Teaching compromise rather than science

The public is bombarded with news reports saying that young people in the U.S. aren't learning enough about science, especially compared to kids in Asia. I'm not sure that's true, because I work at a large university where I see very able American students starting to excel in their scientific careers, and I hear back from them as they flourish in later years. <p style="margin: 0in 0in ...

‘Evaluation’ is a bad word to some teachers

I now have a better understanding of the phrase "making a mountain out of a mole hill."

What game were you watching?

Like 111 million other Americans, I opted to spend my Sunday drinking beer and watching oversized men take each other's land by force. It's a national pastime, after all.

Highlighting our youth

Hello Turlock Journal readers! My name is Jonathan McCorkell and I am the new education reporter here. I just wanted to introduce myself and give you a brief outline of who I am, my journalism history and my journalistic philosophy.

Sharing the burden

We're all in this sinking boat together, so we had better quit fighting and start rowing in unison or else we'll end up at the bottom of the ocean. That is my summary of Gov. Jerry Brown's State of the State address from Monday.It was somewhat inspirational and called on the innovativeness that Californians are known for to lead us into a brighter future. But ...

Making dreams reality

I remember when I first brought my newborn daughter home from the hospital that my days were filled with worry. I worried about her getting enough to eat. I worried about positioning her in the crib the right way. I worried about germs, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and baby snatchers.

Community colleges are the solution, not the problem

Community Colleges were not totally surprised by the Governor's initial budget proposal. We knew there would be some combination of cuts and increases to address California's $25 billion deficit. However, we did not anticipate the cuts to be as severe.

An alternative to the big box debate

Late on the night of Jan. 11, in the cozy confines of the Yosemite Room of Turlock City Hall, a Turlock City Council meeting continued on well past 10 p.m.

For the love of lunch

Unlike most people I've met over the years, I have fond memories of eating lunch in my elementary, junior high and high school cafeterias.

The post-holiday doldrums

In case you've been living in a hole &ndash; no offense to Punxsutawnee Phil, eagerly awaiting Groundhog Day &ndash; I feel it's my duty to inform you that it's a bit gloomy outside.

Rural America needs our health care law

Recent news tells us that the American economy is continuing to move the right direction, creating private sector jobs for twelve months in a row. The Obama administration has worked hard to turn around the economy. And last year's compromise to reduce taxes, as well as the tax relief provided to small businesses by health insurance reform, have also provided necessary certainty to help get businesses to hire ...

Stanislaus tops UC San Diego for first time in 5 years

It wasn't pretty, but it was a win. The Warriors ended the weekend with two victories after edging UC San Diego, 57-55, Saturday night at Fitzpatrick Arena.

The first casualty is not partisanship

How do we react to the horrific murders of Christina Green, 9; John Roll, 63; Gabe Zimmerman, 30; Dorothy Morris, 76; Dorwin Stoddard, 76; and Phyllis Schneck, 79; and the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and 13 others?

Finding hope in the jobless

Before my story interview with the Alliance Worknet about the services they offer for job seekers and local businesses, I had a picture in my mind of what the atmosphere at the Alliance office in Turlock would be like.

Time to get out the glue

The art of crafts is slowing dying. I realized this Thursday night at a service club meeting when our group discussed delivering Valentine's Day cards to residents of local nursing homes.

Penalizing the law-abiding to punish criminals

How do you fight lawbreakers? The new trend is to punish those who abide by the law. And - wherever possible - make responsible citizens pay even more. Have a problem with "meth heads" using over-the-counter flu remedies such as Sudafed to cook up their poison? Simply make those suffering from the flu get a doctor's prescription. That's the solution Senator Dianne Feinstein is proposing. Forget the fact it takes ...

Outsourcing may be the answer for Caswell

At the southern terminus of Austin Road is one of 280 gems known as California State Parks. Caswell Memorial State Park is home to unique valley riparian woodlands. Such clustering of woodlands once covered immense swaths of the Valley floor alongside rivers. Today less than 2 percent of riparian oaks that existed when unsuccessful gold seekers turned to farming still stand. The 258 acres in the state park are home to perhaps a hundred ...

Economic two-step is getting old fast

On the front page of Wednesday's paper, there was a story about an open house at a new business in town and right next to it was a report on the number of unemployed in the county, which increased to 15.6 in the month of January. Along with the not-so-great news of increased unemployment, was the announcement that Post is closing its Modesto plant and laying off 140 workers. Sometimes it feels like ...

The new child abuse: Buying your kid a rifle

My brother Ronald knew how to safely use a rifle before he entered the fifth grade. His two kids - Joshua and Jennifer - were introduced to shooting long before puberty. Joshua was a serious contender for the Junior Olympics Rifle competition and earned a partial college scholarship based on his marksman skills. Ron is involved in running the Junior Rifle program that's part of the Lincoln Rifle Club. The 80-year-old ...

Proposed Delta water solution not good for region, economy

The following letter was sent to Governor Jerry Brown: The undersigned members of Congress express our bi-partisan concerns with the State Water Resources Control Board's policies surrounding the Bay-Delta and rivers tributary to the Delta. Many of us have been providing our various perspectives on the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan and we will continue to engage with you as the draft BDCP and related environmental documents emerge in the next month. However, for ...

College districts need to put education first, jobs second

Just 36.4 miles separate Delta College and Modesto Junior College. They both offer similar courses. Both have had to clamp down on enrollment and raise fees. But were all of the fee hikes and class caps necessary? The simple answer is no. That's because the fantasy known as "local control" takes precedent over education. San Joaquin Delta Community College District and Yosemite Community College District could easily be operated under one board and one ...

Complaining about roads second nature to Turlockers

New California gold rush: Folks making $200K+

They don't call California the Golden State for nothing. Contrary to some crying wolf, the better off among us aren't leaving California. Posturing politicians as usual miss the real story. The past two decades - according to the U.S. Census' American Community Survey - have seen a net 3.4 million people flee California for other states. If it hadn't been for high immigration from outside the United States and the birth rate the ...

Learning the lessons of Debi Austin’s life

It is with great interest that I've been following the story of Debi Austin, the woman from the trailblazing 1996 California anti-tobacco ad. Austin recently passed away after battling a host of health problems brought on by decades of smoking. Austin, who began her addiction at age 13, was already plowing through a pack of cigarettes per day before she graduated from junior high school. Not long later, she underwent a laryngectomy that ...

State water decision would leave Valley hanging dry

There is no life without water, and nowhere is this sentiment truer than in California, where water is critical to the vitality of every part of the state. But that does not give bureaucrats the justification to decimate the San Joaquin Valley to divert water from some areas to give even more water to others. The State Water Resources Control Board quietly decided on New Year's Eve to increase water exports for fish ...

From a nation of risk takers to a nation of litigators

A baseball fan turns away from the action at a minor league game in Idaho to chat with a friend. Suddenly, the crowd around him starts yelling. He turns back toward the field and is hit in the eye with a foul ball. Ultimately he loses vision in the eye. He sues. Earlier this month, NASCAR fans at Daytona sitting feet from the track where cars are racing at speeds approaching 200 mph ...

Yahoo's return to the Industrial Revolution

In January, the Journal relaunched its Women in Business publication after a four-year hiatus. When the advertising department first suggested bringing back this section, I was a little hesitant. Most of the women I know who hold leadership positions in their respective careers consider themselves professionals. Not women professionals. And all of the women interviewed for this year's special publication voiced the same opinion; gender was not a factor in their daily professional ...

The new math for employers

A side effect of more healthcare insurance coverage is becoming painfully apparent - a less robust economy for those struggling to stay afloat. It all comes down to two numbers: 49 and 29. Go above 49 employees and a business has to provide health insurance. Have an employee work more hours a week, and if you provide health coverage you have to extend it to them as well. The firms ...

Texas governor is California dreaming

Everything is bigger in Texas. Including the egos of their politicians. Texas Gov. Rick Perry came to California recently. His objective was to steal jobs. A Rhode Island-sized radio campaign - $24,000 worth of paid spots - preceded his pilgrimage to the cutting-edge land known as California. Perry's spiel is that he's heading here because it's hard to do business in California. It's so hard that Cupertino-based Apple has amassed $187 billion while Texas-based ...

Gun insurance is not the answer

Mandatory gun liability insurance for gun owners sounds reasonable, doesn't it? But so does mandatory liability insurance for dog owners. On paper, at least. In reality, all insurance will do is drive up the cost of owning a gun for responsible citizens and do little if anything to stop the criminal element or crazed individuals from killing people. Assemblyman Philip Ting, D-San Francisco, is pursuing a mandatory gun insurance requirement ...