Editorial

EDITORIAL: Farinelli on High Speed Rail Lawsuit

Today is a sad day for Madera County Taxpayers. Madera County, along with our friends from the Madera Farm Bureau and Preserve Our Heritage vowed, just a few short months ago, to stand up to the goliath California High Speed Rail Authority and hold them accountable for the destruction they will do to our community and their failure to consider the future of Madera County.

Today, three of my colleagues, whom I respect, abandon our friends by walking away from a lawsuit that sought to protect taxpayers, farmers and our children from the devastating effects of High Speed Rail. I want to thank Supervisor David Rogers for joining me in opposing the withdrawal and his willingness to stand up, even in the face of adversity.

Would Dean & Don's Breakfast Club Survive in Today's Fresno Radio Market?

FRESNO - Would the Fresno radio market support a show like the Breakfast Club? Not the movie staring Molly Ringwald, but the morning radio show that ran on KKDJ from 1981 to 1993 staring Don Fischer and Dean Opperman. Has the Fresno radio market become far too conservative that it would no longer welcome a locally produced radio show with satire that might not fall in line with the messages of Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity

Sunday on Facebook, Opperman posted a story he wrote for a newspaper about the old show. A few hours later he received a responds from his old boss Al Smith. With the permission of Mr. Opperman, we have reposted Smith's comment and Opperman's responds.

EDITORIAL: Where is the American Flag at the New McDonald's?

EDITORIAL - Well it is back after an absence of three months and everyone on Madera's west-side couldn't be happier. I am of course speaking of McDonald's on Howard Road. Driving by the new building that houses the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese and of course the Chicken McNuggets, the lines in the new double menu drive through are always packed and the restaurant looks busy.

I had hoped that the industry leader in good food made fast would have found away to make the Big Mac's and McMuffin's coexist in their restaurant for breakfast but this did not happen. How about figuring out how to melt a piece of cheese before I am given my sandwich. I mean how hard is it to melt cheese?

Travel Softball Whines About Increased City Fees!

ANOTHER BVN EXCLUSIVE EDITORIAL

MADERA - Some folks are a little upset at the city regarding increases in field usage fees for travel softball teams. Six supporters of travel teams stood in front of the Madera City Council Wednesday night to voice their concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting.

They say the increases in fees have become too expensive for most of the teams and some may be forced to find alternative places to practice and play. Some teams may even be forced to disband leaving fewer opportunities for female youth to participate.

EDITORIAL: Print Newspapers Are Dead - Get The Shovels

MADERA - The printed newspaper is dead. When the Internet exploded into everyone's homes with high speed connections, the diagnoses was given and it didn't look very good for traditional newspapers. Now that the news is as close as your computer, television, smart-phone or tablet, who needs ever purchase a print newspaper again?

I once had a conversation with Madera Tribune publisher Chuck Doud. We discussed the future of print newspapers. Chuck bleeds news ink and of course defended the product he does a great job of turning out. I on the other hand had made a simple statement that seems to be very true today, "Printed newspapers will only survive until someone invents a handheld device which lets you get the entire Internet in the bathroom."

Print Newspapers Are Dead - Get The Shovels

Riot at Madera High Football Scrimmage: Admin Says Public Has No Right to Know

MADERA - While the Dinuba game ended without incident, last weeks scrimmage at Madera High's Memorial Stadium with Tulare Union ended in a riot. One Madera coach was hit by a Tulare Union player and several former Madera players from last seasons team jumped into the bench clearing brawl that by all accounts was started by the Tulare Union players.