gateway) heading back into town. I had to stop at the light at Cleveland. When it turned green the people who were turning (left) in front of me, despite now having a red light, just kept turning and stopping until they blocked the entire intersection. Are people in that much of a hurry to get to Cool Hand Luke’s or the new Panda Express? Get some cops out there and issue those red light runners some tickets.”
A gentleman titled his message “yacking and backing.” His call was “about a lady who was upset at the Save Mart parking lot handicapped spot. She was trying to back out while yacking on her cell phone and because someone was trying to get into that spot, honked at her. Well, everybody knows you don’t yack and back. It’s against the law. Okay, end of story.”
A man who “went to the meeting regarding the high speed rail. It seems the county Board of Supervisors and the Madera City Council have sold us growers on the west side of Highway 99 down the river so they can probably have a maintenance facility in the county so, of course, to help create jobs and taxes. Instead of having it (the rail) run down the Santa Fe or through town as it is now. I want to thank the supervisors and the council for doing all you’ve done to mess with us. I plan on making sure when you run for office none of you get re-elected.”
+ + +
Thank you for your calls. Remember, the Red Line is open for your messages 24 hours a day by calling 674-4478, or by visiting www.maderatribuneredline.com.
