Break the glass, douse the flames

As everyone who watches the evening news knows, in the western United States wildfires and forest fires are common enough in the late summer. Young people work diligently on fire-crews here in the West, fighting one of nature's great forces. Out-of-control blazes in our National Forests are all but an annual event, with only the number and intensity of the fires varying from year to year.

Stanislaus students finally speak out

When I came into work on Thursday at the Turlock Journal, I was surprised to hear that there had been a protest at California State University, Stanislaus that morning. I had spent the last three hours in class at Stanislaus and I hadn't heard a word about it. I took a look at photos and a cutline by Meagan Martens, and found that a group of about 30 students had organized a morning march to the president's office. That's pretty out of character for CSU Stanislaus.

Our vigilante past

While today's criminal justice system can, at times, seem to favor the guilty and punish the innocent, all one needs to do to get the proper perspective is read the history page published every Saturday in the Journal.

A delicious heat wave

My 84-year old mother bent over the cookbook one day recently and read aloud to me as I wolfed down a chicken sandwich I'd made at lunchtime. The reading was a lesson in how to make a traditional - and very fine as it turned out - pork roast.

A shadow for debate

I'll be the first to admit that I do my best to avoid national news, despite being absolutely fascinated by the intricate politicking that goes on in Washington.

Getting an education almost out of reach

I am a strong believer in going to college and getting a degree. It is essential to progress in a professional career and most companies require a bachelor's degree at minimum. But with the increased tuition prices, it is making a bachelor's degree almost unattainable let alone getting a master's degree or a doctorate.

Water package is more litigation, less irrigation

Last week, the California Legislature passed a water package that many lawmakers are lauding as the solution to our state's problems. What this dysfunctional legislature really passed is three more layers of unneeded bureaucracy along with a bond that will not create a drop of water for at least 15 years - if at all.

A decision for change

Turlock voters made a statement on Tuesday: They want change. And change they will have, as it looks as if almost half of the Turlock Unified School District Board of Trustees will be replaced. There are 13,000 to 15,000 mail-in ballots that still have to be counted and could potential change the election results, but I doubt it. I must admit that I was a little shocked at the outcome of Tuesday's TUSD board election. ...

‘Hard Candy Christmas’

The countdown has begun. There are only 51 days until Christmas. "Christmas," you say, "How can that be? It seems like just last week I was sweltering in Indian summer heat." I know what you mean. How can it possibly be time to bring out the holly and tinsel again when I haven't even had time to put away my summer clothes? On top of the seemingly supersonic season changes, finding the extra money for ...

What would you do if...

I like to think of Turlock as a caring community. There are dozens of service clubs, places of worship and volunteers who give of their time and money all year long to make our town a little bit nicer place to live. But I'm sure that the majority of people living in Richmond, Calif. also thought they lived in a caring community - until last Saturday that is. The Contra Costa Times reported that up ...

Who wants to be an idiot?

I, along with many of my co-workers, took time out of the busy workday on Thursday to watch a giant helium balloon float over the Colorado countryside while it was chased by a plethora of emergency vehicles.

New eyes and new ideas

This year is the 400th birthday of science and engineering. It's an occasion worth noting and giving thanks for because each day those twin disciplines improve the lives of billions of people around the world. (Beyond that, science and engineering are awfully fun, so their total effect is sort of like combining doing good all around the planet with the pure joys of playing chess.)

Our right to know

Democracy is a great thing. A government by the people, for the people sure beats a system that caters to a dictator or a royal family. But like many good and wonderful things in this world, democracy must be nurtured, watched over and protected by everyone involved in order to maintain its greatness.

Do the right thing

As a manager, I have the usually frustrating and always time-consuming job of interviewing candidates for open job positions. This is one of my least favorite aspects of my job.

$1 goes a long way in fighting auto theft

With over 700 bills sitting on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk waiting to be signed or vetoed in the latest version of partisan politics between the Governor and the State Legislature, sheriffs and other law enforcement leaders from around the state have joined forces to urge the Governor to put aside political haggling and sign a critical yet obscure bill, Assembly Bill 286. Frankly, there are a dozen or so bills of importance to day-to-day operations ...

Sen. Snowe’s leave and the deterioration of American politics

Most local individuals would be far from alarmed to learn that a Maine woman recently announced her decision not to run for a fourth term as senator. In fact, there are few folks who devote enough attention to remember the names and term numbers of local politicians, let alone ones coming from the opposite end of the nation. However, it is not former Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe's leave of politics, but rather her reason ...

Living in 209

I am always amazed at how once a year, that perfect day arrives in the spring that finds the Valley trees all in bloom, the sun is warm and the air is so aromatic you cannot help but say "Wow." My perfect day was over the weekend when driving about on Sunday I happened to find myself among several orchards lined one after another with beautiful pink and white blossoms. The warm 75 ...

Life-changing moment

It seems like you go along in your everyday life working, sleeping, and playing a little when there's time and energy. Then something happens that changes everything. On Feb. 16 I became a grandma. I've known for the past seven months that this day would come and I was attempting to prepare for it. But there was nothing that could prepare me for the joy in watching my little girl become a ...

Make renewable energy mandates obtainable

Last year, Governor Jerry Brown signed SB x2, which requires California's utility districts to provide one-third of their total electricity from "renewable" sources by 2020. At the media event held for the signing of the more onerous Renewables Portfolio Standard program, the Governor and the bill's author, Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), spoke of how great this would be for California as a world leader.

There’s only one tax to support this year

This year, you and I will be asked to support a litany of tax measures. There's only one I plan to support: The continuation of the eighth-cent sales tax that fund the Stanislaus County library system until 2018.

Skills for American workers

As America works towards an economy that's built to last, we must make sure to provide American workers with the skills they need to compete.

What’s love got to do with it?

Entire aisles at grocery stores are decked out in red and pink. Every other television advertisement is for diamonds and local flower shops have increased the size of their storefront banners by 200 percent. It's Valentine's Day once again.

Documentary well worth the cost

The Turlock Irrigation District's new historical documentary, "The Irrigationist," looks to tell a story worth hearing &ndash; but at what cost? It's hard to imagine anyone taking issue with the basic premise of the film, commissioned to celebrate the district's 125th anniversary. Without the Turlock Irrigation District, there would be no water. With no water, there would be no Turlock &ndash; just look to some dying south Valley communities for proof. <p ...

Congress needs a grammar lesson

Are we trekking on a course towards disastrous censorship? As long as two poorly- worded bills loom in Congress, this appears to be the case. For individuals using the Internet on a regular basis, the issue should sound familiar. Simply put, the Stop Online Piracy Act (or SOPA) introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith, and the PROTECT Intellectual Property Act (or PIPA) introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy both intend to curb any aid on ...

‘Mr. Bulldog’ lives on

When taking on a new job, it's inevitable that you will be compared to the person who last held the post. Sometimes this can be a positive thing, especially when hearing a complaint. It's easy to say that being the new person you can't speak to practices of the past, but in the future it will be your mission to make things right. Sometimes, however, filling the shoes left by a predecessor can be ...

Ceaseless change dominates our dynamic planet

Nothing about Earth history is static or unchanging. That's particularly true of climate, and thereon hangs more than one interesting tale including recent news of a scientific advance in understanding how past climate has changed.

Agricultural education and our moment to shine

Be your neighbor’s keeper

I grew up in a small town. Now, I know native Turlockers like to think this is a small town, but they're wrong. The population of my hometown was around 3,000 when I was living there; it's over 4,600 today. Turlock boasts a population of over 68,000. Enough said. The best part of living in a truly small town is the security. I never locked the door to my house - or car, ...

Small claims—big headache

Why is court so complicated? I just feel the frustration ooze out of the small claims litigants. Most folks who sue in small claims court sue on "principle" and firmly believe that they are in the right. The judge, however, must follow the substantive law. In small claims court, it is the legal procedures that have been modified or set aside to give folks easier access to the Courts. People are also mistaken ...

Take a break and spur the economy

I love vacations. Unfortunately, my desire to travel the world far exceeds my financial means and time availability to do so. Don't get me wrong I still travel, just on a smaller scale and not as often as I'd like. When I finally do get away, I feel guilty about the money I spend and my absence from work. Thankfully, the Obama Administration is giving me a guilt-free reason to travel. President Obama ...