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Pleasanton puts housing squeeze on workers
Pleasanton is a shining city in the Tri-Valley. Its general fund revenues are over twice that of Manteca’s while they have just 900 more residents. The average household income is also significantly higher in Pleasanton. Pleasanton accomplishes the financial feat that allows it to escape the current economic meltdown relatively unscathed by intentionally thumbing its nose at state mandates to provide affordable housing for all income levels as well as strive for housing-to-jobs balance. The ...




‘I’d rather be tried by 12 than carried by six.’
Robert Ortiz is a reasonable man. He simply wants his family - and others on his street - to feel safe in their homes and in their neighborhood. That simply isn’t the case.  His problem one day may very well be your problem. It’s a case of clashing colors. More aptly it involves the colors red and blue which definitely do not mix. His street has become ground zero in a turf war even though ...




Congress’ business savvy reflected in Postal Service’s financial quagmire
Not too many moons ago – before the Internet spawned spam to give junk mail a good name – Congress set up the Postal Service as a separate entity.




Bringing back Tidewater passenger rail service
There was a time when 24 passenger trains passed through Manteca daily to take you to Stockton or Modesto.




Sadness turns to tears of joy
Tears, smiles and hugs were the order of the day in Ripon Saturday as some 200 girls from all over the region picked out prom dresses for their special graduation occasions – without paying a dime for the gowns.




Invest 44 cents to help keep California safe
Want to help make California streets a bit safer for your family and neighbors? Then spend 44 cents for a stamp and take a few minutes to type out a letter asking the parole board to keep William Walter Nichols behind bars. You probably do not know who Nichols is but there is a chance you knew Michael McDonald - or another victim like him - who could have been your son, your former classmate, ...




No separation between church and state in the actual pledge
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.




Stealing is stealing no matter how you rationalize it
We were bicycling down River Road a few years ago when the lady I was with – a deputy with the Dade County Sheriff’s Department in Florida – said she wanted to stop for a second.




PG&E’s $9.8M care package for CEO Darbee
The young man knocking on my door wanted to know if I knew about the PG&E CARE program and if I wanted to apply.




Manteca making LMD takeover work effectively
Snall weeds - fueled by rain and a rise in temperatures - started popping up in the concrete portion of the Wellington Avenue bike path about 10 days ago.




Grown adults shopping wearing PJs
When’s it OK to wear pajamas out in public? My guess is never. Across the pond, the United Kingdom adopted a dress code, banning folks from wearing their jammies to the grocery store and other public places. Of course, this goes beyond the “no shirt, no shoes, no service” policy we’re used to seeing around here. In Shanghai, it’s discouraged for people there to lounge around in public wearing PJs. Around here, I know Monday ...







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