Red Line (July 22)
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“My son, who is just 6, got to go fishing at the Fishing Derby at the golf course,” said a lady. “What a great event. He talked about it all day. I just want to thank the two men from the Parks Department who organized it and the golf course golfers for being so kind to all the kids.”
A gentleman who when “reading in the paper about Lucca’s Restaurant in (Bill Coate’s) Pieces of the Past column, my wife and I were contemplating over the history of Madera. You know we have lost three main establishments in town that were Madera history. One was the Big Top Drive-in at P and Yosemite, then Lucca’s Restaurant and finally the Village Restaurant. Three mainstays in Madera, now all we have are the taco shops and the fast food restaurants. Virtually, nothing like what those establishments were. Those were really great places. They are missed by a lot of people in Madera.”
Another man voiced, “I would just like to report on the Lucca’s Restaurant article. The cooks over at the Madera Valley Inn really do a good job of carrying on the tradition of Lucca’s.”
“I would like to congratulate Mrs. Diane Welling on the letter to the editor she wrote,” said a man. “I wish she would run for office. I would vote for her in a minute. Another thing is it seems that the only supervisor doing anything to clean up the city is Max Rodriguez. I wonder what the other ones are doing.”
A woman called “in reference to that Humpty-Dumpty writer and that the tenants expressed dissatisfaction about downtown conditions.” The caller then “referred to an article (quote) that (Redevelopment Agency Director Jim) Taubert made on June 30.”
She then quoted Taubert, “‘the landlords are happy because they have rent money coming in and they haven’t had to invest a penny in their buildings.’ What the city council is trying to do is great and it’s a very difficult problem. If downtown is renovated it could be a very fascinating, multi-cultural shopping area.”
A man said, “I think there is definitely a racist component to this whole brouhaha over the languages of the signs and the colors of the stores downtown. When four distinct cultures and four languages are spoken it’s one of the prettiest, best-run countries in the world. It just goes to prove you don’t have to be all the same, or even have the same skin color to be a productive, patriotic and proud nation, if everyone learns a little humility and tolerance. I think Tijuana row is a lot better than skid row.”
An Internet reader, self-identified as “Jim Aguirre,” said he “grew up in Madera and left it about 18 years.” While visiting family here, he said, he went “around town to see how much it had changed. Wow! ‘Tijuana Row’ isn’t the half of it. Madera has become so dirty and run down over the entire city. It is not the city I grew up in and I now feel ashamed to say that I grew up there.”
After describing further how Madera appears, he concluded, “My question is, where did all of the people who valued Madera go? I left for career reasons with hopes of returning later in life. But not now, I’m gone for good. If I wanted to visit a third world country, I’ll visit Kosovo where the pay is much better for me.”
“Well, they finally removed the power pole from the middle of the eastbound lanes on Olive Avenue heading to the county facilities, and animal shelter,” said a man. “It has been weeks since then. Are they going to take another six months to open the road?”
A man called “about an ad in a Fresno paper for an IRS customer service representative.” The caller said the ad required the ability to write in Spanish and English and added, “I think that is discrimination. The national language is English. I think a class-action suit is getting ready.”
An online visitor, self-identified as “Concerned,” responded to a Red Line comment by Larry VanZant, who had said military service could be an advantage for a president. Concerned writes, “Your point is laughable. There’s nothing to suggest that military service better prepares a candidate for the office of President of the United States, and if you’re going to use Clinton as your counter, let’s get into George W. Bush, the least popular president in history who has seen his approval rating dip lower and lower and lower since September ‘06.”
A guest of the Red Line site, self-identified as “Mike Horn,” writes, “Madera High School is not Madera North, North High, or North Campus. It is Madera High School. Madera South High School is not Madera High School - south, South High, South Madera, or South Campus. It is Madera South High School. Get it right.”
Another Internet reader, self-identified as “fewclothes,” writes, “I see that the CHP has boosted their manpower to enforce the cell phone law and make a whopping $98 off them. If they really want to reduce the deficit come out to Avenue 13 and Pecan Avenue through Parkwood at all rush hours especially about 5:15 and make your quota.”
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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.
Above the Law?
I wanted to share an observation while driving around Madera. As silly and annoying (as) the new California hands-free cell phone law is, we all have to abide by it. Well, someone must have forgotten to pass the memo around to Madera’s finest.
I have seen on numerous occassions Police Officers on their cell phones (not the police radio) while driving. It is frustrating to abide by this law while watching those who are suppose to enforce them ignore them. Madera Police, I realize you try and do the best job possible, however, this is just embarrassing. Shame shame.