Opinion

Feb. 26, 2013 — There are many things I enjoy about my job reporting news here at the paper. The variety of stories and the people I get to interview always makes things interesting.

I value the working relationships I've built up over the years with news sources and contacts, but some stick out more than others, probably due to the length of time I’ve worked with a person.

For six years I've reported on the happenings at Lassen High School from homecoming to graduation and a lot in between. The second Tuesday of every month I have a standing reservation at the Lassen Union High School District (LUHSD) board meetings where items are discussed from test scores to budgets. 

Feb. 26, 2013 — An estimated 80 or 90 Lassen County residents recently packed the dining room at the Pizza Factory to attend a TEA Party Patriots meeting featuring a presentation by Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growdon.

With gun control proposals coming from both the federal and state governments and reports of gun violence taking up lots of bandwidth in the national media these days, it’s not surprising many TEA Party Patriots expressed their concern about this issue and their constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

Feb. 19, 2013 — So, just how long should it take to get a ruling from the Lassen County Superior Court?

Tom Hammond, one of the proponents seeking the recall of Lassen County District 5 Supervisor Jack Hanson, filed a petition for a writ of mandate with the court seven long months ago — on Aug. 10 to be exact. A writ of mandate is a court order to a government agency to follow the law by correcting its prior action or ceasing its illegal acts.

Feb. 19, 2013 — In January during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, cyclist Lance Armstrong admitted he took performance-enhancing drugs to boost oxygen levels in order to achieve victory in the Tour de France. Apparently his motivation was a “ruthless desire to win.”

I supported Armstrong until it was very clear he had indeed, cheated. My husband watches the Tour de France and is a cycling fan, so I was familiar with the athlete’s career. I remembered the articles I had read about his strict training regimen. Now we will never know the extent of his talent.