Eric Caine formerly taught in the Humanities Department at Merced College. He was an original Community Columnist at the Modesto Bee, and wrote for The Bee for over twelve years.
Lost in the anti-government, anti-tax, pro-business rhetoric which has become the vocal currency of the day is an insidious assault on the American public. Those who know their American history realize there’s nothing new in dominance of our political institutions by wealthy elites. Old Ben Franklin feared the anti-democratic leanings of both George Washington and […]
Former Modesto City Councilman Bruce Frohman says, “Garrad Marsh will give the people of Modesto the best service for their tax dollars.” A close follower of local political issues for decades and a strong believer in farmland protection, Frohman has an insider’s knowledge of the local political scene. He’s also got a pretty good track […]
Residents of the Northern San Joaquin Valley who worry about sprawl, loss of farmland, loss of wildlife and open spaces, water quantity and quality and all the other issues associated with population growth have been fighting a rear guard action for years now. After decades of concern, they’re still looking at steady losses in farmland […]
Shrouded in mystery and misinformation, and once again under intense attack by developer-driven politicians, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is one of the least understood and most powerful weapons Valley citizens have against the negative effects of growth and sprawl. Perhaps because it’s associated with lawyers and litigation, CEQA has never been recognized as […]
August 3, 1997, under a headline that read, “We’re offering differing points of view,” the Modesto Bee announced a new program for the OP/ED page. The idea was the brain child of then publisher Orage Quarles III, who wanted to encourage community participation on the Opinions page. After a contest that featured 249 entries, the […]
Anyone who has never witnessed the migratory passage of Western Tanagers through the parks and gardens of the Northern San Joaquin Valley is missing one of our grander local spectacles. Male Western Tanagers have brilliant, flame-colored faces atop a bright yellow body cloaked in handsome black wings. Though stunning, they are easy to overlook as […]
New Year’s Day, Eric Johnston and Mark Vasché published the Modesto Bee’s annual pledge to Bee readers. Johnston and Vasché pledged to, “adhere to the highest journalistic standards of accuracy, fairness, impartiality and independence,” and added the plea, “that readers—and we ourselves—be respectful of people of differing viewpoints.” Johnston and Vasché’s words are best understood within the context […]