Blog Authors
Michael Fitzgerald
Mike Fitzgerald is The Record’s award-winning metro columnist. His column runs in the paper three times a week. Born in San Francisco, he was raised in Stockton. His column covers diverse beats including, sometimes, the offbeat. Read FullCategories
Archives
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
Latest Tweets
- Just passed a low-rider pickup on the Crosstown Freeway, custom painted and pinstriped. A rear-window decal read, "Praise the Lowered." 2009-11-11
- Moving to a new address on the blogosphere: http://bit.ly/1Sft50. See you there. 2009-10-22
- Recession Chronicles: Maxim's restaurant, which beat City Hall in court over dancing, closed today. More on my blog at recordnet.com/blogs. 2009-10-12
- Prison hospital scoop, inside info on the Stocktoberfest cross-up and giant tunnel-boring machines on my blog, recordnet.com/blogs. 2009-10-12
- A state assemblyman says the Peripheral Canal will be big enough for cruise ships. My light bulb moment in Friday's column at recordnet.com. 2009-10-01
- More updates...
Posting tweet...
Monthly Archives: May 2009
Union rep: There’s much more fat out there
Bill Petrone, a union rep with SEIU Local 1021, writes:
Nice column on the excessive perks in hard times given to some.
…The middle managers, Executive Managers, and confidential employees in San Joaquin County, receive a benefit called the “Cafeteria Plan”. This is cash given to these employees to purchase medical benefits. However, if all employees who [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
Maxim’s makes a federal case of it
David LaBeouf, the attorney for Maxim’s, the Brookside bar/restaurant whose music permit was just yanked by the Council, leaves this message.
“I just wanted to let you know that we filed a lawsuit against the city in federal court challenging the constitutionality of their ordinance, saying that is a violation of our first amendment rights. We [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
A vestige of old Fat City
Spotted Thursday morning at Senior Awareness Day: long-retired boxer Frank Dobales, a throwback to Stockton’s Fat City days.
Dobales fought 50 fights as a bantamweight or featherweight in the late 1940s. He won 40.
Dobales’s t-shirt eads, “I’m bringing grumpy back.” When I asked him if he really was grumpy, he said “Yes.”
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
An insight into gay marriage foes
The New Republic’s Jonathan Chait makes an impressive point about the opponents of gay marriage: their agument against gay marriage is that they’re against gay marriage.
In other words, ask them why the’re against gay marriage and they’ll reply they believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. But why? Read a great piece [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
Life at its hardest
We were proud to be of some help to Loretta and Matthew Ceaser, a struggling homeless couple from the tent city. For instance, today they may take delivery of a donated motor home.
So we are sad to learn that Loretta’s daugter and two grandchildren were killed in a Bay Area car crash over the holiday weekend.
“And my [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
‘Choking on karma?’
Next to Dale Fritchen, the poor chair of the Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, a man whose entire tenure is spent swirling deeper into Stockton’s budget maelstrom, the man I’d least like to be in Stockton is Stockton Unified Superintendent Anthony Amato. People don’t merely take exception to Amato’s policies. They get personal.
To me, that says more about his [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
But the change is gonna come
“Now, any minority can be targeted at the whim of a hostile majority. In November 2008, it was gay and lesbian couples. Who’s next?”–Lambda Legal on the state Supreme Courts discriminatory gay marriage ruling.
I tend to dismiss slippery slope arguments. But I have a deep distrust of majorities. So did the founding fathers, or what’s [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
Lodi vs. the dreadnought
Reader Nancy Ripken writes:
When I first came to the Lodi area in 1969 there was a green belt from Harney Lane to Eight Mile Rd. It existed, decisions were made on that premise, and it was non-negotiable. Property values reflected that restriction. When Lodi Unified proposed siting Tokay High School south of Harney Ln. the [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
When it comes to the Delta …
… if you’re not mad, you’re not paying attention.
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed

The race card doesn’t work for Rencher