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Archive By Section - Local Columns


The Muthart Plan: Ultimate 4 percent mortgage solution

It's too bad President Obama didn't pick Jim Muthart as the architect of his stimulus plan to get the economy rolling again instead of Tim Geithner.

April 09, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


Full disclosure sticker for new home buyers

Transparency is now all the rage at all levels of government. It is easy to understand why. The well is going dry in terms of options on how many ways are left to skin a taxpayer. It's about time transparency is more than mere lip service although a lot of folks in government still have one heck of a ways to go before they are crystal clear about what they are doing with our money. ...

April 08, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


The ‘Stick, the Giants and the perfect seats

A photograph of Candlestick Park is thumb-tacked on the wall facing the desk of reporter Jason Campbell.

April 08, 2009 | | Local Columns


More to cost of Almond Court than meets the eye

You've got to love some newspaper reporters. It is against their nature to report on anything unless they can show there is conflict. Such is the case with the Almond Court subsidized low-income senior apartment complex dedicated on Monday on North Union Road in Manteca. The Modesto Bee had to give the story "tension" so they found a real estate agent who brokers apartments in the Northern San Joaquin Valley – 100 complexes in the ...

April 07, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


Whatever happened to landscaping at Yosemite & 99?

What's the name of Manteca's official flower? Apparently it is the weed. Weeds are what grace Manteca's front door at Yosemite Avenue and Highway 99 in a testimonial to the fact government moves at a pace that would put your garden variety snail to sleep waiting for results. The project is more overdue than government spending reform in Sacramento. The landscaping of the areas along the freeway ramps and medians on Yosemite Avenue is part ...

April 06, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


PG&E: The model of American-style hybrid-socialism

If your neighborhood socialist – aka congressmen, senators and legislators – used your tax dollars to prop up AIG while AIG was selling you a commodity that they kept hiking the price on, how would you react? And what if while you're on a fixed income, in a wage freeze or have lost your job and the AIG division that you had no choice but to buy the commodity from gives its CEO a 5 ...

April 05, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


The saga of the lead balloon

The Bible tells us to be slow to anger in Proverbs 14:29. It means that we shouldn't fly off the handle when something or someone rubs us the wrong way. I have obeyed this wise saying this last two weeks. I am referring to the column that our City Manager Steve Pinkerton wrote two weeks ago in response to my "Lead Balloon" column in this newspaper, which appeared, on March 20. He was fairly critical ...

April 05, 2009 | By Sid Reams Local columnist | Local Columns


Up illegal cell phone use while driving fine to $1K

Enough is enough. If the California Legislature really wants to eliminate the deficit, they should hike the fine for holding and using your cell phone while driving to $1,000. The state could go from deficit to surplus faster than you can download the theme song to the old TV show "CHiPS." Over the years, I've seen a lot of close calls between motorists and other drivers preoccupied with yakking on a cell and turning into ...

April 04, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


Yes Jack is back with more thoughts

Think you've seen everything? Well how about this one. Some people are really into exercising their pets...On a recent drive through a new subdivision in north Manteca I came upon a gentleman driving his pickup truck down the street with his dog trotting alongside the vehicle. What's different or wrong with that? The driver was holding onto a leash as he drove. The leash was attached to the dog's collar.

April 04, 2009 | By Jack Snyder Manteca columnist | Local Columns


Paying the price for board putting ‘wants’ ahead of ‘needs’ in schools

There's one danger in playing chicken. If the other guy doesn't flinch you've got to face the music.

April 03, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


California’s state motto: If it isn’t nailed down, tax it

Let me tell you How it will be. There's one for you, Nineteen for me, 'Cause I'm the taxman. Yeah, I'm the taxman. Should five percent Appear too small, Be thankful I don't Take it all. 'Cause I'm the taxman. Yeah, I'm the taxman. If you drive a car, I'll tax the street. If you drive to city, I'll tax your seat. If you get too cold, I'll tax the heat. If you take a ...

April 02, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


GRAVITY SEWER LINE

To access City Manager Steve Pinkerton's blog go to www.ci.manteca.ca.us/blog/

April 02, 2009 | Steve Pinkerton City manager for Manteca | Local Columns


Uncle Sam driving GM is crazy

I drive a Ford. That must irritate those who are using this economic mess to push for the government seizing control of American corporations. While the powers-that-be in DC run around saying GM and Chrysler got themselves into this mess – and Ford to a lesser degree – by turning out gas hogs they've got it all wrong. The real reasons are the fully loaded Cadillac Escalade version of health benefits that cost GM over ...

April 01, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


Life is a precious gift. Life is great. Live it.

It is a miracle, plain and simple. I reached 53 years of age today at 10:10 a.m. It defies all the odds. First there is conception that some put the odds at a million to one for the right sperm to connect with the right egg to start the process of creating the unique individual that each of us is today. Then there is the infant mortality rate. Back in 1956 when I was born, ...

March 31, 2009 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


March Madness at the White House?

Ty Lawson had to be stoked that our 44th U.S. President knew him by name. The 21-year-old point guard for the University of North Carolina sat out the first-round of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament with a jammed right toe. His injury concerned many filling out their March Madness pools, including Barack Obama. The President made an under-the-radar campaign promise to ESPN that, if elected, he would reveal his tournament bracket picks on ...

March 31, 2009 | Vince Rembulat | Local Columns


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Page 104 of 111

Articles by Section - Local Columns


Taxes you pay go to PG&E & not Headstart

Pundits - and editorial cartoonists - are having a field day over Congress' decision to restore funding for air traffic controllers while letting programs such as Headstart for low-income kids and Meals on Wheels for shut-in senior citizens take federal budget hits.

May 06, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


The Pope and Godless capitalism

"This is called slave labor," said Pope Francis.

May 04, 2013 | | Local Columns


Cinco de Mayo is as American as you can get

People need to stop having heart palpations over Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

May 04, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


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.

May 03, 2013 | Glenn Kahl | Local Columns


Kentucky Derby’s horse tie to French Camp

FRENCH CAMP – It's a funny thing, this horse racing business.

May 03, 2013 | Jason Campbell | Local Columns


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.

May 03, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


Want a safe environment for vacation? Then stay out of Yosemite

Yosemite National Park is not Disneyland.

May 02, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


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.

May 01, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


Count your blessings that disco didn’t survive the ‘70s

Bell bottom pants. Flare-leg pants. Men's rayon tie scarves. Polyester suits.

April 30, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


California makes sure car buyers pay the price twice in taxes

Call it farmer smarts

April 27, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


Beware of sugary drink tax: It might end up killing you

How many calories are in 16 ounces of orange juice? Try 220 calories.

April 26, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


Adam: Big heart & even bigger inspiration

Anthony Alcaraz sat forward in his seat, staring quizzically at the track, convinced someone had made a mistake.

April 25, 2013 | James Burns | Local Columns


LAFCo’s Subliminal message: SJ County is not business friendly

Is San Joaquin County business friendly?

April 25, 2013 | Dennis Wyatt | Local Columns


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