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E-mail StorySound Off for Sept. 3, 2006
| Saturday, Sep 2 2006 4:10 PM
Last Updated: Friday, Oct 20 2006 1:03 PM
Reader: I just had to respond to Robert Price's hateful, judgmental article against Bruce Sons for wanting to clear his name.
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His article caused me to see that it was Price and others who write for your paper that caused his case to become so expensive. Your newspaper crucified Mr. Sons over and over again these past 12 years and finally people began thinking for themselves.
As a bartender here for many years, I know firsthand that law enforcers are no angels. Just ask the family of James Moore.
Mr. Sons shot Mr. Maxwell in self-defense. He and his son Jeremy and his whole family paid for it for 12 years. Yes, Mr. Sons deserves to be compensated and I pray for him. His life is in danger from law enforcers.
Sincerely,
-- Arlene Arnold
Jenner: First, I don't agree that Price's column was hateful. But it certainly was judgmental.
And that's what a column is. Price doesn't write "articles," he writes columns. In those columns, we want him to express his point of view and comment on the news. His columns embody his opinions -- just as your letter has embodied yours.
And while you are welcome to your opinion, and I do respect it, I fail to see how our writers kept three juries from coming to a unanimous conclusion -- of any kind.
Reader: I was appalled at Dianne Hardisty's column in which she said her dog wasn't worth $1,000. Did she even bother to look for it if it has no value to her?
Probably not.
She is one of "those" people who care little for life. There's a saying that you earn a place in heaven when you help an animal. If that is the case, then I don't have to worry about running into this particular columnist.
-- Pat Dunaway
Editorial Page Editor Dianne Hardisty responds: Actually, I wrote in my column that I did go looking for my dogs when they wandered out. Luckily I always found them after considerable searching. But I also wrote that I would not pay a $1,000 reward to someone to return my dogs to me. If that puts me into the heavenly doghouse, so be it.
Reader: Now that (hopefully) the dust has settled on The Californian's new design, and the number of new subscribers far exceed the number of cranks who have canceled their subscriptions in protest, I want to congratulate you, Mike, and your staff on a paper that is colorful, fun to read and LOCAL.
Now that newspaper executives like you realize that it is impossible to "scoop" the electronic media on national and international news, your emphasis on local coverage are the "right words at the right time" for Bakersfield.
Keep up the good work, and continue to educate your readers through this column about what a newspaper should and should not be.
-- Craig Holland
Reader: I'm a 60-something grandma who couldn't care less about football (other than halftime, if the band is good!), but somehow I started to read the Sports section Friday (a first for me). I think it was the Best Uniforms, Best Colors story that got my attention -- made me think I might be reading something about fashion and home decorating.
WELL, you got my attention immediately since I love little surveys and such, and I ended up reading your section front to back, including the ads. I kind of even teared up once or twice while reading the Best Game article, and especially liked reading how some of those boys have gone on to good lives.
So now I'm all fired up, and just might go to a high school game this season to see what it's all about. And maybe I'll be there when another Best Game Ever happens.
Just thought I'd let you know (and that also is a first for me) and wanted to thank you for a nice presentation.
-- Peggy Cowden
Jenner: Thanks for your note, Peggy. You made our Sports staff's week.
See you in the stands.