Letters to the editor: Sacramento River, ransomware and censorship Redding Record Searchlight Sacramento River need not be an afterthought in Redding Redding acts like the Sacramento River is akin to unsightly railroad yards. Let's pretend the river isn't there. Notice the civic auditorium is positioned at an angle away from the river, with a "water fountain" out front. I know the San Antonio RiverWalk has been discussed, but Redding continues to ignore the river. I am from SoCal and am amazed how little the river is highlighted for shopping, especially with the high summertime temperatures. Stretch your imagination to beyond possibility. Imagine the Cobblestone Shopping Center on Hartnell, turned 180 degrees. With the stores facing the river and parking outback on Hartnell. Add a few boutique shops and some beautiful restaurants, again facing the river. Now imagine how much cooler the shopping and dining experience would be along the beautiful river. I know the Kutras/Redding property is on some agenda, but nothing happens. Redding. The Sacramento River is one of your biggest assets. Why do you continue to pretend it isn't there? Another small issue is water fountains. Look at the waterfall at the west end of Cypress. Why did it take the Rotary Club to create such a refreshing feature? Why doesn't the city have something like that downtown? It is cool to look at, and it would provide outdoor cooling to downtown. Compare the Rotary Club waterfall to Redding's small fountains. Redding desperately needs a draw, and the Sacramento River should be a focus, not something to ignore, hoping that maybe people will not notice it is there.