The northern San Joaquin Valley has long been a hot spot for methamphetamine use and addiction, prime risk factors for viral Hepatitis. Nationwide, health experts are increasingly alarmed about what they claim is the hidden epidemic of viral Hepatitis, or Hepatitis C. In Stanislaus County, reports of Hepatitis C fluctuate wildly, from lows of 234 cases in 2007 to 778 cases in 2008. There is at present no systematic way […]
History
Gerry Kamilos' West Park Starting to Look Like Another Pie in the Sky Scheme
The good news for West Park supporters is that Gerry Kamilos hired the best for his Environmental Impact Review. The bad news is he owes them over a quarter-million dollars. Kamilos’ attorneys, Remy, Thomas, Moose and Manley are the platinum standard of California land-use law firms. They literally write the book on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and update it often. They’ve already guided Kamilos through a victorious lawsuit […]
Did the New Editor Admit the Bee Has Been Serving Empty Calories?
Among the most noteworthy items in Joseph Kieta’s April 28 debut column were the new Bee editor’s promises to deliver, “a sharper focus for the printed newspaper. It needs to be more local. And it needs to focus on the ‘why’ and ‘how.’” Kieta also told readers to expect more journalism that doesn’t, “pull punches.” For some, Kieta’s promises amounted to an admission of journalistic weaknesses many Bee readers have […]
Bruce Frohman on Modesto's Chronic Unemployment Problems
Bruce Frohman was on the Modesto City Council when Modesto posted a forty year low unemployment figure. Here he offers some common sense observations on our chronic unemployment problems. The latest 2012 unemployment figures for Modesto show an official rate of 17.1 percent. During the last 40 years, the lowest unemployment rate in the community was in 2003 at under 9 percent. Following are some of the reasons Modesto has […]
History Comes Alive at Modesto Mayors' Reception
History came alive in Modesto at the February 28 reception for outgoing Mayor Jim Ridenour (pictured left) and incoming Mayor Garrad Marsh. Also present were former mayors Carol Whiteside and Carmen Sabatino. Each mayor represented a fascinating chapter in local political history. Carol Whiteside was Modesto’s last progressive mayor. She served from 1987 to 1991, when moderate Republicans were still permitted to look forward rather than backward. Whiteside was a leader […]
Special Report: Columbia Journalism Review Claims Need for News in Modesto Far Exceeds Supply
A recent report by the Columbia Journalism Review focused on news in Modesto. It is a must read, especially those sections by former Modestans, including former Modesto Junior College Professor Laura Paull. The report sparked a great deal of commentary, all of it of keen interest to Valley citizens. Our take follows. Many Modesto Bee employees and former employees cried “foul” when the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) released a report that […]
Modesto's Retrograde Motion and Why Peggy Mensinger Matters
Many Modesto residents will be surprised to learn that their fair city was not always at or near the bottom in national rankings. The University of California at Davis didn’t always rank our planning at the very lowest “sustainable” level of Central Valley cities. Forbes magazine didn’t always rank Modesto among the twenty worst cities in the U.S. In fact, if there were ever a case of going backwards, Modesto […]
By Popular Demand: Flint's Spiked Column, by John Michael Flint
In what has by now become just another stage in the longest political marathon in local memory, Carmen Sabatino is running again—this time for city council. It is a delicious bit of irony that there could be no better occasion to feature here John Michael Flint’s spiked column, the very column the Modesto Bee refused to run last year, when Sabatino vied for county supervisor. As always, Flint’s take is original, […]
Tour Memory Lane in Village I with Bill Zoslocki
“’We never had control of the process — ever,’” said [Bill] Zoslocki, a member of the Building Industry Association of Central California board who insisted he was only speaking for himself. “’Everybody needs to get off their soap box.’” This was nearly a decade ago, back in September, 2002, when the Village I fees shortfall was hitting the fan. By now, Village I has receded into the mist of dim […]
In Memoriam: John Michael Flint
The Valley Citizen is dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Flint had several careers over his lifetime, including as a local radio talk show host, and a career in the early days of computing. It was as a Community Columnist for the Modesto Bee that people remember him best. A self-confessed political junkie, his brevity, wit, and vast knowledge of local politics were unequalled. As former Bee assistant Opinion […]