September 01, 2017 4:16 PM
Thumbs up to all the folks who are so generously donating to disaster relief for desperate families displaced by wildfires here and floods in Texas.
Money to established charities is the best way to help, experts say, because the buying capacity of the charities enables them to purchase far more than an individual could buy even on a good sale, especially when shipping costs are involved. Blood donations are especially useful, with the Labor Day weekend and expected needs in Texas.
For those who want to donate goods, Meathead Movers has a list of supplies they are planning to transport to Dallas Convention Center Mega Shelter. Until Monday, they are accepting new socks, warmups, toiletries, hygiene products, and all baby items such as formula, wipes, bottles, diapers, and Graco Pack ‘n’ Plays. Leave them at the lobby, 4744 N. El Capitan in Fresno.
Religious groups are some of the strongest relief groups and companies offering matches can double your money. For example, Google is matching $1 million in donations to the American Red Cross and Facebook also has a match. Some companies such as Disney are also matching employees’ donations.
Thumbs up to Mike Oz of Yahoo! Sports and Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company for teaming up on a delicious Fresno fund-raiser Tacos for Houston. On Tuesday 5-9:30 p.m. at Tioga Sequoia, 475 Fulton St., beer, tacos, desserts and music will reign. At press time, the taco trucks participating included Taqueria Jaliscience, Imperial Taqueria, Taqueria El Premio Mayor, Los Tortos Taco Truck and Taco Mary’s.
One dollar from every taco sold will go the American Red Cross Central Valley fund-raising efforts as well as a portion of beer sales.
Thumbs down to all the nitpicky critics of Melania Trump’s snakeskin stilletos for the ride to Texas in Air Force One. Just stop it. She’s a former fashion model, a billionaire’s wife and she dresses appropriate to the task.
Forgive her for not having fishing waders and Muck boots on hand to make appearances in a disaster area. By the time she landed, she ditched the heels for tennis shoes. Happy now?
Incidentally, high heels don’t stop women from doing anything they want. As a former Texas Governor, Ann Richards, famously said in a speech, “If you give us a chance, we can perform. Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, she just did it backwards and in high heels.”
Thumbs down to State Center Community College Trustee Eric Payne for his continued problem of keeping sloppy political paperwork. GV Wire reports that the elected school board member is under investigation by the state agency that examines election finances. The Fair Political Practices Commission is looking into complaints that he has failed to file required documentation on time and sometimes not at all.
Folks in his district have better things to do than worry about him keeping his political house clean. It does make us all wonder if he is that loose with his ownbusiness, what should we think about how he tends to the details of other people’s matters –– like the voters, for example.
Thumbs up to Augustynolo-
phus morrisi, a duck-billed dinosaur whose fossilized remains were found in the Panoche Hills of western Fresno County, for being unanimously voted California’s official state dinosaur by the state Senate Thursday.
The dino bones sere unearthed by paleontologists almost 80 years ago, reports Tim Sheehan of The Bee. The dinosaur bill was approved in April by the state Assembly and now will go to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature to become law. The dino now stars in a display of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Scientists believe the dinosaur was about 30 feet long as an adult.
Thumbs up to Terance Frazier, owner of TFS Investments, for helping a once-homeless couple, Jody Serna and Butch Castillo, to get work and a home. KSEE-TV reported that the two were hired at Granite Park last March to do security and work at the snack bar, but they had no permanent home. That all ended this week when Frazier set them up in a fully furnished apartment. Frazier said it was a reward for the couple’s dedication and hard work. Welcome home!
