Love it: That our brand of cat food was not listed among those recalled because of poisoning incidents. My condolences to those who lost their family pets to this awful mistake.

Hate it: When people allow their out-of-control dogs to destroy other people's belongings without taking responsibility for the damages.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Coming back this morning from running the kids to school, I saw a headline atop the Local & State section that caught my eye: "CSUF isn't early strike target." Good, I thought, if Al-Qaida terrorists plan to attack here in our Valley, Fresno State doesn't top their list of targets. That's reassuring.

Then I saw the smaller headline beneath that: "Fresno State would escape first waves of walkout if contract talks miss deadline."

This wasn't about terrorism at all -- it's an article about contract talks and the possible faculty strike.

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here's further evidence of the dysfunctional way California's ballot proposition system works: The first initiative to qualify for the February 5, 2008, primary ballot is there by mistake.

Cosmo Garvin of the Sacramento-based Capitol Weekly lays out the whole complicated mess in a March 28 story. The gist of it is that the California Alliance for Jobs, a coalition of construction companies and building trades unions, ginned up the initiative last year to stop the state from dipping into gas tax revenue that's supposed to be dedicated to transportation and using it for other purposes. The group gathered thousands of signatures to get its measure on the ballot.

In the meantime, the Legislature came up with its own measure, weaker than the Alliance wanted but acceptable to them. They pulled back on their own initiative and backed Proposition 1A, which voters approved in November.
But some signatures had been delivered to the state for verification, as a backup in case the compromise went sideways. And guess what? They were enough to qualify the measure for the ballot.

So now the Alliance is in the position of having to write the argument against their own initiative next February. What a system.

Posted by Russ Minick at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Our lead editorial in today's paper discusses a prank by a student that has gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A high school student, waiting for the 2002 Winter Olympic's Torch Relay to pass by, raised a 14-foot banner that said "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" in view of TV cameras along the route in Juneau, Alaska. His school principal ran across the street, seized the banner and suspended the student.

The case raises interesting points about free speech, but also about how far the jurisdiction of school administrators reaches. Can a school discipline a student for actions that occur off school grounds and outside of school hours?

Our editorial board meets monthly with a group of local teens (we meet again tonight, in fact). Last month, a lively debate ensued on whether or not school administrators should be able to hold students responsible for actions that occur off campus and outside of class time. Some schools were requiring students in leadership clubs to pledge to abide by a code of conduct. Students found to have been at parties where alcohol was served were barred from club membership. Other teens pointed out that school athletes have long been held to higher standards, even when it involves out-of-school activities.

What do you think? Was the school official in the right or wrong? And what about the student's right to freedom of speech, even if his speech was stupid and intended as a joke?

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Last night the editorial board members gathered with several dozen otherValley journalists at the Fresno Art Museum to cheer on our colleague, Russ Minick, who was nominated for a Gruner Award. He was among the top winners getting $500 each for their work. Russ wrote a series of editorials supporting Measure C, which passed by an astounding margin. You can send him a note at rminick@fresnobee.com.

The judges said this about Russ' work:
Judge 1: "Bless Russ Minick. When Fresno County faced overwhelming odds to extend a special transportation sales tax, Minick came in with guns blazing. He led The Bee campaign in behalf of Measure C that rested on a critical assumption about county residents: They could still be reached through an appeal to common sense. And, I might add, a touch of humor. Who else but Minick would have created an editorial likening tax opponents to a child having a temper tantrum? Bravo."

Judge 2: "Minick's pieces rang with authority and clarity, especially the editorials... Good jurnalists explain their viewpoints artfully. Great journalists accept other viewpoints, present them in an honorable, non-demeaning fashion and then refute them -- with facts. Although this was a clear case of journalistic advocacy, Minick's work was filled with openness and honesty."

Judge 3: "This entry features crisp, clear writing and Russell Minick had no excess verbage. I liked the creative ways he used to write the editorials."

I was also very impressed with the other Valley finalists in the contest. There is some excellent investigative journalism going on here and it's great to have the Gruner award to recognize those accomplishments.

The journalism award is named for George Gruner, a former executive editor at The Bee. He now works in concert with the California State University, Fresno journalism department to reward the Valley's best work with an annual contest for public service journalism. Next year marks 20 years of this contest.

Go, Russ!

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Tony Snow, White House spokesman, on Tuesday announced a recurrence of his colon cancer. Armen D. Bacon of Fresno wrote a very nice commentary on the topic of early detection of colon cancer for Saturday's Valley Voices page. If you're over 50 and haven't read it, invest a few minutes. It's compelling reading and might actually encourage you to get over your fears and schedule that annual colonoscopy exam, which she says isn't painful at all.

After the commentary appeared, I got this e-mail from Armen with her typical humor:

"Well, a friend brought it to my attention that the colonoscopy article appeared on Page 'B9' which we both thought to be extremely 'cool' and I just wanted to tell you about the amazing responses I have received from the article. Although I don't particularly want to become famous for writing these sorts of articles, I did love receiving a call at home from a 79 year old man who was scared and reluctant to have the procedure this coming Thursday. After reading the article, he felt reassured, unafraid, and much less anxious. So many women have also called me to confess their fears and worries about anyone examining them 'down there.' "

Early detection is crucial Senator Oropeza urges residents to get regular screenings for colorectal cancer

SACRAMENTO - State Sen. Jenny Oropeza, herself a cancer survivor, is urging Californians to help protect themselves from colorectal cancer through screening, a healthy diet and learning the methods of prevention and early detection.

"Colorectal cancer is second only to lung cancer in cancer deaths among men and women both in California and nationwide," Oropeza, D-Carson, said Tuesday. "More than 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, and a third of them will die.

"Compounding this tragedy is the fact that colorectal cancer is one of the most detectable and, if found early enough, most treatable forms of cancer," she said.

Oropeza made the comments after reviewing recent reports on colorectal cancer and on the same day it was confirmed White House Press Secretary Tony Snow had liver cancer two years after suffering colon cancer.

Oropeza noted the following:

· More than 90 percent of those diagnosed while the cancer is still localized survive more than five years -- but only 37 percent of colorectal cancers are detected while still localized.

· Screening for colorectal cancer is underutilized, and less than 50 percent of individuals older than age 50 receive annual screenings for colorectal cancer.

· Regular screenings can detect polyps that lead to colorectal cancer.

"Adopting a healthy diet at a young age can significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer," said Oropeza, who recovered from liver cancer two years ago and is sponsoring a ban on smoking in cars with children, Senate Bill 7. "Clearly, regular screenings and detection saves lives."

For more, visit Oropeza's Web site at the address below.

Elected to the Assembly in 2000 and the Senate in 2006, Jenny Oropeza is one of the highest-ranking Latinos in the Legislature and chairs the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee. For more, visit www.senate.ca.gov/oropeza

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Love it: Having a job that includes health insurance.
Hate it: When my favorite prescription isn't covered.
Love it: When the doctor says the magic word: "Benign!"
Hate it: When the doctor adds these instructions: "full physical."

Posted by Gail Marshall at 4:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just since last Friday, people in my neighborhood have come out of our homes and talked to each other in a central gathering place in our eastern Clovis block.

The park, with a number of mature sago palms and coniferous trees, has been there since we moved in, early in 2004. But without any playground equipment or picnic tables, there wasn't a feature to draw neighbors there with a central purpose. People walked their dogs there, kids played with airsoft or paintball guns, families flew kites. But often the big green space was empty.

That all changed Friday, when the construction fence came down, and the new playground opened up to the public. We'd watched it being built with excitement. I got the news Friday afternoon when my friend who watches my little girl emailed me at work: "The park by your house is open! I'm taking the kids to play there."

As soon as I got home from work, I had to take Katie back. The playground swarmed with happy children, at least 15 or 20. And parents watched from the perimeters, sitting at tables talking to each other amiably, or pushing strollers nearby with babies.

In our visits back there since Friday, I've talked to more people who live in our neighborhood than I think I had in the three years we've lived in our house. We all have a tendency to get too caught up in our own little worlds, closing ourselves off from others. But we are all part of something bigger, a community of different people and different beliefs. We need places like this to come together, to get to know each other and to make new friends, widening the borders of our world to include our neighbors who surround us.

I'm glad that's something valued by the city planners in the community where we live.

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Now this is politics at its best. According to The Roundup, a Web site for the Capitol Weekly and AroundTheCapitol.com:

"Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines will face off with Speaker Fabian Nunez in a sushi smackdown Tuesday in Sacramento to showcase California-grown rice. The speaker responded to Villines' challenge with a set of haikus:

"Land locked Clovis man
Makes worst Republican Rice
Since Condoleezza"

We await the results with bated breaths.

Posted by Russ Minick at 6:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Love it: When the "hold music" fits the business. Doctors should play "Good Lovin'" don't you think? Lawyers should play "I Fought the Law and the Law Won." Houses of worship should play recordings of their congregational singing.

Hate it: Businesses that put you on hold forever without telling you it's going to be a long wait!

Love it: When businesses offer same-day delivery service.

Hate it: When restaurants say they are out of something -- even if there's a grocery store across the street.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Journalists face all sorts of dangers, from the angry rants of parents whose kid's football game got only minimal coverage ("You always favor the Clovis schools!") to threatening phone calls from public officials to deadly violence in combat zones. But here's a new one: savage, crazed geese.

Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch employees recently got a memo warning them how to behave if confronted by one of the geese that apparently take up residence on the grounds of the newspaper during nesting season each year.

Among the tidbits:
Maintain direct eye contact with the animal and face toward it.
If the goose acts aggressively, calmly and slowly back away.
Never turn you back to an aggressive goose.

Sound advice, whether you're dealing with psychotic water fowl or angry readers.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I don't think, if I were in the situation Elizabeth Edwards is in, that I could share her positive outlook on her husband's decision to continue in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination despite the return of her cancer.

I think the idea of a grueling 20-month campaign might be more than I could handle, along with doing whatever it might take to treat the disease (her cancer has returned in a metastasized and incurable form).

"When this happens, you can go cower in a corner and hide, or you can be tough and go out and stand up for what you believe in," John Edwards said. "We have no intention of cowering in a corner."

Those are admirable qualities. I like to think that I have a toughness, a strength like that. But everyone has limits -- I just don't know that I'd be up to that same level of courage.

But, maybe they can do it. Their passion, not just his, is politics. Maybe being at her husband's side as he campaigns will be a tonic for her, giving her more strength. John Edwards has already shown a capacity for maximizing the impact of non-traditional means of campaigning, such as the Internet and the blogosphere.

Political strategists said it's unclear how voters will react, and that the announcement puts the campaign in uncharted waters, according to a Chicago Tribune article.

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 6:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

If the Legislature would give up its power to draw district lines, it would make our elected officials in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., more accountable. The biggest change would come in state government, which is run by legislators who can't be beaten in an election. It's time to turn redistricting over to an independent commission.

Here's my column that was published today about California's congressional delegation trying to block reform.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to Fresno to discuss water storage issues. That event will take place at Friant Dam. You can view a Webcast of the water meeting on the governor's Web site. Tune in here at 10:45 a.m. Monday.

The governor will then head over to The Bee for a meeting with our Editorial Board, and then goes to the Fresno Rotary Club to give a speech. We're looking for a lively session with the governor. He usually approaches editorial board meetings with humor and candor. This will be Schwarzenegger's third appearance before our Editorial Board.

Interestingly, Gray Davis came to see us several times before he was elected governor. But once he got into office, he never showed up again.

Posted by Jim Boren at 1:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mel Gibson's anger management counseling didn't take. Just when you thought he had repaired his image, Gibson told a critic of his movie "Apocalypto" to F--- off during a discussion of the film Thursday evening at Cal State University, Northridge. The critic accused him of racial stereotyping in the film. Finally, a frustrated Gibson fired off his favorite rejoinder. Here's a story on the latest Gibson explosion.

You'll remember that Gibson unleashed anti-Semitic remarks at a police officer who nabbed him for a DUI last summer.

Gibson says he won't apologize for his latest behavior. But of course he will -- just as soon as he sobers up.

Posted by Jim Boren at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cancer cannot define us unless we allow it to take that position. I applaud Team Edwards for doing what's most meaningful to them during this uncertain time. When our lives are threatened, every moment becomes precious and I would want to spend my time doing only things that support my core mission in life. I hope everyone who loves Elizabeth encourages her and makes it possible for her to use her energies to do what she most loves.

I've seen this affirmation on the Internet and on plaques in the gift stores. It's simple and I like it:

Cancer is so limited...

It cannot cripple love

It cannot shatter hope

It cannot corrode faith

It cannot destroy peace

It cannot kill friendship

It cannot suppress memories

It cannot silence courage

It cannot invade the soul

It cannot steal eternal life

It cannot conquer the spirit.

Amen to that!

Posted by Gail Marshall at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Is this how the '60s end, not with a bang or a whimper, but with a lawsuit?

Former members of Jefferson Starship, nee Airplane, are going to court, says the San Francisco Chronicle today, over the use of the band's name. Grace Slick, the band's lead singer and co-founder -- she's also the majority shareholder in Jefferson Starship Inc. -- has joined with a former band manager to sue Paul Kantner, the group's former lead guitarist. Apparently Kantner has been touring for years under the name Paul Kantner's Starship, which didn't bother Slick and the rest of them so long as Kantner's gigs were limited to "playing small fairs," in the words of Bill Thompson, the former manager.

But when Kantner struck a deal with Microsoft to use the band's name in promotions, the legal briefs hit the fan.

Who knows where this will wind up? But it's a long way from "Don't You Want Somebody to Love."

Posted by Russ Minick at 1:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Love it: When people refer to the Bulldog gang members as "Bullfrogs" instead. Let's rebrand those brats. Ribbit! Ribbit!

Hate it: When health-loving, early-morning joggers get their cars burglarized while they are exercising in the park. Give me a break.

Love it: When the governor comes to Fresno for crime-fighting tips.

Hate it: When people make it easy for even the laziest of car thieves by leaving their car doors unlocked or, even, if you can believe it, the engine running with the keys in the ignition.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's coming... (cue theme from "Jaws"). It's prom season. And already the excitement is starting to stir. Our foreign exchange son this year, Tiago from Bazil, has a young lady he dates regularly and prom is a given, but she still wants a special invitation. So he's dreaming up ideas. They'll be in Las Vegas at the same time soon. There could be some possibilities there. Suggestions, anyone? C'mon, help the kid out.

The seasonal controversies are already starting to emerge - the current concerns are not dirty dancing anymore but drinking. A high school in Lexington, Mass., is requiring students to ride a bus or chartered trolley to prom, according to the Boston Globe.

Concern about preprom drinking parties is spurring this. The kids -- and their parents -- are rebelling with angry petitions.

That's all important, of course, but this quote jumped out at me: "Who takes a bus to the prom, honestly?" said Allie McDonald, 16, a junior. "You're supposed to have a limo."

Entitlement, anyone?

Personally, I think a sober, all-night afterprom party sounds like fun. Some schools really go all out for the kids on this. I like the idea.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today's story by The Bee's Russell Clemings lays out the tale of the California State University, Fresno, Association, the non-profit "auxiliary" that has become an economic powerhouse on the local campus. The organization's latest project is the much-debated Campus Pointe development east of Save Mart Center.

Lots of universities are going in this direction, in large part because, as in California, public support for academic institutions has fallen a great deal from the levels we saw in the 1960s and '70s. But the trend has raised the hackles of many, especially among faculties across the country. The objection is that these money-generating enterprises have little or nothing to do with education, and draw attention and resources away from the traditional academic pursuits of colleges.

And they do. We've come a long way from the now quaint notion that schools should be a place where learning takes place. Now they are regarded as job-training centers, a very different thing. In my ideal world, universities would never offer professional training -- including journalism -- at the undergraduate level. Such courses would be offered to graduate students. Undergraduates would get a broad and general education in the sciences, language, arts, music, history, economics and philosophy, with the emphasis on learning the skills of literacy and critical thinking. Let job training be done on the job.

Of course, that ideal world never existed, and never will. Too bad.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Assembly Member Juan Arambula, D-Fresno, first said he would not seek re-election next year because of his frustrations with the legislative process. But now he's changed his mind. Here's a statement Arambula just released:

A new year always brings renewed hope and a new perspective, as we turn our thoughts and attention toward the future. This year was no different. Late last year I made a decision to not seek a third term in the Assembly. While the decision was made from a real sense of frustration with Sacramento, I now realize a little more deliberation may have been in order.

This year my wife, Amy, and I received the gift of our first grandchild. Many of you have undoubtedly experienced the rush of emotions when you held your child, or in our case our grandson, for the first time. You want to protect them from all harm, and make sure they have every opportunity to grow up healthy and happy.

This new year also brought a devastating freeze that has severely impacted many of our Central Valley residents and communities. From grocery store owners to farmers to farm workers, many are feeling the economic pain. Families and entire communities, already struggling before the freeze, are now worried about their basic survival.

This year has also brought new legislative responsibilities. With nearly half of the Assembly consisting of new freshmen members, there is a greater need for experienced members. This year I also serve as chairman of two committees important to the Central Valley and the State, the Budget Sub Committee on State Administration and the Jobs & Economic Development Committee.

These developments have reminded me of the reasons why I have dedicated so many years of my life to public service. Plainly and simply, I want our government to run well and to serve the needs of its people. That means all of us, not just a select few. All of our children deserve a quality education. All of us want clean air to breathe. And all of us want affordable health care and a job that puts food on the table and a roof over our heads.

Recent events have made me realize that my job is not yet done. I have been humbled by the flood of e-mails, calls and comments from individuals urging me to reconsider my earlier decision. Yes, I have reconsidered. I shall be seeking another term in the Assembly. I want our children and grandchildren to have even better opportunities than were available to us, and I want to help our struggling families and communities in the Central Valley to make it through these difficult times.

I look forward to continuing our work together to meet the challenges that face us all.

Posted by Jim Boren at 2:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer must be in Sacramento Tuesday to meet with Gov. Schwarzenegger, so we're pushing back the blogging session with him to Tuesday, April 3. It will run from 1-2 p.m.

You can still send questions to the chief in advance. Email them to opiniontips@fresnobee.com.

Posted by Jim Boren at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I just love it when the baseball season is upon us and my beloved St. Louis Cardinals -- that's the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals -- are about to take on the National League once again.

I just hate it when I wake up to the news that the Cardinals' manager, Tony La Russa, was arrested and charged with drunken driving in Florida overnight. Police said La Russa was asleep at the wheel, waiting through two cycles of traffic lights and with his motor running, when they spotted him and made the arrest. Sheesh.

Posted by Russ Minick at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

That's a survey question on TheState.com, a South Carolina newspaper Web site. It's related to a bill that is making headway in the S.C. house this week, which would require women to sign a statement swearing they had seen an ultrasound image of their fetus before getting an abortion.

Supporters of the measure hope that image will spur more women to forgo abortion, according to the article. Opponents called the bill "emotional blackmail."

Of the 571 people who voted in the paper's survey so far, 81% said women should not be required to view an ultrasound image before an abortion is performed. My vote was with the minority -- I'm in favor of the bill. What do you think?

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)

Love it: Teachers like Rick Clarke at Bullard High School who take students on field trips. Many students learn so much more when they are :doing" and not just "hearing." Clarke's taking my two boys to Cesar Chavez Day ceremonies on Friday as part of their African-American history class.

Hate it: Schools that punish tardy kids who carpool or take public transit. They're doing something to help the environment and how often do you see more than one person in a car around here? Students should catch a break if the bus or carpool's occasionally late.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's no secret that our nation's security is being compromised by our lack of Arabic language skills. I got a memo this morning from AFS, a foreign-exchange organization that has a summer program to study for two months in Egypt for students who want to learn Arabic. There are 25 full-tuition scholarships available. What a great opportunity for an adventurous high school student.

Here's the memo:

Our 2006 Youth Ambassadors Summer Language Institute pilot program in Egypt proved very successful, thanks in large part to your enthusiastic support and nominations of more than 160 excellent candidates.
This year, we're offering 25 full-tuition scholarships to extraordinary young people to attend this intensive summer language and cultural immersion program that is also a homestay. The program runs from June 30 to August 13, and our Egyptian YES Program Returnees will be their guides, accompanied by AFS Egypt Staff and a U.S.-based program leader.

The deadline for nominations is April 2. Though it's coming up soon, we're sure you know wonderful kids who would love to go abroad on this exciting program.

http://www.uFor more information about the program, visit afs.org/usa_en/news/article/3733

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to our favorite city today to talk with local officials about fighting gangs. At about 11 a.m., the governor will hold a press availability, and you can view it on a webcast at this link.

On Monday, Schwarzenegger is scheduled to be back in Fresno talking about San Joaquin Valley transportation issues. He sure spends a lot of time here, but we like the attention. Gray Davis seldom showed up in Fresno when he was governor -- unless someone offered to hold a fundraiser for him.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Great news on the bipartisanship front: A delegation of Republican and Democratic state legislators went to Washington, D.C., recently to lobby Congress for "more equitable federal funding," according to a story in the San Jose Mercury News.

It's the first time in five year such an effort has been mounted.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Republican Assembly leader Mike Villines of Clovis led a group 24 Democrats and seven Republicans to the capital, where they met with a gaggle of House and Senate members.

"Delivering for California on this is something we can all agree on," Villines said. "We hope some of the bipartisan spirit in Sacramento rubs off on Washington." Bravo.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Love it: When you can trust your mechanic!

Hate it: Auto service shops that don't offer shuttle service -- to and from. They know they have your car! What are you supposed to do? And if it's a dealership, they've got dozens of cars just sitting around doing nothing. Think of it this way -- it's an opportunity for a salesperson to get you into a new car for a test drive a couple of times a year. Sounds like an opportunity to me! Props to Clawson Honda and German Auto Repair -- they do it. German Auto Repair even has a real limo for their limo service and the kindest driver.

Love it: Those little reminder stickers in the car window that tell you when it's time to go for servicing.

Hate it: When it's time for servicing.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer will be blogging with you in this space Tuesday, March 27, from 11 a.m. until noon. You can send questions for the chief early by going to the Opinion page on Fresnobee.com and clicking on OpinionTips, or you can email your questions directly to opiniontips@fresnobee.com.

There is a lot going on with the Police Department and this is your chance to ask the chief about the many issues facing his agency. You can also check the blog during the session and read what others are asking and see the chief's answers.

We had Mayor Alan Autry blog with us in December and you asked him dozens of questions. It was a great exchange, and we expect the same thing during the chief's blog.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Thanks to many of you, I finished ahead of fellow columnist Bill McEwen in the number of Kids Day newspapers sold today. It was a friendly competition, and the kids at Children's Hospital Central California were the big winners. The overall results have yet to be tallied, but this could be a record-breaking year for the amount of money that Valley residents will be sending to Children's Hospital.

Thanks for being so generous.

UPDATE at 6:18 p.m.: I just talked with Tom Cullinan, The Bee's vice president of circulation, and he reports that today's efforts will generate at least $400,000 (they are still counting so the number will go higher) for Children's Hospital.

Wow.

Posted by Jim Boren at 4:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's Kids Day! Isn't it fun seeing all those people outside working for Children's Hospital Central California? I saw gray-haired seniors selling on one corner, frat boys selling on Van Ness and Herndon; high school kids dancing at the corner of Fruit and Barstow; darling tiny little kids around Gettysburg and Fruit. Diversity? Oh, you bet. And what entertainment you get for a buck!

I hit up a bunch of my friends and family for donations so that the Opinion pages can beat Bill McEwen. Bill called out Jim Boren in his column Sunday, saying his goal was to outsell Jim. Very clever -- but not clever enough. We've got really big Outlook directories. If I didn't get through to you, just send a check made out to Fresno Bee Kids Day and save us the call.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY! ! Hey, it's for the kids!

Posted by Gail Marshall at 3:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thank goodness for the foresight of Fresno County voters, who overwhelmingly approved the renewal of Measure C, the county's transportation sales tax last November.

Our colleagues on the editorial page of the Modesto Bee wrote this lament recently about how Stanislaus County is getting stiffed especially hard in the allocation of state transportation funds. It's not news when a Valley county gets short shrift from the state, but Stanislaus County voters shot themselves in their collective foot when they failed to pass Measure K, a transportation tax similar to Measure C, in the last election.

One of the criteria for handing out state transportation money is to give preference to so-called "self-help" counties, such as Fresno, which vote to tax themselves to pay for road and transit projects. Put simply, in Modesto's words: "Stanislaus will get less than areas of comparable size because we have less local money to put up."

Posted by Russ Minick at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In no particular order...

The ultimate senior citizens discount: A German brothel is offering its services at half-price to customers who can prove they're 66 or older.

A recent Duke University engineering graduate is already nostalgic for his days on campus. So he invented a mini-refrigerator that will toss a can of cold beer up to 20 feet across the room, right into his waiting hands while seated on his favorite couch. Now that's the entrepreneurial spirit -- find a need and fill it.

A member of the Finnish parliament -- and devoted fan of Star Trek -- has translated his campaign Web site into Klingonese. According to CNN.com, Jyrki Kasvi -- sounds Klingon to me -- "said his politics posed some translation difficulties, since Klingon does not have words for matters such as tolerance, or for many colors, including green -- the party under whose banner he is running in the national elections on March 18." And you thought American politics can get a little weird.

And a judge who played a secondary role in the Anna Nicole Smith case was busted in Hollywood, Fla., for smoking pot in a city park. Lawrence Korda, 59, "played a role in the Anna Nicole Smith case when he briefly handled a small part of the paternity battle over the former Playboy centerfold's infant daughter," according to the Sun-Sentinel newspaper in South Florida. Justice isn't just blind; sometimes it's wasted.

Posted by Russ Minick at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Bee's Nzong Xiong gave us a delightful story Sunday about the History Day competition for Valley students held at Fresno State on Saturday. It was refreshing to read about young people with a sense of history's importance.

Ignorance of history can be fatal to societies. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," is how philosopher George Santayana put it in his oft-misquoted epigram from "Reason in Common Sense," the first volume of his "The Life of Reason."

It's only by studying the past that we can gain even the smallest clues about why things are the way they are in the present. Besides, it's rewarding in other ways, as many of the students found out.

"History can be fun," is how Danielle Crouch from Jackson Elementary School in Selma put it. Couldn't agree more.

Posted by Russ Minick at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

It's for the kids, of course. But fellow Bee columnist Bill McEwen called me out in his column today. He wants his readers to overwhelm him with purchases of the special Kids Day paper on Tuesday. His goal, he said, is to outsell me.

I didn't even know we were in competition until I read Bill's column. I do seem to recall that I sell more papers than he does every year, but who's counting?. So this year Bill is using his column to generate sales, and I'm all for it. Every paper sold helps children served by Children's Hospital Central California. He has raised the competition to a new level, suggesting to his readers that they snub me and buy from him.

No problem. I accept Bill's challenge. I'll be selling papers Tuesday morning across the street from the Tower Theater. I stake out the area on Wishon just north of Olive. Come by and donate $1 -- or even more if you're really in the spirit. Bill will be at Olive and Broadway hawking papers. We call that the Avis corner.

I'm thinking that Tuesday's going to be my lucky day. The money will help the kids, and I'll have bragging rights over Bill for the next year if you come through for me. That makes us all winners.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Clovis City Clerk John Holt may be onto something with his suggestion that the city consider having the 2009 City Council election conducted entirely by mail. The Bee reported this morning that Holt may ask the City Council to consider an all-mail ballot for Clovis' next municipal election.

Just under 21% of Clovis voters cast ballots in this month's City Council election, which saw three Clovis incumbents elected. Clovis elections are not held with other local and state elections in even-numbered years. The odd-year cycle for Clovis contributes to its low turnout.

Most Clovis voters now cast absentee ballots and going to an all-mail election would not be a big leap. It also would help increase voter turnout in Clovis.

Posted by Jim Boren at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In this installment of Love it/Hate it, I nominate Fresno drivers.

Love it: Drivers who allow you to merge onto crowded Highways 41 and 168 during commute hours.

Hate it: Drivers who refuse to use their turn signals.

Love it: Drivers who understand that their good habits make all of us safer.

Hate it: Drivers who endanger everyone by tailgating or recklessly switch lanes.

What are your Love it/Hate it entries?

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I know it's only a television show. But some of the recurring plot lines on "Grey's Anatomy" bother me, even though it's one of my favorite programs.

My first problem: It seems to be a regular thing that main characters drink too much then make irresponsible sexual choices before they've sobered up. Granted (SPOILER ALERT), in last night's episode, we didn't actually see anything happen between Izzie and George. But they woke up in bed together naked after polishing off a bottle of whiskey together the night before. And when one of the people is married to someone else, that's never a good scenario.

My second problem: These people are supposedly studying to become doctors, yet birth control seems to be unheard of. We're only two years into this program (season three, but it was a late midseason replacement when it started) and three of the main women characters have had unplanned pregnancies. Izzie gave her child up for adoption, Cristina planned to have an abortion before she miscarried and Addison did have an abortion, in her back story, before her character began appearing on the program. It seems like medical people would be better at taking the necessary precautions than your average Joe -- or JoAnne.

Of course, who can remember birth control when you're drinking whiskey or downing shots of tequila? The show does demonstrate that actions and choices have consequences. Another fan on a message group I subscribe to pointed out: "Drinking messes with your judgment. If there is one thing Grey's shows, it's always that."

I can draw the line between fiction and reality -- I know these are only characters, not real people. But real people are writing the scripts for this popular program that is in the top of its time slot each week. That means that more than 20 million people are watching each episode.

I just wish the script writers would have the characters make better choices and learn from their mistakes more of the time.

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Malcolm Dougherty, the Caltrans director for our district, sent me this email today regarding my complaint about the poorly designed freeway transition from Highway 168 going west to the Highway 180 gap:

Mr. Boren:

Thank you for your interest in transportation and conditions along our facilities in and near the city of Fresno. In response to your comments posted, I'd like to offer the following feedback.

The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) designs its facilities in accordance with standards that are utilized around the State in a consistent fashion in order to improve mobility and safety for the travelling public. The specific area you mention in your comments was designed to these standards. Specifically, the westbound 168 merge on to 180. What I would like to share with you is that Caltrans did anticipate that traffic volumes would increase along these corridors to the point that operations would suffer and congestion would start to be realized. It is for that reason that we did preliminary design to modify the ramps on State Route 180 between 168 and 41 when the freeway was constructed.

In fact, extra right of way was acquired so that these modifications could be completed when traffic warrants were met and that right of way is visible as you drive the freeway. That day is now, and the project is being initiated. In fact, the project was important enough for Caltrans and the Fresno County Association of Governments to nominate it for the Corridor Mobility Improvement Account from Proposition 1B transportation funds approved by voters last November. We are currently working to further the design of the ramp/interchange improvements and funding is identified in Fresno County's Measure C program.

Freeways 180 and 168 in conjunction with 41 and 99 have been tremendous assets to the Fresno/Clovis metropolitan area. Imagine the quality of life and potential commute times for so many without these transportation facilities. It is now time to maximize the through-put capabilities of these freeways and their interchanges and we have planned ahead in order to be able to implement these operation improvements.

These facilities were built to handle the traffic projections at the time, improvements to handle additional traffic were planned, and its now time to implement those improvements.

Again, I appreciate your commentary and interest in transportation and I hope I have shed a little light on the fact that maybe Caltrans was thinking.

Malcolm Dougherty
Caltrans
District 6 Director

Posted by Jim Boren at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Restaurants would have to disclose calorie counts and other nutriional data under a bill that passed out of the state Senate Health Committee Wednesday. The bill's author, state Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, said "People are eating out more now than they were a generation ago. If a restaurant can tell you how to super-size a meal, they can certainly tell you how many calories." Here's today's story in The Bee.

The bill would only apply to chains with 10 or more restaurants. They would have to post calorie counts on menu boards, and printed menus would have to add the amount of saturated fat, trans fat and sodium in each item.

The California Restaurant Association opposes the legislation; it's supported by groups fighting diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

My guess is it won't make much difference. People like fat, salt and sugar, and most of them are going to eat it regardless of how much it affects their health.

Posted by Russ Minick at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

You can watch Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sign the bill that moves California's presidential primary from June to Feb. 5 next year. The signing ceremony will be Webcast at 10:30 a.m. today. Here's the link to the governor's Web site.

The idea is to give California more clout in the presidential nominating process by pushing the primary to the first part of the nominating season.

The Bee opposed the change. Our reasons are set out in this editorial.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Across the nation, newspaper editorial boards (including ours here at The Fresno Bee) are calling for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign. Yet, exhibiting a stubbornness that seems to define members of the Bush administration, a headline on today's front page reports that Gonzalez is not planning to quit. A few minutes ago, an Associated Press bulletin said "President Bush says the firings of several federal prosecutors was mishandled and that he's not happy about it." Could the tide be turning for Gonzales?

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I don't support term limits, but here is an argument for them -- at least in the case of Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata. The loose-cannon senator locked three senators out of their offices Monday as punishment for attending a fundraiser for moderate Democrats.

The lefty Senate leader thinks the moderates might block his agenda. To start with, there's noting wrong with moderate politics in the Legislature. And for another, they didn't attend a fundraiser for the Republican Party.

The Sacramento Bee reported that Perata ordered the locks changed on the offices of Sens. Ron Calderon, Lou Correa and Gloria Negrete-McLeod as punishment for attending the fundraising dinner Thursday. Here's the story from our sister paper.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Two out of five new students at California State University campuses last year had to have remedial help with math, and 45% needed to be brought up to speed in English. And CSU officials say they're pleased -- because those figures represent a small improvement over recent years. Here's The Bee's story today.

I remember when I enrolled in college I was struck by the large number of freshmen who had to take Subject A, which is what bonehead English was called on my campus. They didn't get credit for the course, but it was required. They also had to pay a fee -- if memory serves, it was $40, which in those antediluvian times was enough money for about eight dates.

I've often wondered what would happen if the universities, instead of charging the students, sent the bill to the school district that graduated a student unprepared to do college work. Hmmm.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The people on the California State University system's governing board are mulling several weighty issues, among them a long-simmering faculty eruption over pay. The faculty haven't had a pay raise since they got a 3.5% boost in 2003.

So the trustees have decided to increase student fees, while they prepare to hand a $103,000 golden parachute to James Lyons, who is retiring as president of the Dominguez Hills campus.

The San Francisco Chronicle has reported that as much as $4 million in going-away loot has been given to departing CSU officials over the past decade "without public disclosure by the chancellor or the Board of Trustees."

So now the faculty are talking about a strike, and the students -- along with parents who pay the bills -- are bound to get agitated about higher costs. Smooth move.

Posted by Russ Minick at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The end of an era: rabbit-ear TVs won't be around much longer -- and there are more of them out there than I thought.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports today that "An estimated 20 million consumers in the United States depend on a free, over-the-air signal for television. Another 15 million might have cable or satellite television service but have extra sets in their home that aren't hooked up and depend on their antennas for service."

That won't work after Feb. 19, 2009, when America switches completely from so-called analog TV signals to digital. The TV sets will work, but they'll need converter boxes. The feds have set aside nearly $1 billion to help consumers pay for the switch, which is expected to cost $50 to $75 per set.

I remember when our old TVs would go on the fritz. I used to enjoy helping my Dad pry the back off the set, remove the old vacuum tubes, and take them down to Sparky's electronics store for testing. We'd plug them in, one at a time, to the old bulky test machine until we found the offending tube. Then we'd buy a replacement and hurry home to plug all the tubes back in, hoping we hadn't missed Al Radka or Gus Zernial giving the day's ball scores.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

For those of you who listen to the "Doug and The Rev" show on KRZR 103.7 from 6 to 10 weekday mornings, I've got a little scoop about our pal Doug Ray. Almost three decades ago, Doug was in Los Angeles doing TV commercials. Out of the secret vault -- actually this came from his wife, Liz, who works at The Bee -- slips a bit of video showing Doug doing a vacuum cleaner ad for Ronco. But in true Ron Popeil fashion, this Ronco vacuum cleaner isn't the typical one. It cleaned vinyl records, not the carpet.

Doug was 22 at the time, and word is that he sold a lot of these record vacuums for $14.88 with this ad. Here's the Ronco ad that Doug did back in 1979.

Give Doug a call at the station and tell him what you think of the ad. Here's the request line: 247-2000.

Posted by Jim Boren at 12:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I spent a good portion of the past week, while on vacation, going through old photos of my family, putting together a video slideshow for my mom's upcoming birthday. As the project grew and the week went on, I found myself increasingly frustrated with the software I was using, Windows Movie Maker, a free program that comes with Windows. Movie Maker works great for a smaller project, but on something large, it can really bog down a computer and become prone to crashes.

Since I enjoy putting these kinds of projects together and envision doing a couple more in the next few months, I thought I'd put out an appeal for recommendations of other software that people use to do this kind of project. I want something that allows music to be incorporated as a soundtrack and allows the finished project to be burned to a DVD. I have no plans to do this professionally, so I don't want to spend hundreds on a program.

Anyone done any of this? What software do you like?

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Sunday kicked off Sunshine Week, a time for the nation to focus its energy on the importance of open government. We've had several challenges to that concept locally: The Fresno Unified School District, California State University, Fresno, and the State Center Community College District are public agencies that quickly come to mind.

Here's our Sunday editorial on Sunshine Week. Our Sunday Vision section was devoted to Sunshine Week and included several resources for using the federal Freedom of Information Act and the state Public Records Act.

We'll also have columns on our Op/Ed page throughout the week discussing how open government is crucial to a free society.

It's up to all of us to make sure that our public officials are conducting our business in public.

Here's a link to the Sunshine Week Web site.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Fresno Chamber of Commerce has stunned Fresno State officials by opposing the Campus Pointe retail project on the east side of the university campus. The opposition of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce has been long-running and vocal, but Fresno State did not expect the Fresno Chamber to jump into the fray. That came on Friday, just days before the California State University Board of Trustees will take up the project in Long Beach.

Here's Russell Clemings' story about Campus Pointe.

There's another twist to this story.The CSU committee that will take up the Campus Pointe project on Tuesday includes Moctesuma Esparza. He is chief executive of Maya Cinemas. That's the theater company which is under contract to run the theaters at Campus Pointe. Sounds like a conflict of interest to me.

Posted by Jim Boren at 5:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The traffic engineers went to sleep when CalTrans built the approach from Highway 168 heading west to the transition to the Highway 180 Gap as you head toward downtown Fresno. Vehicles come from all directions into the transition area and it seems there always are motorists on the side of the road because of collisions.

I drive this stretch everyday and it's difficult to avoid all the vehicles merging -- even if you drive carefully and slowly. Most motorists don't. What a mess.

At the very least, the California Highway Patrol should be ticketing that area. That would help make the stretch safer. But the CHP officers ignore the area. Maybe they think it's too unsafe to ticket people.

This is an old problem. CalTrans takes care of Los Angeles and San Francisco freeways and then slaps together freeways in the San Joaquin Valley. There's a long history of CalTrans misdesigning local freeways. The Freeway 41 offramp at Friant Road is another example. That had to be fixed because CalTrans couldn't figure out that there would be a lot of traffic going to RiverPark, and other north Fresno venues.

Then there's the Freeway 168 westbound offramp at McKinley -- another monument to CalTrans' design incompetence.

I could go on, but you get the point.

Posted by Jim Boren at 7:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

On the Saturday Valley Voices page, Adrian Apollo gives you a reason to head for the Dutch apple and coconut cream this week, writing about Pi Day. It's a mock holiday celebrated by math teachers on March 14 because of the similarity of the date, 3/14, and the value of pi, which begins with the numbers 3.14. Connie Batti also has numbers on her mind. In this case, it's 95, the number of years the Girl Scouts has been teaching leadership, camping, s'mores and much more. Val Maylone of Tollhouse is a member of Peace Fresno and is encouraging folks to join them for an antiwar protest March 18 at Eaton Plaza.

Sunday's Vision page brings the Sunshine in. Next week is Sunshine Week, a commemoration launched by the American Society of Newspaper Editors to promote open government and freedom of information. Chris Adams, investigative team correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers, put together a list of Web sites and some instructions on how to make a Freedom of Information Act request for government records, what you can find out and what's not available. The editorial page discusses why sunshine is the key to true democracy.

Maria Henson, The Sacramento Bee's deputy editorial page editor, writes about the work of artist Fernando Botero on the op-ed page. The artist says he couldn't stay silent about the abuses at Abu Ghraib and his paintings poured out.

Bee editorial page editor Jim Boren writes about the effort to move next year's presidential primary to Feb. 5 and give the state more clout nationally. The Valley's Top 10 list gives Signs it's Blossom Trail season... like "Bicycle riders outnumber sheriff's deputies at the Blossom Trial Café and the allergic reactions register on the Richter scale.

Victor Davis Hanson reminds us that no political party has a lock on hypocrisy. Members of both parties have managed to embarrass themselves quite dramatically over the years.

Enjoy!

Posted by Gail Marshall at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Talk about revisionist history. The San Francisco Chronicle reports today that Stanford swimming coach Skip Kenney erased swimmer Michael McLean from the school's record books after a falling out between the two over McLean's summer training regimen.

Apparently it's not the first time Kenney has taken the Orwellian step of making one of his athletes an "un-person."

Kenney, who has been phenomenally successful at Stanford -- his teams have won 26 straight conference championships -- is now contrite. That may not be enough for Stanford athletic administrators. Forcing athletes to train out of season is forbidden by the NCAA, which may turn its investgative pit bulls loose on Stanford if the organization's rules were violated.

Posted by Russ Minick at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We caught the Wednesday night performance of "Aida," lucky us! It was a delightful evening, being treated to some impressive talent. We got the understudy for Aida, Ebony Blake. I was a little bummed when they announced it, but she was amazing. Now, that's a bench. If she was second in line, the lead must have been something to behold. Blake and Casey Elliott are stellar talents, with tremendous voices, stage magic and chemistry to burn. We were a little reticent about taking a really active teenage boy with us to a musical, but we shouldn't have worried. He was completely engaged throughout.

I was also intrigued by what's going on at the Convention Center. Have you seen the new sign up at the Saroyan Theatre, using Saroyan's own signature? Stunning, especially when it's lighted at night. There are huge artwork posters up on the roof. Why didn't we think of that before? What a difference that makes. There are new awnings and a pergola in the inside courtyard. Inside the theater lobby, it looked like a crime scene with caution tape and construction going on everywhere. The carpet's ripped up in the aisles and the usual bathrooms were out of service. But we didn't mind. Clearly there are some very good plans in store for us real soon. Cannot wait for the finished product.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's a new wrinkle in the blogosphere that should give its inhabitants pause. Movies and TV shows have for years used "product placement," thinly veiled ads for brand name items, as a revenue stream. Now a variant of the practice is popping up all over the Internet. The LA Times has a story on the practice in today's edition.

Outfits like PayPerPost Inc. hand out small sums to bloggers willing to use their posts to promote goods and services. The relationship -- like product placement in the movies -- is not revealed, so visitors to the blogs don't know that money has changed hands in return for praise and other kind words.

The Internet has revolutionized information exchange, and mostly for the better. But this is another example of what can happen when filters aren't in place. Credibility suffers. Caveat emptor.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

For those of you who are hip-deep in the business-recruiting gossip chain, Business Week's March 5 edition includes Cabela's, a sporting goods store that comes complete with dioramas, in its top 25 list of the "Customer Service Elite." Cabela's is frequently suggested, along with Bass Pro, as a good fit for downtown Fresno. Business Week rates Cabela's 15th on the list with an A-minus in service. "Job candidates for Cabela's contact center and retail stores must pass a difficult 150-question test that measures the depth of their outdoor sport expertise. Each month, senior executives gather for a one-hour "call review" to listen to customer calls while watching the same screens available to service reps."

Well, there's another good reason to support those mandatory four years of P.E. Cabela's should be impressed with our labor supply of daring Sierra Summit snowboarders and death-defying Yosemite mountain climbers around here. We'll have plenty of sales associates with sports chops.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There are lessons for Fresno area schools in an editorial in Sunday's Modesto Bee, which told about the success of Calfiornia State University, Stanislaus, in retaining and graduating students, especially Latino students.

A December report of the California Postsecondary education Commission noted that 87% of Stanislaus Latino freshmen become sophomores. The first year is particularly critical because it's such a difficult year of adjustment to the social and academic world of university life.

The secrets to their success have been identified as a combination of a shared mission and some specific, effective strategies. For example:

* Professors and staff members who are first generation college graduates encourage others in the same situation.

* A mandatory orientation for freshmen and transfers that helps them understand registration. They want the students to make a connection to the university through a program or professor or another way within the first six weeks.

* Encourage students who have 120 credits but have not yet put together a graduation plan.

* There is a sequence of checkups to make sure the students are taking the right classes that get them to graduation and understand the graduation procedures.

Maybe there's some philosophies that would work for our high schools as well to improve our disastrous droput rate.

Apparently, Stanislaus State does a lot of things well. According to a story in today's Modesto Bee, the university is listed among the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education in The Princeton Review. For the first time, Stanislaus State will be included in the 2008 edition of its annual "Best 366 Colleges" guidebook, scheduled for nationwide release in August. Other CSU campuses selected were Sonoma and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

* A mandatory orientation for freshmen and transfers that helps them understand registration. They want the students to make a connection to the university through a program or professor or another way within the first six weeks.

* Encourage students who have 120 credits but have not yet put together a graduation plan.

* There is a sequence of checkups to make sure the students are taking the right classes that get them to graduation and understand the graduation procedures.

Maybe there's some philosophies that would work for our high schools as well to improve our disastrous droput rate.

Apparently, Stanislaus State does a lot of things well. According to a story in today's Modesto Bee, the university is listed among the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education in The Princeton Review. For the first time, Stanislaus State will be included in the 2008 edition of its annual "Best 366 Colleges" guidebook, scheduled for nationwide release in August. Other CSU campuses selected were Sonoma and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)