J. Harrop, in his regular Saturday column, took the City Council to task for not paying attention to budget deficits and not asking questions of the City Manager. This area used to be my province when I was doing a column in the DN. I called it “Palace Intrigue”, and it was designed to ruffle the feathers of those who chose to sit on the Council for little pay but attractive benefits. On their lofty perch, these birds would cogitate, pontificate and occasionally fall asleep.

It has always been thus. The men and women who populate the Council…and the Board of Supervisors, for that matter, are ordinary and dedicated folks who apparently have a desire to improve the quality of life for their constituents. But, because theirs is not a full time job, they need input from department heads and others…and rely on their city and county managers to deliver them the right information to assist  them in the decision making process. Some managers have limited themselves to just that, while others have overstepped, overreached and run the show unilaterally. They  have often been sent packing for their efforts when those, to whom they serve, awake from their slumbers. But little wake up calls from writers like J. Harrop are certainly helpful from time to time.

I would take up the gauntlet once again and joust with the Council and the Board, but I no longer have my contacts. L. Stevens, Russ Frey and the great Larry Lalaguna Sr. are in their retirement mode. Unfortunate. They could scent a wasteful proposal or irregular conduct a mile away.

* * * * **

Sightem: Man with old grey dog in Cone & Kimball Plaza. I thought he was just letting his dog water the shrubs but then I saw the two of them walking slowly and carefully reading the captions on the bricks. I was pleased to see them do so. If you have a few minutes when downtown shopping, you might check them out. They fairly well tell the history of our fair city by citing the names of those who have lived and died therein.

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Dear Philips Norelco,

You don’t know me, but I have used your electric cordless razor for more years than I care to remember. I write to you rather than just fill out the Customer Satisfaction Card you thoughtfully included with my purchase in which  you promise me a $20.00 saving. Said saving is triggered if and when I purchase another Philips product which, at my age, is not  likely.

It is not that I do not like your razor; it is that I had quite a fight on my hands just to open the securely plastic wrapped damned thing! I tried scissors, a sharp knife and a hammer. If your product had washed up on a desert island, a castaway would have been pleased to note that no water had permeated the wrapping. I thought for a time I too would have been denied entry, but Yankee know- how prevailed.  But here is a suggestion: As long as your product is hugging a shelf in Wal-Mart, there is little chance of a Tsunami wave engulfing it…so why not make it user friendly right from the git- go by  giving the razor a cellophane wrap like the Easter bunny does his basket of  candy eggs.

But what I really wanted to tell you is that I first went cheap, as is my custom these recessionary days, and purchased a corded razor. My reasoning was that, with an electrical outlet nearby, I could just plug it in…and with its flexible cord, stretch it to my face and shave. But when I did so, the cord detached from the razor. I tried to replace it more securely, but each time, it detached and I was shaving with a gun without bullets if you catch my metaphor. Frustrated, I returned to the good folks at Wal-Mart with my razor and totally shredded container plastic box. I told them at the return counter of my experience and said I wanted to leave it with them and upgrade to a cordless model. They said, poor baby, and asked for my receipt. I fetched one from my bag, but when they examined it closely they could see that the receipt was from Target for a pair of women’s bloomers or something. However, by showing my identification they took my money and allowed the exchange and all was right with the world.

Sincerely R. Minch, Esq.

* * * **

Last week’s quiz was promptly answered by J. Angelo, who discovered  that “Immy ” was the original spelling of the “Emmy” award, named for the image orthicon tube used in early television cameras, and that one Humperdinck  was the composer of Hansel & Gretel music, and the other was a pop star whose real name is Arnold George Dorsey.

This week’s quiz: Who came up with the idea for  the “Blue BooK” in which automobile prices are compared…and what other “BlueBook” did he create? Who occupies the top floor of the Masonic Bldg on Main Street…and what did the Masons donate to the Cone & Kimball Tower?

* * * * **

A woman reported a break- in on Bowman Road to the police. Nothing was missing, but she became aware of the break-in when she discovered that her dog was in her house and her cat was out. She said it was the opposite when she left her residence. I believe there is a simple explanation for this mystery. Her dog learned how to open her front door and went inside to escape the heat. When he discovered the cat was going to tell on him, he kicked the cat out. Case closed.

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At the end of the day, a Police Sergeant  parked his van in front of the police station. A little kid was standing nearby and heard the Sergeant’s K-9 partner barking in the rear of the van. He asked, “Do you have a dog in your van?

“Indeed I do,” replied the Sergeant.

“What did he do?, asked the kid.

(To reply to the website: rminchandmurray @hotmai).

The Vestal story, Part Two

The land grading now in progress along the south side of Antelope Blvd reminds old timers of the Vestal clan and their vast holdings in Tehama County.

George W. Vestal was born in Missouri in 1846, came across the plains to California with his parents in 1857 and located in Tehama County. George became a prosperous Red Bluff business man and operated a meat market on the 600 block of Main (later On Walnut and Washington) as well as a slaughter house west of town. Articles of Incorporation of the George Vestal Company were filed in 1904 which read “The purpose of which is to conduct the butchering of cattle, sheep, hogs, horses, poultry etc. and to buy and sell real estate”.  George was also a large property owner in the county with one parcel of 1,700 acres extending from Antelope Blvd south to the river. This property was sold in the 1990’s.

George was elected Sheriff in 1889 and became a county Supervisor in 1902. The Red Bluff Daily News of 18 September 1904 reported, “Mr. Vestal, Chairman of the Board, has always aimed to do the fair and square thing by all men and has endeavored to give every matter brought before the board the impartial attention it deserves.” He married Clara Gist, daughter of California pioneers, and they had one daughter and two sons, Elmer and Rolla. George died in 1918, the same year as the Minch Family arrived in California. In the 1930’s,  Dave Minch became a friendly meat market and slaughter plant competitor with George’s son Rolla.

Rolla was born in the Red Bank area in 1877, married Mabel Linderman in 1908 and died in 1952 age 75. They had 3 sons; Raymond, Dareld and Robert, and one daughter Elizabeth. In his memory, Superior Court Judge Curtiss E. Wetter adjoined the morning’s court service September 3, 1952 by saying, “The passing of Mr. Vestal is a loss to our county and our area of the State.”

(The majority of the above information is courtesy of the Tehama County Libaray and Scott Sherman, keeper of the flame)

(Ed. Note: We have had our fair share of criticism over the years. Here is one example)

“Letters to the Editor of the Red Bluff Daily news,

Dear Sir: Is Mr. Robert Minch really saying what he appears to be saying in his paid advertisement that he chooses to camouflage as a cross between a gossip column and an editorial commentary?” (Ed. Note: When my father wrote his I Say column, he did not want the Editor to edit it,  so he paid for the column to make sure it ran as he intended. When I took over the column, the situation remained the same)

” I refer to the ad that appeared in the July 29 edition of the Daily News in which he appears to be implying that people who use ‘SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE’ bumper stickers are members of the John Birch Society, and even worse than this, that those who actively support the police are somehow subject to suspicion? Is this really what he means? If not, would he care to clarify his meaning? In these days, when interpretation of laws appear to give greater protection to the criminal than to law-abiding citizens, the police need and deserve the support of the citizens rather than to have their supporters subjected to irresponsible criticism. This time Bob Minch has gone too far. What he implies is not only a shocking attitude for an American citizen to profess, but it also comes very close to defamation of character. Parenthetically let me state that I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the John Birch Society. Since I cannot afford to buy advertizing space I can only hope you will publish this letter as a public service because I believe that someone should stand up and object when such irresponsible and potentially dangerous statements are allowed in print. Sincerely, Mrs. Louise Bouett.”

(Ed. Note: Mrs. Bouett and her sister, the late poet Nan Culbertson, often disapproved of my conduct in the old days. Eventually I think I won over Nan, but Louise continued her objections to my writings until her demise. In a column a week later, I wrote “Uncle Stan bought a champion steer at the local fair last week which made everyone happy including the owner Bert Owens. Everyone that is, except Mrs. Bouett. Color her angry! She was alert enough to catch me authoring ‘irresponsible and potentially dangerous statements.’ Her letter suggested I had heaped scorn and so forth on those who support the local police. Aha! So that’s what devilment I’ve been up to! No wonder my children refuse to eat and my dog has bit me. So now it can be told. I am out to get Don Phillips (local highway patrolman at the time) and his friends. Beware!”

Robert Minch

“Sweet and low, sweet and low, wind of the western sea,
Low, low, breathe and blow, wind of the western sea!
Over the rolling waters go, come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me; while my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest, father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest, on mother’s breast. father will come to thee soon;
Father will come to his babe in the nest, silver sails all out of the west
Under the silver moon; sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.”
Alfred Lord Tennyson 1809-1892
However…
“Sleep, pretty lady, the night is enfolding you;
Drift, and so lightly, on crystalline streams,
Wrapped in its perfumes, the darkness is holding you;
Starlight bespangles the way of your dreams.
Chorus the nightingales, wistfully amorous;
Blessedly quiet, the blare of the day.
All the sweet hours may your visions be glamorous…
Sleep, pretty lady, as long as you may.
Sleep, pretty lady, the world awaits day with you;
Girlish and golden, the slender young moon.
Grant the fond darkness its mystical way with you;
Morning returns to us ever too soon.
Roses unfold, in their loveliness, all for you;
Blossom the lilies for hope of your glance.
When you’re awake, all the men go and fall for you…
Sleep, pretty lady, and give me a chance.” Dorothy Parker 1893-1967