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 ...

The worth of water

According to the "Longman English Dictionary," a New Year's resolution is "a decision to do something better or stop doing something bad in the new year." Not surprisingly, New Year's resolutions generally serve only as broad ideals that individuals fabricate in an attempt to freshen themselves for the new time period; exercising more, controlling expenses, or simply behaving nicer constitute the main desires. Despite the truth that such resolutions rarely survive the temptations that unfold, ...

Preserving prime ag land, planning for a sustainable future through regional collaboration

Stanislaus County is a unique community. Ours is a county where city leaders come together on a regular basis to discuss ideas, strategies, and opportunities where regional collaboration can best be implemented.

Plan needed for successful New Year’s resolutions

Hitting below the belt

If you've made a New Year's resolution to eat right and trim down, be forewarned that medical science shows your brain has it in for you and will actively promote your failure on two different fronts. That's not good news, of course, but you should know about it so you can strengthen your resolve as best you can. Here's the scoop. It's relatively easy – particularly if you are significantly overweight ...

LGBT History Law step in right direction, but lacks guidance

California Senate Bill 48, also known informally as the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) History Law, officially becomes law with the New Year and overall I agree with the law - with a lot of The new law, which is titled the FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Law, is controversial because it requires social science instruction to include a study of the role and contributions of lesbians, gay, bisexual and ...

Turlock continues to see success, despite challenges

Turlock had many successes in 2011, in spite of a challenging economy and a state government and legislature bent on taking money away from local government. Though the diligent work of our city staff and improving local economy, we were able to cut expenses and maximize revenue to reduce our projected 2010-11 budget deficit by $2.5 million. We have already seen stabilization and a slight increase in our local sales tax revenue, as ...

Keep cursive alive

Some of my fondest childhood memories are the times I spent with my Grandma Stout. Being the only grandchild of her only son meant that the world actually did revolve around me when I came to visit. We would spend hours together playing board games, talking, shopping - and playing school. My Grandma Stout was a fourth grade teacher for most of her life and when we played school, it was serious business. ...

Hands-free, means HANDS-FREE

I don't know about you, but I get so very irritated with folks who drive and talk on their cell phone. You've seen them-numerous unsafe lane changes, fastest driver on the road, turning without signaling, etc. It is obvious that they are unable to multi-task.

Christmas coconuts and other weird traditions

When I was a little kid I assumed that everyone celebrated Christmas exactly the same way that my family did. Christmas shopping was done no sooner than two weeks before Christmas. The outside lights did not go on the house until after Dec. 9, which happened to be my sister Sandra's birthday. And above all I knew that Santa did not wrap the presents he left on Christmas morning.

Christmas choices

Right around now is when people start fretting over creches in the public square and arguing as to whether publicly funded Christmas symbols violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment. And right about now is also when certain Jewish groups begin insisting that the answer is to place a Hanukkah menorah right next to that creche, which leads atheists to complain about a plague on both their houses. Years ago I was ...

Hefty parental issues

Is your kid overweight?

Handmade, heart felt

In my hope chest at home I have five dresses that my aunt hand-made for my daughter when she was little. Even though my daughter is now a grown woman, I will keep these dresses from her childhood as keepsakes - with the hope that they will eventually be passed down to her daughter one day. I thought again of these dresses when I was interviewing Barbara Cameron of the Turlock Quilt Guild ...

'Tis the season to spread the spirit

The luminous lights that set the nights aglow, coupled with individuals' newly sparkling spirits, have once again emerged this holiday season. While reminiscing on the success of our 2011 Christmas Parade, Turlock teems with activity as its residents rush to finesse the perfect pudding recipe, learn the new Christmas carols, and locate the smartest sales for shopping. But there is some truth to be found in writer and reporter John Clayton's words, "Just ...

Smart phones make a lot of folks dumb in public settings

Alec Baldwin got kicked off an American Airlines flight.

Ignorance is not bliss

Death is hard to deal with at any age, but when growing up, the passing of peers can leave a lasting impression. Every December the tragic death of one of my high school classmates is always brought to mind. This classmate not only made my small Indiana school aware of how precious - and often short - life can be, he also shattered the prejudices that were all too common in those days. ...