Archive By Section - Local Columns
Managing risk in the mission field
The increase in trafficking, violence and kidnappings along the northern Mexican border is adding new impetus to stricter immigration policies, and heightened urgency to controlling illegal movement into the United States.
Five months that will shape Manteca for years to come
"The first five minutes are critical for what happens in the next five hours in a fire. (It is the same principle as) the next five months and how they impact the next five years." – Franco Torrice, Manteca firefighter
Time to rethink eighth grade ‘graduation’
Lathrop School is on to something. Under the leadership of Principal David Silveira, the school quietly jettisoned evening graduation ceremonies and replaced it with promotion ceremonies during the school day for those eighth graders who passed the muster to advance to high school. The low-key and inexpensive approach had several nice touches including a promotion breakfast as well as a chance for those advancing to go to lunch with their parents to celebrate before returning ...
Police physically & fiscally protect Manteca
Let's face it. Manteca Police – by the very nature of their job – encounter people who aren't exactly thrilled to see them. Criminals? They don't like seeing police officers. People getting a ticket for speeding or running stop signs? They don't like seeing police officers. People frustrated because officers take a while to get to their address because they've been on more pressing calls? They're usually not happy campers. Contrast that to firefighters. Everyone ...
Random acts of kindness multiply fast
Random acts of kindness and compassion come in all shapes and forms. Last Friday, students at George McParland School, for instance, demonstrated the rippling effect created by those good deeds in the form of a chain link that extended from the main site at the corner of London Avenue and Northgate Drive, to the Annex some two blocks away at 1370 London Ave. In all, nearly 1,200 kindergarten- through- eighth-grade students from both sites were ...
As goes General Motors, so goes the nation
As much as I don't like the idea of Uncle Sam nationalizing General Motors regardless for how short of a time period it might end up being, it is tough to argue against the move.
The burden of a 90% public safety retirement benefit
It did in Vallejo. It could also do major damage to Manteca. The culprit? The high cost of public safety. Or, more precisely, the high cost of public safety retirement. Manteca spends 57.84 cents out of every dollar in the general fund on police and fire services including retirement benefits. That is about normal for California cities that typically range from 50 to 63 cents. Vallejo though is in excess of 80 cents ...
State should take advantage of Hyundai offer
Too bad Gary Coleman wasn't governor. He'd have California's cash flow problem covered in just five minutes by calling CashCall.com. So what if the annual percentage rate on the payback is 99.25 percent? It obviously didn't bother the California Legislature when they have repeatedly refused efforts to impose tighter regulations on as predatory lenders who prey on the poor. Coleman – who finished eighth out of a field of 135 candidates in the infamous recall ...
Caswell State Park: Going, going, gone for years to come?
A unique Central Valley gem encompassing 258 acres awaiting those venturing to the southern end of Austin Road may soon be off limits.
State strings cost plenty of money & dilutes tax dollars
My senior year at Lincoln High in Lincoln in Placer County in 1974 there were 720 students in the school.
California needs to recognize only civil unions
Get ready for the return of Proposition 8. The California Supreme Court decision was barely out Tuesday when Equality California indicated the move was on to repeal Proposition 8 in the 2010 election. Equality California – which bills itself as "the largest statewide lesbian gay, bisexual, transgender-rights advocacy organization" in the state – actually sent out e-mails outlining the debate between returning in 2010 and 2012 but indicated it is leaning heavily toward 2010. A ...
Now it’s my turn to be the proud parent
Come this time of year, I'm usually bombarded by the traditional tune played at graduations and promotional ceremonies, "Pomp and Circumstance."
Newsom finds new way to stick it to cigarette smokers
You've got to love sin taxes. They allow politicians to make "bold moves" by cutting the weak politically from the herd of taxpayers and then slowly bleeding them to death for their sins. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has sharpened his hunting skills targeting weak victims to a high art. Smokers - who the state can ill afford to have them kick the habit due to how much they are taxing them per pack – ...
Foreclosures are good thing in long run for Manteca
Good times are coming to Manteca. And we owe it all to the collapse of the housing market. That may sound completely nuts with Manteca unemployment at 13.8 percent while schools are being rocked with funding cuts and declines in sales and property taxes are delivering a one-two punch to the city. Good times, though, are coming. It won't be the go-go days of the 1990s and early part of this decade. Instead, it is ...
2,000 reasons why you’d be insane to vote for Newsom
Gavin Newsom wants to be our next governor. If you think he's the man to help pull California out of the bottomless pit of debt Sacramento has managed to create, guess again. The mayor of San Francisco is boldly taking government to where even the now-defunct central Planning Committees of the old Soviet Union dared not go. Newsom on Thursday celebrated the success of spending $500,000 in city money as enticements for people to improve ...
Articles by Section - Local Columns
The Pope and Godless capitalism
"This is called slave labor," said Pope Francis.
Cinco de Mayo is as American as you can get
People need to stop having heart palpations over Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
Meeting your Ripon neighbors at jury duty, plus an unexpected pleasure over lunch
Meeting a couple of Ripon folks, and one from Linden and another from Tracy was an unexpected pleasure in my brief two days of jury duty this week – especially when four of us just happened to go out to lunch together on Thursday.
Kentucky Derby’s horse tie to French Camp
FRENCH CAMP – It's a funny thing, this horse racing business.
Guns: Being judged by 12 instead of being carried by 6
She's a single mom in her early 30s. She lives in an old farmhouse in an almond orchard five miles east of Manteca. The closest neighbor is a quarter mile of a way but the trees make it impossible to see their home.
Want a safe environment for vacation? Then stay out of Yosemite
Yosemite National Park is not Disneyland.
Perhaps Manteca should work with Wal-Mart to create a homeless park
The aging RV was parked under a stately tree providing relief from the 90-degree midday heat.
Count your blessings that disco didn’t survive the ‘70s
Bell bottom pants. Flare-leg pants. Men's rayon tie scarves. Polyester suits.
California makes sure car buyers pay the price twice in taxes
Call it farmer smarts
Beware of sugary drink tax: It might end up killing you
How many calories are in 16 ounces of orange juice? Try 220 calories.
Adam: Big heart & even bigger inspiration
Anthony Alcaraz sat forward in his seat, staring quizzically at the track, convinced someone had made a mistake.
LAFCo’s Subliminal message: SJ County is not business friendly
Is San Joaquin County business friendly?
King George III: Behind the smoke in New York City
I can't stand cigarette smoke.
CARE to know why your power rates are higher?
CARE to know what PG&E and South San Joaquin Irrigation District agree upon?
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