Monthly Archives: November 2008

The joker in the farmer’s deck

Farmers are seen as conservative. But there’s a risk-benefit analysis in farming akin to gambling. Decisions about what to plant, how much, what to pay for fertilizer, market timing, contracts, loans, all come back in one way or another to a random and unpredictable element: the weather. And it’s sister element, water. Across the Valley you [...]
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Reader: library not acquiring popular books

Reader Virginia Lamphear writes: Your column on Friday said the Grand Jury is investigating Natalie Rencher and the Library. I hope they investigate the direction she is steering the library. Staff morale is so low because of the changes she is pushing. You quote Rencher as saying she’s the new broom stirring discontent from longtime employees [...]
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Machado: prison hospital is an opportunity

State Senator Mike Machado writes: This is a follow up to your column on the proposed prison hospital.  There are many issues that need to be addressed re the prison hospital.  There are also opportuinities.   What  other proposal for the San Joaquin community will provide between 3,000-4,000 well paying jobs?  There will be need for RNs, LVNs. [...]
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A reader’s mostest proposal to fix Social Security

Richard Farago writes:    Just solved the Social Security problem but before I give you the answer let me tell you a true story. My Mother in law died about 2 years ago. She was a decent woman who worked all of her life as a seamstress …  She retired at 60 and lived until she [...]
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Nordstrom brilliant vs. dreary Eldo Street project

Larry Nordstrom, fighting the El Dorado Street Widening project, acutally appears to be winning his campaign, though the project was well underway when he cranked up the war machine. He writes: We had a productive meeting today with the City Council Development & Planning Committee. To very briefly summarize …  The city staff, through their consultants, provided an [...]
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Collecting Stocktons: land of pippies

This Stockton is “a land of plenty, with oysters, pippies, myriads of fish species in the surrounding waters and abundant wildlife in the forested areas.” Don’t know what a “pippie” is, but I’m glad they are abundant — in Stockton, Australia.
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Shadowbird case: David 1, Goliath 0

The Shadowbird case – the city’s longest-running legal entanglement – partially concluded on Wednesday when a judge handed a defeat to The Grupe Co. and a victory to the progressive nonprofit Shadowbird.   The background on this curious case is here.   Throughout this David vs. Goliath case – a battle over 50 acres of land west of [...]
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Determined to be a disaster until the very last day

Proving they cannot get along with anybody, Delta College’s famously dysfunctional board rebuffed pleas from new members-elect Tuesday not to make any more decisions about bond money or Delta’s south-county satellite campus. The sitting trustees, demonstrating the collegiality for which they are renowned, told the new board members to get lost. “There’s only one board,” huffed trustee Greg McCreary, [...]
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Don’t give Martin one penny

Today’s column about Joe Martin, the checkered character suing Stockton Unified, doesn’t include Martin’s perspective. Evidently Martin’s attorney has advised him not to speak to the press. Given Martin’s temperment, this is probably a prudent decision. To call me today in anger would only cement his image. So, absent his perspective, my additional thoughts are speculative. I’m guessing Martin [...]
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Podesto: unbuilt bridges snarl traffic

A voice mail from former mayor Gary Podesto:   What that anonymous writer (see below) fails to recognize is there were 10 bridges that were not voted in by Councils of the past that woud have take traffic off the few north south roads that exist. Pacific Avenue, Eldorado Avenue, Pershing Avenue, West Lane. Had they been approved – even though [...]
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