In a recent Facebook post, Emerson Drake announced that I had “gone over to the dark side”* because I sent an email to Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh indicating that I would like to be contacted when the ballot argument against the Stamp Out Sprawl (SOS) initiative is written. Apparently, Mr. Drake intends to post a copy of my email to Mayor Marsh without the courtesy of asking my permission and […]
History
How to Integrate Resources for Homelessness
In order to end homelessness in Stanislaus County, all available resources need to be integrated. A homeless person has the right to refuse service, but does not have the right to receive service if he refuses to cooperate. Someone needs to be appointed coordinator for resources to serve the homeless. The coordinator will need to inventory all available services within Stanislaus County. The coordinator can be in the public or […]
How to End Homelessness in Stanislaus County
Enough resources are available to eliminate homelessness in Stanislaus County. The barriers to elimination include lack of coordination of resources, failure of the homeless to cooperate, and an ongoing influx of homeless people attracted by the very resources that are being misallocated. County Resources Consider all of the available resources to aid the homeless: Social programs like Welfare, Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability, Medicaid, Section 8 Housing, job training, […]
Modesto’s Bike Lane Mystery Solved
The City of Modesto recently installed bike lanes on Briggsmore Expressway between Prescott Road and McHenry Avenue. Some citizens have been wondering whether the expenditure represents the best use of limited public funds. After a strong lobbying effort by bicycle riding advocates in the 1980’s, when Modesto’s General Plan was updated, bike lanes became a part of the process for infrastructure improvement. A bike path was built in Thousand Oaks […]
Colony Protection Must Include Triangle Says Wenger
When Jake Wenger learned Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh and Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow had begun formation of a compact between the city and county that would protect Wood Colony, he was elated. Wenger’s ancestors settled in Wood Colony in 1910. Besides farming and running farming related businesses, the family has a history of community involvement and activism. Jake’s father Paul is President of the California Farm Bureau Federation. Jake […]
Outsourcing Valley Jobs
In the past year, many of the Valley’s low paying jobs have been shipped overseas to the Philippines. More and more companies are moving their call centers out of the area even though wages are among the lowest in the nation. AT&T AT & T is closing its call center in Atwater. About 550 jobs are moving out of the area, supposedly to other states. When I called AT & […]
Don Lundberg: A Hero for Our Time
At Sunday’s memorial for Don Lundberg in Waterford, there were many tales of his exploits as a mountaineer, runner, cyclist, and swimmer. Lundberg was an amazing athlete. It wasn’t unusual for fit runners in their thirties or forties to see Lundberg pass them midway through a 10k race. After a while, many could recognize the slap, slap, slap of his feet as he moved up behind them. Though he was […]
Caltrans to Update 132 Freeway Project
News Item: Caltrans has announced that on Monday, August 18, a public meeting will be held to discuss current plans and timetable for phase one construction of the 132 West Freeway project. The meeting will be held at the King-Kennedy Memorial Center, 601 North Martin Luther King Junior Drive, in Modesto, from 6:30 to 8:00pm. On July 31, 2014, the Project Implementation Plan Committee (PIP) for Highway 132 met to […]
New Tax for Drivers?
News Item: Bloomberg-Businessweek reported this month that the State of Oregon is piloting a new mileage-based tax on automobiles. The purpose of the tax is to augment gas tax revenue that has been declining due to more fuel efficient cars. Oregon is working with ten other western states, including California, to come up with a workable program. The Pilot Program Mr. James Whitty is the manager of the Oregon State Office […]
Bay Area Dumps on the Valley
Ask any chief of police. If he’s honest with you, he’ll tell you most violent crime occurs in poor neighborhoods. He will NOT tell you that poor people are criminals any more than rich people. However, violent criminals tend to live in poor neighborhoods for economic reasons. Criminals may become violent when they think they have nothing to lose. Lacking the funds to buy mobility, many criminals tend to commit […]