A Yahoo news article reports that Black-Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am has produced another star-studded video music tribute in support of Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama.

The first video, which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, received more than 5 million hits on YouTube.

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

OK, it's hardly earth-shattering news -- the Valley got dissed again by a state agency. But it is a disappointment.

Regional clean air advocates had hoped to persuade the state Air Resources Board to increase the Valley's slice of Proposition 1B money designated for mitigating pollution caused by the movement of goods around the state. The ARB staff allotted 55% of the swag to the South Coast air district, and only 25% to the Valley -- despite the fact that the Valley and South Coast have nearly identical records of failure to meet clean air standards, and despite the fact that among the four "trade corridors" identified in the staff report, the Valley endures 45% of the truck traffic.

In the end, it was too much to ask the ARB, which is not exactly weighed down with scientists and technical experts and is dominated by Southern California and Bay Area interests, to buck its own staff's recommendation.

To be sure, the $250 million the Valley will get in this allocation is welcome. A larger share would have been more fair. But we've learned not to hold our collective breaths waiting for fairness from the state.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Queen Elizabeth is all over the news today, in stories about the upcoming TV special on the royal family on Monday's "20/20" show on ABC and, of course, in the stories about Prince Harry serving in Afghanistan.

Some people may be ga-ga over the royals, but don't count Don and Elsie Airey of Coarsegold among their fans at the moment. On today's Op-Ed page, I tell the story of how the Queen snubbed these former subjects, refusing to send greetings marking their 60th wedding annniversary because they no longer hold British passports. That's no way to treat a native Brit, a man who served in the Royal Navy during World War II. Not very majestic of her Majesty.

The Yanks were far more accommodating, with everyone from President and Mrs. Bush to Gov. Schwarzenegger sending cards of congratulation to the Aireys. If you'd like to get official commendation for someone's achievement, today's column tells you how. Click here.

If you need addresses, phones and e-mails of the local representatives, the Bee has a convenient list that runs once a month. The last time it ran was in Sunday's Bee. If you missed it, here it is:

AT YOUR SERVICE

Body Text: Following are the addresses and telephone numbers of elected officials serving the San Joaquin Valley. If no area code is listed, it is 559.

U.S. president

George W. Bush, Republican: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20500; phone (202) 456-1414. Internet site: www.whitehouse.gov; e-mail address: president@whitehouse.gov.

U.S. vice president

Dick Cheney, Republican: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20500; phone (202) 456-1414. Internet site: www.whitehouse.gov; e-mail address: vice.president@whitehouse.gov.

U.S. senators

Barbara Boxer, Democrat: 112 Hart Building, Washington, DC 20510; phone (202) 224-3553. Local office: 2500 Tulare St., Suite 5290, Fresno, CA 93721; phone 497-5109; fax 497-5111. Internet site: www.boxer.senate.gov.

Dianne Feinstein, Democrat: 331 Hart Building, Washington, DC 20510; phone (202) 224-3841; fax (202) 228-3954. Local office: 2500 Tulare St., Suite 4290, Fresno, CA 93721; phone 485-7430; fax 485-9689. Internet site: www.feinstein.senate.gov.

State governor

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814; phone (916) 445-2841; fax (916) 445-4633. Local office: 2550 Mariposa Mall Suite 3013, Fresno, CA 93721; phone 445-5295; fax 445-5328. Internet site: www.governor.ca.gov; e-mail address: governor@governor.ca.gov.

U.S. representatives

Dennis Cardoza, Democrat, 18th District: 435 Cannon Building, Washington, DC 20515; phone (202) 225-6131; fax (202) 225-0819. Local office: 2222 M St., Suite 305, Merced, CA 95340; phone (209) 383-4455; fax (209) 726-1065. Internet site: www.house.gov/cardoza.

Jim Costa, Democrat, 20th District: 1314 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515; phone (202) 225-3341; fax (202) 225-9308. Local office: 855 M St., Suite 940, Fresno, CA 93721; phone 495-1620; fax 495-1027. Internet site: www.house.gov/costa.

Devin Nunes, Republican, 21st District: 1013 Longworth Building, Washington, DC 20515; phone (202) 225-2523; fax (202) 225-3404. Visalia office: 113 N. Church St., Visalia, CA 93291; phone 733-3861; fax 733-3865. Clovis office: 264 Clovis Ave., Suite 206, Clovis, CA 93612; phone 323-5235; fax 323-5528. Internet site: www.nunes.house.gov.

George Radanovich, Republican, 19th District: 2367 Rayburn Building, Washington, DC 20515; phone (202) 225-4540; fax (202) 225-3402. Local office: 1040 E. Herndon Ave., Suite 201, Fresno, CA 93720; phone 449-2490; fax 449-2499. Internet site: www.radanovich.house.gov.

State senators

Roy Ashburn, Republican, 18th District: State Capitol, Room 3063, Sacramento, CA 95814; phone (916) 651-4018; fax (916) 322-3304. Bakersfield office: 5001 California Ave., Room 105, Bakersfield, CA 93309; phone (661) 323-0443; fax (661) 323-0446. Internet site: republican.sen.ca.gov/web/18.

Jeff Denham, Republican, 12th District: State Capitol, Room 3076, Sacramento, CA 95814; phone (916) 651-4012; fax (916) 445-0773. Modesto office: 1231 8th Street, Suite 175, Modesto, CA 95354; phone (209) 577-6592; fax (209) 577-4963. Merced office: 1640 N St., Suite 210, Merced, CA 95340; phone (209) 726-5495; fax (209) 726-5498. Internet site: republican.sen.ca.gov/web/12.

Dean Florez, Democrat, 16th District: State Capitol, Room 5061, Sacramento, CA 95814; phone (916) 651-4016; fax (916) 327-5989. Local office: 2550 Mariposa Mall, Suite 2016, Fresno, CA 93721; phone 264-3070; fax 445-6506. Internet site: dist16.casen.govoffice.com.

Dave Cogdill, Republican, 14th District: State Capitol, Room 3048, Sacramento, CA 95814; phone (916) 651-4014; fax (916) 327-3523. Fresno office: 4974 E. Clinton Way, Suite 100, Fresno, CA 93727; phone 253-7122; fax 253-7127. Ripon office: 1308 W. Main St., Suite C, Ripon, CA 95366; phone (209) 599-8540; fax (209) 599-8547. Internet site: republican.sen.ca.gov/web/14.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was pleased to get a note this week announcing that Congressman Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced, has been awarded the Child Welfare League of America’s Congressional Voice for Youth Award. He was singled out for his work protecting vulnerable children, particularly those in foster care. That's terrific news.

“When my wife and I adopted our son and daughter eight years ago, I learned firsthand how much more needs to be done to protect vulnerable young people in our country," Cardoza said, accepting the award. "Hearing the stories of young people, like those gathered here today, redoubles my commitment to improving their lives.”

During this session of Congress, Cardoza has introduced three pieces of legislation to help vulnerable young people:

* The Medicaid Foster Care Coverage Act that would extend Medicaid coverage for foster children who have aged out of the system by authorizing state health coverage through the age of 21 as they transition to adulthood.

* The CASA for Every Child Act would help ensure that every foster child is assigned a trained CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer to investigate a foster child’s unique situation and advocate for the child’s best interest.

* The Drug Endangered Children Act, which has been passed by the House, authorizes the Department of Justice to award $20 million per year in grants to improve coordination among law enforcement, prosecutors, children protection services, social service agencies, and health care providers to help transition drug endangered children into safe residential environments.

The Child Welfare League of America is composed of nearly 800 public and private child-serving agencies that promote the well-being of children.

It's good to have a Valley Congressman so eager to fight for kids with little political power.

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Posted by Gail Marshall at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

An odd collection of stories recently were connected by an important thread: the ongoing debate about the limits, if any, of private property rights.

Tulare County Assembly Member Bill Maze wants to ban dogs and other pest from the laps of drivers. He says it creates a grave danger. (This is the same Bill Maze who voted against "nanny-government" on a bill to ban cell phone use while driving -- surely a much more dangerous distraction.

Another story has neighbors in Selma feuding over the appearance and appropriateness of carports. Some are sturdy, well-anchored structures; others are eyesores of plastic pipe and tattered tarps.

And some Fresnans are still boiling over city rules that garbage and recycling bins must be stored a out of sight except during the weekly window when they're out at the curb for pickup.

All of that led to a column today arguing that there are no absolute property rights -- the right of neighbors to be free of value-destroying blight sometimes comes first.

Posted by Russ Minick at 2:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Sen. Hillary Clinton's putting in some late hours on the campaign trail. In case you missed it, here is a portion of the "Saturday Night Live" segment, from NBC's Web site, that Clinton made reference to during last night's Democratic debate.

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During the debate in Cleveland, Clinton jokingly asked whether the media moderators might want to get Sen. Barack Obama a pillow. She contends that the media have been easy on Obama, and the pillow might allow the moderators to make Obama even more comfortable. Her reference to the pillow was about a portion of the SNL segment that isn't included on the above clip.

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Don't dog and drive.

Assembly Member Bill Maze, R-Visalia, wants to make it illegal in California to drive with a dog on your lap.
"If you have an animal that gets in your face or gets tangled up in your steering wheel while you're driving, you can't properly control [the car]," he told The Bee's E.J. Schultz.

Seems like common sense to me, what do you think?

Assembly Bill 2233 does not specify how drivers should control their pets in the car, although animal rights advocates say the most humane way to transport animals is in a cage.

The legislation isn't expected to meet up with any big obstacles, though it does seem somewhat inconsistent that Maze is worried about drivers distracted by pets. He voted no on restrictions for hand-held cell phones, which studies have shown to be a factor in many accidents.

Read the full story by clicking here.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's much easier to duck a problem by dealing with side issues instead of going after the problem itself. That's why this nation has such difficulty passing a comprehensive immigration reform solution. We never seem to attack the issue directly.

In this editorial today, The Bee's editorial board points out a recent study that confirms that those born outside the United States do not have higher incarceration rates when they come to this country.

The study by the Public Policy Institute of California is called "Crime, Corrections and California: What Does Immigration Have to Do With It?" concludes that young males born outside the U.S., and who have less than a high school diploma, have low rates of incarceration in California's prisons and jails. Other national studies have said much the same thing.

Yet those who want to limit immigration use the "criminal element" argument to justify not dealing with the immigration issue. We must do better. Let's solve the immigration problem.

The Bee's editorial board believes in these three elements of a reform bill:

-- Strong border security.

-- A fair guest-worker program that provides industries a reliable labor pool.

-- An opportunity for those already here to earn legal residency if they meet strict requirements, including paying fines and learning English.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Fresno City Council voted to cough up $1 million to buy replications of Sequoia trees to decorate the Fresno Yosemite International Airport. My first thought was, huh? We grow everything here. So just cut a skylight and plant some trees in there already!

OK, on further reflection, I get it -- not realistic. Pretty tough to create a perfect indoor environment for a sequoia.

The firm that is creating the "trees" for the airport -- think of them as public art creating a sense of place -- is called NatureMaker Steel Art Trees. Take a look at took at the firm's Web site and their work is quite impressive. Look at some of their installations by clicking here.

Take a peek at the plans for the Fresno Airport installation by clicking here.

What do you think?

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

The Valley has its fingers crossed as the state air board prepares to meet Thursday to allocate funds from Proposition 1B to clean up pollution caused by the movement of goods along the state’s trade corridors. We wrote about the upcoming hearing in a Sunday editorial.

The formula proposed by the Air Resources Board staff would give the lion’s share of the funding to Southern California. Why are we not surprised?

Geography and climate make the Valley unique. A ton of pollution does more damage here than elsewhere. The Bay Area, with 6 times more emissions per square mile, has clean air. Air quality in the South Coast air district is only slightly worse than the Valley's worse, even though it has 10 times more emissions per square mile.

The state has identified four major goods movement corridors. One of them is the San Joaquin Valley. It accounts for 45% of the total traffic in all the corridors combined — yet ARB staff proposes spending only 25% of the Proposition 1B mitigation funds here. Southern California would get 55%.

The Valley and the South Coast air district are statistically similar in terms of number of violations of clean air standards — but ARB staff proposes to give South Coast more than twice as much in funding.

The Valley has been neglected and deprived for decades. Now we have to conclude that, at least according to the ARB staff, the lives of children and adults in the Valley are worth less than the lives of those in Southern California. Is that really part of the ARB calculus?

Posted by Russ Minick at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Will tonight's debate between the Democratic front-runners make or break Sen. Hillary Clinton? I think she's at a disadvantage with a week remaining before the next big round of critical primaries -- Sen. Barack Obama's momentum seems unstoppable. She is still showing a slight lead in Ohio for now -- the site of tonight's matchup -- according to the most recent polls, but will she still seven days from now?

Here is an editorial cartoon by Gary Brookins, of the Richmond (VA.) Times-Dispatch:

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

And here's one man who's doing a spectacular job to make that happen, a popular artist named Shepard Fairey. Click here to see his poster. There's some controversy among the marketing crowd on its quality, but I think it's a powerful image. What do you think?

According to a statement on Fairey's Web site: "I believe with great conviction that Barack Obama should be the next President. I have been paying close attention to him since the Democratic convention in 2004. I feel that he is more a statesman than a politician. He was against the war when it was an unpopular position (and Hillary was for the war at that time), Obama is for energy and environmental conservation. He is for healthcare reform. Check him out for yourself www.barackobama.com. Proceeds from this print go to produce prints for a large statewide poster campaign. Thanks."

Read an Ad Age Q&A with Fairey by clicking here.

(Associated Press photo)

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you have ever wondered why no one seems to be able to create a comprehensive health care plan that can serve this state well, read Daniel Weintraub's terrific explanation in Sunday's Vision section. Click here to read the story. It's clear and comprehensive.

It's the perfect context for today's editorial on Blue Cross, which is engaging in business practices that would only seem ethical to graduates of the Marquis de Sade School of Business.

From the editorial:

Blue Cross of California, the state's largest health insurer, was one of the strongest opponents of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to overhaul California's health insurance industry last year. The motivation was clear: The governor's plan would have required insurers to sell policies to anyone who applied, regardless of any pre-existing conditions. Blue Cross' business model, in contrast, is built on the practice of denying insurance to those who are most likely to need it.. . . Blue Cross has already been fined $1 million for kicking pregnant women off its rolls after finding minor discrepancies in their applications. Now we learn that the company's aggressive cost-cutting strategy is becoming even more twisted.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Blue Cross was sending letters to doctors asking them to be snoops, comparing their patients' health condition to their applications for coverage. If the docs found anything that could have been disclosed but was not, the company wanted them to report it to headquarters immediately so the firm could use the information to cancel the patients' insurance.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The successor to Mayor Alan Autry will inherit many challenges, and it will take a multi-talented person to move the city forward. In my Sunday column, I look back at a handful of Fresno mayors for guidance on how some of the city's most perplexing issues may be solved. You can read the column by clicking here.

The next mayor needs to get the basic things done in the city, and then target a handful of broader issues to improve Fresno's quality of life, Here's part of my road map for making a better Fresno:

These are the compulsory events for the next mayor:

-- Keep the city safe. This city is too violent, even with the current aggressive police enforcement. Stay on the bad guys.

-- Fix the streets. For some reason, public works officials seem to think city roads are more attractive with potholes. Their other favorite street job is installing sinking left-turn lanes, such as at Fresno and Shaw.

-- Stay on graffiti patrol. This is where the Autry administration excels. Graffiti is a sure sign of a neglected city, and the city has a good abatement program.

-- Be an advocate for neighborhoods by going after homeowners and renters who treat their homes as garbage sites and banks that allow their foreclosed properties to deteriorate.

-- Upgrade the airport. Fresno Yosemite International is another Autry success story, but you must work every day to keep an airport operating efficiently.

-- Work well with surrounding agencies, especially Fresno County and the Fresno Unified School District. Many mayors have been too arrogant to get along with other elected officials.

-- Build good parks and make other quality-of-life issues a priority.

-- Be an advocate for good planning and not what's best for campaign contributors.

-- Make City Hall agencies operate efficiently.

-- Don't whine when things don't go your way.

If the next mayor is successful in those areas, then he or she can take on the next level of problems where cooperation with other government officials and civic leaders is needed. They include job creation, downtown revitalization, regional transportation and air quality.

Posted by Jim Boren at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Get out your calendars -- it's time to Party for the Parkway.

The San Joaquin River Parkway and Trust is distributing its annual catalog of fundraising parties. This is one of the community's most ingenious ideas. Seventy-one parties are offered by creative and generous Valley hosts -- and everyone's invited.

There is something for all ages and all budgets in this fundraiser. For example, for $28 a person, you can spend a morning learning the techniques of making mosaics with Tom Snyder, the popular teacher at Baird Middle School. A pizza lunch from Me & Ed's is included and children age 8 and older and encouraged to attend.

At the high end, you can take an overnight trip Sept. 25 and 26 exploring the Tuolumne River by canoe. There is an overnight campout at Turlock State Park and Parkway chefs will prepare dinner. Transportation, canoe outfitting and camping accommodations are provided. It's $275 a person or $250 for members.

My personal favorite is a "Clam and Lobster Bake a la Madeline Davidson." This event on Sept. 27 is being hosted by Madeline's family. Before she died, Madeline was an award-winning columnist for The Bee and her love of writing was only exceeded by her passion for great food. This party pays homage to her second home in Maine. The party will be held at the Willow Unit of the San Joaquin Ecological Reserve. The meal includes lobsters, clams, salad. It's $72 a person. What a great idea. She would love it.

Appropriately, there is a kickoff party for the parties March 6 at 5:30 p.m., Regency Palace, 1600 Willow Ave., Clovis. Reservations, at $35 a person, can be made online at www.riverparkway.org or by calling 248-8476. By mail, send payment, indicating number of guests, to Parties for the Parkway, 1550 E. Shaw Ave., Suite 114, Fresno, CA 39710. This includes winetasting, appetizers, dessert from an assortment of local restaurants, live and silent auction of fine art from more than 80 Valley artists. Music will be provided by Rosetree Celtic Music, Carl and Kathryn Johnson and the River Bottom Band. That's a good deal for an evening of fun.

The first opportunity to make reservations for the season's parties is at the kickoff. Reservations will be accepted for remaining spots beginning March 7.

To see all the parties in advance, go to the Web site by clicking here.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Oscar was looking good on his 80th birthday Sunday night, and he owes a lot of it to Fresno State graduate Roy Christopher, the TV show's set designer. See a picture of it here.

The Bee's TV columnist, Rick Bentley, did an interview with Roy Christopher for his column last week. Take a look at it here.

In a story by Barbara Vancheri of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Christopher said, "You know this is all hydraulics, these tubes moving within tubes, and telescoping in and telescoping out and you might have someone standing inside one of the tubes and then it flies out, revealing the person."

The set was designed for change, in color and with Oscars and tubes that can appear and disappear.

Spectacular and congratulations, to Dr. (Thanks to his well-deserved, honorary degree from Fresno State) Christopher.

Want to know more? Here are a few links to look at:

http://www.fresnostatenews.com/2007/05/HonoraryDocsBackgrounder.htm

http://www.fresnostatenews.com/2008/01/roychristopher2008oscars.htm

http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2008/08.01.10a.html

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

Updated posting:

The Fresno Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that the business group is backing City Council President Henry T. Perea for mayor this year. This has turned out to be a hugely controversial endorsement for the chamber. (See the comments below and chamber representative responses).

The group's political action committee said in a statement that Perea's voting record on the council shows that he understands the "needs of business in our community." But critics of the endorsement say the chamber betrayed business interests because Perea is very friendly with public employee unions.

The chamber counters that Perea voted with chamber positions on issues 70% of the time. The group also says he has been a big supporter of public safety integration. That's been a major issue for the Chamber over the past few years.

Still, the chamber endorsement comes as a surprise. Other mayoral candidates -- Council Member Jerry Duncan and Ashley Swearengin immediately come to mind -- were thought to be more favored by the Fresno business community. There's reportedly some bad blood between some chamber leaders and some members of the Swearengin political team. But that does not explain why Duncan didn't get the nod.

This is important for Perea because he's so cozy with the unions. Now he has business on his side. This endorsement shows that he can put together a broad coalition of supporters and must be taken very seriously in the race to succeed Mayor Alan Autry. It also allows him to effectively counter complaints that he's a pro-union vote.

This can be his response to that charge: "How can that be? I'm supported by the Chamber of Commerce."

Here's the text of the chamber's news release on the endorsement:

The Fresno Chamber PAC has officially announced it’s endorsement for Henry T. Perea. Perea’s vote record on City Council sheds the light on his ability to understand the needs of business in our community. According to the Fresno Chamber’s 2007 report card Perea voted over 70% of the time with the Chamber in 2007, making him one of the top business friendly council members. While in addition, Perea has been a great supporter of public safety integration, an effort the Chamber has been leading since 2006. The endorsement for Perea has come after an extensive interview process, where he has proven to the business community that he is the most forward thinking and collaborative candidate running for Mayor; both qualities being extremely important in this Mayoral race in order to advance the City of Fresno. Perea has continuously impressed the Fresno Chamber PAC with his forward thinking on efforts to revitalize our downtown, making it a thriving economic engine where businesses can thrive. Perea has also shown great leadership through his ability to collaborate community efforts to make Fresno a leader in improving air quality.

“The decision on who to endorse was not easy by any means, but we feel that Henry can take our City to the next level given his proven leadership abilities, his common sense business approach and his ability to collaborate with the different interests that make our City so unique,” stated Al Smith, President and CEO of the Fresno Chamber.

Posted by Jim Boren at 7:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)

Julie Griffiths, Assembly Minority Leader Mike Villines' district director, has resigned to run Republican Danny Gilmore's campaign for the Assembly this year. This is the seat that Democrat Nicole Parra is leaving because of term limits, and the seat that Parra doesn't want to go to the Democrat: Fran Florez of Shafter.

The main reason, of course, is that Fran Florez brought Sen. Dean Florez into the world, and Parra and the senator detest each other. She'd rather a Republican take her seat than her arch-rival's mom, which goes to show you that hate is thicker than party loyalty.

The interesting thing is the Democrats propped Parra up in her seat in three aggressive runs by Republicans, and now she is repaying her party's leadership by tring to hand the seat to the guy they spent millions on to defeat.

Parra reportedly wants to be a Sacramento lobbyist, but how wise is it to anger the majority leadership? The Republicans may help your clients some, but it takes the party in charge to get things done in Sacramento.

No matter. Parra is on the Gilmore bandwagon now, and one rumor has her preparing to do campaign commercials for the GOP candidate who tried to beat here the last two times out.

Now that would be quite an ad by Parra: "Vote for Danny Gilmore because I hate Fran Florez's son." Very catchy bumper sticker.

Posted by Jim Boren at 2:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

A call to active duty in the Navy has thrown a curve to Fresno City Council Member Larry Westerlund. He'll have to be replaced for the balance of his term, which ends in January, and he'll miss the June primary, in which he will be seeking re-election. Here's today's Bee editorial on the matter.

And he won't be able to campaign or participate in city business during his tour of duty, which is expected to last 14 months. Federal law and military rules are very strict about such matters. Westerlund cited a recent example of a Georgia lawmaker who left his active duty post to return home for a crucial vote, and was reprimanded by his military superiors.

Westerlund's impending absence -- he leaves for Iraq April 24 -- raises some interesting questions. He has asked that his own recommendation for a replacement be strongly considered by his council colleagues, and at least one -- Jerry Duncan -- has said he's OK with the idea. That strikes others as inappropriate: Such a hand-picked appointee might be seen a merely a seat warmer for the incumbent, and not be effective for the constituents of Westerlund's District 4.

In the end, it's the voters in the district who will decide Westerlund's political future. If they don't like the idea of an absent representative, they'll choose someone else. If they don't mind, they'll re-elect Westerlund.

Posted by Russ Minick at 2:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The marathon march toward a Valley medical school at UC Merced continues to gather momentum. In today's editorial, we praise the recent efforts of Congressmen Jim Costa of Fresno and Dennis Cardoza of Merced to pull together a coalition of Valley leaders to support this important effort.

The UC Board of Regents meet in May and UC Merced officials will be requesting permission to continue planning for a medical school that would serve the entire Valley. The plans call for the students to do their first two years of study on the main campus and then take their clinical training primarily in Fresno's hospitals. Studies show that doctors tend to settle down wherever they get their training.

Unless there is a seismic change in the medical profession, this is the only way that the Valley will get enough physicians to meet the needs of its residents in the future. Already, we are pouring money into other regions because so many people must leave the Valley for specialists. That's just wrong.

Add your voice to the demand for a medical school by writing to the board of regents. Here's how:

Send letters regarding a Valley medical school to this address: President of the University, 1111 Franklin St., 12th Floor, Oakland, CA 94607-5200; fax (510) 987-9224; e-mail regentsoffice@ucop.edu. The names and addresses of the individual members of the Board of Regents are available online by clicking here.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Bill Keller, the editor of the New York Times, is really surprised at the reaction to the newspaper reports about John McCain. A whole lot of people, in Keller's view, missed the main point of the story. In a Q & A column titled "Talk to the Newsroom," published Thursday, the editor explains:

The point of this "Long Run" installment was that, according to people who know him well, this man who prizes his honor above all things and who appreciates the importance of appearances also has a history of being sometimes careless about the appearance of impropriety, about his reputation. The story cites several examples, and quotes friends and admirers talking of this apparent contradiction in his character. That is why some members of his staff were so alarmed by the appearance of his relationship with Ms. Iseman. And that, it seemed (and still seems) to us, was something our readers would want to know about a man who aspires to be president.

Clearly, many of you did not agree

Click here to see the whole discussion with Keller and the Times' managing editor, Jill Abramson. She answers questions about why they used anonymous sources.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I got my copy of Via magazine in the mail Tuesday and there, in a major photo and editorial spread, was a very nice article about the Fresno County Blossom Trail called "Bloomin' Lovely." Via is the travel magazine for customers of AAA, the auto insurance company. Check it out on their Web site by clicking here.

In an e-mail, Kristi G. Johnson of the Fresno County Office Of Tourism was very excited about the story because as soon as the issue landed in the Bay Area, the tourism office's Web site visits went through the roof – along with the calls and requests for info.

Kristi said they hosted the writer/photographer last March.

"Fresno County Office of Tourism efforts with the travel media are really paying off in this fiscal year," she said in her e-mail, "starting with a Conde Nast Portfolio article on the top 5 undiscovered foodie destinations in North America (naming the Fresno County Fruit Trail), followed with Fresno County Agritourism articles in Courier Magazine, VIA, SkyWest (in March/April edition) and Westways (AAA Southern California May edition). In addition to our agriculture we have also worked with Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and the California Travel and Tourism Commission to get articles on the parks into Sunset and also the international travel media in Australia and New Zealand during this time."
Sounds good to us. More! More!

Click here to see the Web site for yourself.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims has a personal battle to fight. She announced today she has breast cancer and is undergoing surgery to treat it. She is a courageous woman -- Fresno's first female sheriff -- and I wish her well as she faces this very personal threat.

If you would like to send good thoughts her way, you can write to her at 2200 Fresno St., Fresno, CA 93721 or send e-mail greetings to margaret.mims@fresnosheriff.org.

She plans to work from home after the surgery and will resume her duties full-time in a few weeks. I have many friends who have emerged victorious over breast cancer, most recently my colleague Tracy Correa, who writes for the business department. I am sure that Sheriff Mims will win, too, but it is not easy. What will undoubtedly soon happen is that she will receive a truckload of support from the many strong Valley women who are also walking this dark and frightening road. It's a lot less scary when you are not alone and I've found Valley "sisters" to be unbelievably supportive of each other in adversity.

Click here to see Tracy's moving multimedia story, which ran in The Bee last fall and is still available on the Web site.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 3:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

If you're looking for a hotspot in Mendota, don't look for a beer bar. Hang out at the new library that opened in September. Now, there is a a happening place. County Librarian Karen Bosch Cobb showed us four numbers this week that sure made me want to check the place out:

* 18,000: Number of visitors to the library since September
* 261%: Increase in number of Items checked out
* 1,000%: Increase in number of new library cards
* 500%: Increase in computer use

Anyone who believes a library can't make a difference in a community isn't paying attention. That was just a small part of a delightful editorial board meeting we had this with Cobb and several other folks who are working on the master plan for the county libraries of the future.

The vision is an exciting one, as we describe in today's editorial.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 3:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

In a twist, however, there were early signs that the brouhaha might actually help McCain solidify the GOP base.

Conservative pundits who are some of McCain's harshest critics could have jumped on the issue to question the strength of McCain's family values. Instead, they went after the Times.

"There is nothing in it here that you can say is true," Rush Limbaugh told his radio listeners. He accused the newspaper of "trying to take him out." Another conservative voice, Laura Ingraham, contended the newspaper was trying to "contaminate" the GOP's nominee with an "absurd attack."

(Associated Press photo: Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., accompanied by his wife, Cindy, speaks at a news conference in Toledo, Ohio, Thursday to respond to allegations by the New York Times of impropriety with a female lobbyist.)

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

It must be difficult to admit that your campaign no longer has the support it needs to win the presidential nomination. But the facts seem clear: Sen. Hillary Clinton can no longer win the Democratic nomination without some political miracle occurring. So far, she's been short on miracles, and there's no indication that anything's changing.

It's time for her to begin preparing for the inevitable: Sen. Barack Obama will be her party's nominee for president this year. Clinton is not mathematicaly eliminated yet. But the passion for her campaign has been eliminated. Her supporters know it and her campaign advisers know it. Now she must understand that even though 2008 was supposed to be her time, it's not.

The worst thing in the world is for her to hang on too long -- like Republican Mike Huckabee is doing in the Republican race.

Obama's big win in Wisconsin yesterday put an exclamation point on the results. It's time for the Democrats to coalesce behind Obama and try to take the White House from the Republicans.

It will only hurt her party if Clinton drags this out or attempts to manipulate the rules to win delegates. If there's a convention floor fight in Denver in August, the Republicans win. She must withdraw from the race with dignity. To do less will play into the Clinton haters' hands about them being poor losers.

Obama has 10 wins in a row going into the Clinton states of Ohio and Texas on March 4. She must win both, as well as Pennsylvania on April 22. But the momentum is with Obama.

I think Clinton could have been a good president -- certainly better than George W. Bush, with his inept handling of the Iraq war and crashing our economy just like his father did. It took a Clinton to clean up Papa's mess and it will take a Clinton or Obama to fix junior's mess. This time it will have to be Obama, although Sen. John McCain has a good shot at winning in November. He may have to fix the Bush mess.

But that's getting ahead of ourselves. Right now it appears the Democratic nominee will be Obama.

Of course, if Obama were to pull a huge blunder or there's a revelation about him that would go to his ability to serve, then that could change the politics of the race.

Here's an MSNBC poll on whether Clinton and Huckabee should quit their races. Click here.

Big majority so far in both cases say they should drop out.

Posted by Jim Boren at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Think the state's huge prison system isn't a drag on the economy? Plans to expand the number of beds in prisons got revised downward recently when the bill for each bed came in 48% higher than expected -- a whopping $222,000 per, according to the Sacramento Bee.

That suggests a different tack. Instead of building vast new prisons, why not build each inmate a small 1-bedroom house somewhere? It would cost about the same, and it would spur the state's moribund housing industry. And think of all those lovely property taxes it would generate.

Besides, it's always said that home ownership makes people more responsible. So why not lift up the poor unfortunates in our criminal justice system, and boost the economy at the same time? Makes as much sense as anything else coming out of Sacramento these days.

Posted by Russ Minick at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In today's letters to the editor Cal Trans and the California Highway Patrol respond to our editorials calling for innovations in traffic enforcement to prevent the annual fog pileups. In the letter, they list their current efforts to prevent these massive accidents. But the officials don't seem to understand the point -- it's not enough. If they think their strategies are so effective, why not double them?

We understand that most of the responsibility for preventing these pileups lays with the drivers. That said, what is now happening every year during fog season is unacceptable. Drivers need more education and safety officials and law enforcement need to be more aggressive. We still think innovation is called for as well.

Clearly, the authorities need more ideas. Any creative thinkers out there? What would help? We'll pass them on to Caltrans and the CHP.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Now, here's a good example of what happens when kids spend too much time watching cheezy action movies on TV:

Bee reporter Louis Galvan filed a story this morning about a wanted parolee who broke his legs when he jumped from a second-story window Tuesday while trying to get away from Merced police and state parole agents. For real!

I don't normally laugh at people's misfortunes, but you gotta know that this fella is not cut out for a life of crime. Note for future: In the movies, there is a big pillow on the ground to catch the stunt men and women who jump out of buildings.

The suspect, Steve Moua, 25, of Merced, was treated at a Merced hospital before being transported to the Duel Vocational Institution in Tracy.

Louis writes in his story that officers had surrounded a house in the 400 block of Petunia Court in Merced to look for Moua when he jumped out of the second-story window Tuesday at 9:43 a.m. Officers were waiting for him and immediately took him into custody. No more Ninja movies for him!

There's a Web site full of descriptions for this guy. Take your pick.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Political campaigns have a way of sucking the morality right out of a candidate as they squander their souls for votes. Did Sen. John McCain do that in last week's U.S. Senate vote on torture?

This is from the Washington Post: "McCain sided with the Bush administration on the waterboarding ban passed by the Senate, saying in a statement that the measure goes too far by applying military standards to intelligence agencies. He also said that current laws already forbid waterboarding and urged the administration to declare the practice illegal."

So where is the Republican presidential candidate on the torture question? Sounds like he's waffling to get conservative votes. Will he waffle back to the center in the general election to get moderate votes?

The Los Angeles Times thumped McCain in this editorial on his recent torture vote in the Senate.

Posted by Jim Boren at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Fresno hasn't done a very good job building or maintaining parks over recent decades, with perhaps the sole exception of Woodward Park. But that appears to be changing, thanks to a strong commitment from City Hall and a dynamic new parks director. That's the topic of our Sunday editorial.

Randall Cooper and his staff at the city's parks and recreation department have plunged into a very ambitious program of adding features and sprucing up the city's parks. One of the most encouraging parts of the effort is the expansion of after-school and other activities designed to divert Fresno's kids from gangs and other criminal activity.

The connection is plain to Cooper, a former police officer, and to Mayor Alan Autry and Police Chief Jerry Dyer. It's also very cost effective: We spend a whole lot less providing healthy activities for kids than it costs us to lock them up if they go bad.

In addition to many new and expanded activities, Cooper has boosted efforts to clean and maintain the parks, long a sore spot with many residents. This new effort is most welcome. Parks are among the amenities that attract people to a community and keep them there. Fresno needs all of that it can get.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In the small-type sidebar of the story, however, she says that all is not rave reviews in her life. When she assumed the role of Dr. Bennett in "Private Practice" there was an uproar. "People said, 'She looks like a man. She's not pretty. She's fat. She's not talented.' "

McDonald actually took it very hard for awhile. But then her sense of humor -- or her sensible Fresno roots -- kicked in. "I started to joke, 'I'm just your average transvestite trying to get a job on TV.' "

I'm not sure if these critics were insiders, delusional audience members or just bitten by the stupid bug, but some people need a serious slap in the face... With such incredibly narrow ideas of who's beautiful and who's not, no wonder so many young American women have body-image issues.

Good for Audra for being a good role model and putting down such nonsense with humor. It's a potent weapon also used by that other so-called fat chick, Tyra Banks, who's featured on the cover of the same magazine. The cover story, by the way, focuses on Tyra's expanding empire, not her expanding waistline. Her company logo is a bank vault. Love it. As they say, living well is the best revenge.

Actually, Tyra is way more direct than Audra. Speaking for all women who are constantly judged and criticized for being less than perfect, Tyra didn't cry, she said, "Kiss my fat ass!" Here she is in the video on YouTube that's got 342,628 hits and if that's not enough, here's a longer video that's got 1,334,026 hits.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Help! I got fired!

This is a call that no red truck or uniformed officer can answer in Fresno County. But sometimes seeing your career go up in smoke can feel just as frightening as seeing your house on fire.

Fortunately, people in Fresno County who need help with this or a hundred other everyday urgencies that don't classify as emergencies have a new and simple way to get access to services. Dial 211. Today's editorial gives all the details.

This is the number to dial when you or a friend needs child care or elder care, food for the family, assistance with rent or finding affordable housing, computer lessons, financial training, immigration assistance. Maybe you feel you have no purpose in life. This number can lead you to a volunteer directory.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Associated Press is reporting that the $14.5 billion budget deficit in California may be much higher. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told an AP reporter over the weekend that the deficit may be even bigger. That's terrible news if you are a government worker or rely on government services.

This could mean even bigger cuts to local governments and schools. In addition, the governor has already asked for a 10% cut in all state agencies. The Legislative Analyst's Office will make its report on the governor's budget on Wednesday, and we should learn more about the state's financial problems from this review.

The state problems are another indication that the California economy continues to struggle. Sales tax revenue is way down, and that's an important indicator of the vibrancy of the state's economy.

Posted by Jim Boren at 7:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I made a quick trip to San Francisco with my navigator this weekend, and one of the highlights was visiting Yerba Buena Gardens south of Market Street. There is a lot to do in San Francisco, of course, but the serenity of this urban park is something I think you'd appreciate.

Yerba Buena Gardens was a long-delayed San Francisco redevelopment project that finally opened in 1993. My favorite feature is the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. We walked behind the spectacular waterfall where you can read excerpts of some of the civil rights leader's speeches. Imagine such a waterfall in Fresno, which would be a respite on one of our hot summer days.

Yerba Buena's garden-lined walkways are very inviting, and the grassy area offers calm in the middle of this loud and crowded city. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is across the street, and there are several other museums and galleries in the area. The Moscone Center is nearby.

There are dozens of other things to do at Yerba Buena Gardens, which is only a short walk from Union Square. Everyone has their favorite parts of San Francisco, but you've missed a cool part of the city if you haven't checked out Yerba Buena Gardens.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We seem to enjoy blaming freeway accident problems on bad drivers. They drive too fast. They drive recklessly. They don't pay attention to hazards. Interestingly, it's always the "other driver" that is terrible on the road, and not the person complaining. So I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to the backlash to our fog editorial which suggest that Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol could do more to prevent fog accidents.

Much of the reader reaction was to blame the drivers for the massive pileups on Highway 99 during fog season. The editorial board puts part of the blame on drivers, but we also believe that Caltrans and the CHP could do more to solve the problem. They say nothing more can be done. Let the cars crash in the fog, then clean up the mess. You can't force big rigs off the freeway during peak fog hours. It wouldn't be fair. You can't pace traffic more than they do now because of a lack of resources.

So what can you do? Why is Caltrans and the CHP out of ideas on this problem?

If our reader reaction to the problem is correct, every driver of the 85 cars in last November's 85-car pileup on Highway 99 were either driving too fast or with their lights off. I just can't believe that all 85 drivers were doing something wrong when they got caught up in the pileup. Most were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

My problem with Caltrans and the CHP is they think nothing can be done. They have no more ideas on the subject, and they reject the ideas from others. You can't shut down the freeway for a few hours in terrible fog (Why not? They end up having to shut down the freeway when there's an 85-car pileup to clean up the carnage).

Here are some other suggestions from our editorial:

-- Require semi-trucks and other big rigs to get off Highway 99 during the worst hours. Let the drivers take breaks at truck stops when the roads are most perilous.

-- Technology tells aviation officials when it's too foggy to land or take off from an airport. Use technology to alert Caltrans and the CHP when it's too foggy to drive.

-- Enact seasonal speed limits -- which are actually posted digitally on the freeway -- during the deadliest hours of fog or other treacherous weather conditions.

--Fine the heck out of hazardous drivers. Take their cars. Put them in holding tanks until the weather clears.

But the idea that you can't do anything to reduce fog accidents is just plain stupid.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Associated Press, citing anonymous Republican Party sources, says that former President George H.W. Bush is going to make a formal announcement endorsing Sen. John McCain in Texas on Monday.

Could the former president's blessing and the handshake from one-time chief rival, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney help persuade the party's more conservative members to loosen up? The current pres still hasn't formally endorsed McCain but he's expected to agree with this father's recommendation.

And what about bringing around conservative commentators like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter? AP reports that the president said, "I think that if John is the nominee, he has got some convincing to do to convince people that he is a solid conservative and I'll be glad to help him if he is the nominee."

Good luck with that. Bush may need to help himself with those commentators first.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The Sacramento Bee has tallied up the status of California's 66 Democratic superdelegates. Click here to see which superdelegates Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama have claimed so far in the Golden State.

The superdelegates are important because they can vote anyway they want at the Democratic National Convention, which will be held in Denver in August. Some have committed early, while others have yet to announce a preference. There are 795 superdelegates overall, and they will be crucial if there is a close convention vote for the Democratic nomination.

So far, Clinton has 26 superdelegates to 11 for Obama.

In the San Joaquin Valley, Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, is uncommitted, and Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced, is in the Clinton column.

Costa knows how to work the system to his political benefit. He is sure to be wined and dined by Clinton and Obama forces in an attempt to push him out of his undecided state. Who knows what they will offer him for his support at the convention. Hold out for secretary of agriculture, congressman.

Posted by Jim Boren at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

In today's editorial, we take Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol to task for their toothless approach to the Valley's annual carnage on Highway 99 during fog season.

Yes, of course, the real varmints are people who drive recklessly during fog season. They are idiots, and sometimes they are killers. We compare them with drinking drivers. Drunks are idiots, too, but law enforcement is far more aggressive about education, prevention, apprehension and incarceration. Will it take a group of angry mothers holding picture posters of their dead children to persuade Caltrans and the CHP that they must get ferocious about this?

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

We are really feeling the love out there on this Valentine's Day. I've got dark chocolate in my mouth and beautiful flowers on my desk from my sweetie. I'm all good.

Kim Thompson, who teaches at Fresno Pacific University, has a little bigger picture in mind. She felt moved to express her affection for her true love -- the Valley -- in this very thoughtful Valentine poem. How about you? Is there a poem inside you about Porterville? A haiku about Hanford? A limerick about Lemoore?

A Love Poem for the San Joaquin Valley on Valentine’s Day

O Valley,
In your arms I became myself.

Your love displayed as countless fields, neat rows, well-watered
An intentional care, an unmeasured abundance
Of every good thing.

Though I left you and traveled the world
You welcomed me back, you tamed my wild spirit
With the smell of your blossoms, the feel of your earth, the taste of your fruit.

You soothed me with lullabies of dreams, with language of justice for everyone
who sought to make a home with you.
In the sound of your voice, and your voice only,
I found rest.

My love, where have you gone?
I look into your face, and you are not there.
Disguised by a thick haze that you fashioned yourself, you give away your beauty for profit.

I longed to make a humble home in you,
And you gave me a chimera of subdivisions
Now sitting empty, a graveyard of hope.

Your spirit of care has turned darkly into a spirit of greed
And you in turn create poverty.

I am losing you, my love.
Come back to me.
All my dreams are hidden in you, a thousand seeds in your fertile soil.
The breath of our most loving times
Swirls and lingers like the sweet fruitfulness of Spring.

Valley, your soul is my life,
Your body – my heart.

Come back to me.
Come back.

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

If the economy is treating your family like a punching bag, money genius Suze Orman is offering the best bargain I've seen today.

Orman was on "Oprah" yesterday preaching fiscal responsibility to her audience, primarily of women. She is offering her book free today from until 8 p.m. You can get information from Suze about getting out of debt and also get instructions for downloading her new book, "Women & Money" by clicking here.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Associated Press is reporting that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. John McCain's main competition for the Republican presidential nomination before dropping out of the race, will endorse McCain and ask his supporters and convention delegates to back the Arizona senator.

Only former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Rep. Ron Paul remain in the GOP race and they have no chance of getting the nomination.

Romney reportedly believes that his move will help McCain win in November by allowing him to begin focusing on the general election. It's too bad that Huckabee and Paul aren't as good Republicans. Huckabee and Paul are in the race now just for ego. They have no mathematical chance to win the Republican nomination.

Posted by Jim Boren at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

A sportswriter wrote recently that millions of Americans will celebrate their one true love today. Others will celebrate Valentine's Day.

He was talking about the official beginning of baseball's annual spring ritual, as training camps open for business all over Florida and in Arizona. It's symbolic of the end of another dreary winter. The months of baseball's off-season are highlighted by football games -- if highlighted is the right word. It's a grim time for baseball fans -- made grimmer this year by the flood of stories surrounding steroids.

And football doesn't help much. As the columnist (and great baseball fan) George Will once wrote: "Football combines the two worst things about America: it is violence punctuated by committee meetings."

But baseball? Will again: "Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal."

Play ball. And soon, please.

Posted by Russ Minick at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

And Parra didn't duck the reason: Her enemy, Democratic Sen. Dean Florez, is running his mother for the seat that Parra is vacating at the end of this term, Parra said new blood is needed in the Legislature and Gilmore and his wife are fine people. She said the Valley doesn't need another Florez -- in this case Shafter Mayor Fran Florez -- in the Legislature.

She admitted in the radio interview to still being angry that Dean Florez ran one of his staffers against her father, Pete Parra, taking him out of his longtime seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. She also said that the senator worked behind the scenes to help a previous Republican opponent, Dean Gardner. Parra had two tight races against the Republican.

It's clear that the Parra/Florez feud is still very bitter, so much so that Parra would rather see a Republican in her seat than a Democrat -- at least one related to Dean Florez.

So Parra has begun handing off her seat to Gilmore to prevent Fran Florez from getting early political traction.

Parra announced earlier that she would not seek another legislative office after her term ends. She told Appleton that she had has several job offers and probably would do something in Sacramento involving corporate or government relations. She said she has had many conversations with potential employers.

Sometime down the road, Parra, 38, said she might want to run for Congress. But seeking a state Senate seat is out for now.

Posted by Jim Boren at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Miley's fans piled on, but the magazine is standing firm:

Many of you felt that we were making a big deal out of a movie. But the reality is that movies and television shows do influence how kids, and adults, act in everyday life. Producers, directors and actors can influence public behavior through their movies and television shows—and they can make a difference. Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley's celebrity father, so much as acknowledged that today when he issued an apology published on People Online. "We got caught up in the moment of filming, and we made a mistake and forgot to buckle our seat belts,"Cyrus told People. "Seatbelt safety is extremely important." We applaud the Cyrus family for being proactive and for recognizing that wearing seat belts in rear seats is essential.

Here is the important fact floating around that stopped me cold: 65% of fatalities 13-15 years were not wearing seatbelts..

Posted by Gail Marshall at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The candidates are all smart; they've got Ivy League degrees and spouses, Senate credentials, programs, visions. If Clinton really wants to stop Obama, it's time to fight charm with charm. The Clintons need to sign up the award-winning beagle, Uno, for the team. Now, his endorsement could really translate into votes from an untapped contingency -- the dog-lovers of America. The audience roared at the Westminster Kennel Club show when that little guy won. The camera loves him, and now people can't buy beagles fast enough. People say Hillary sometimes appears to be too tough around the edges. This could be just the ticket.

Clearly, Uno is the new Knut. Better sign him before McCain does.

Posted by Gail Marshall at 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The latest election count for Fresno County shows that only about 46% of voters cast ballots in the Feb. 5 presidential primary. Compare that with the statewide turnout of about 57%, and you have to wonder why Fresno County voters were so apathetic.

Voters across the nation were getting involved in a big way in this primary season, yet more than half of Fresno County voters had something better to do on election day. They couldn't even be moved by this historic primary election.

You can't think of many excuses for them. This election occurred before Republican Mitt Romney got out of the GOP race for president, so Fresno County Republicans had a choice between Romney, Sen. John McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Romney won Fresno County, one of the few counties that he carried in California on Feb. 5.

Democrats had Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama to choose from. Former Sen. John Edwards had already dropped out. Clinton won Fresno County and carried California.

Here are the latest turnout numbers from the Fresno County Elections Office:

-- All voters: 161,968 voted out of 352,661 registered -- 45.93% turnout.

-- Democrats: 77,263 voted out of 139,805 registered -- 55.3% turnout.

-- Republicans: 74,874 voted out of 154,326 registered -- 48.5% turnout.

Posted by Jim Boren at 6:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Not everyone is as impressed as I was with the video. In an op-ed piece that we published in Monday's paper, New York Times columnist David Brooks had this to say about it:

Obama's people are so taken with their messiah that soon they'll be selling flowers at airports and arranging mass weddings. There's a "Yes, We Can" video floating around YouTube in which a bunch of celebrities like Scarlett Johansson and the guy from the Black Eyed Peas are singing the words to an Obama speech in escalating states of righteousness and ecstasy. If that video doesn't creep out normal working-class voters, then nothing will.

Love it or hate it, it's a sign of the passion people feel about this year's presidential election.

Posted by Lisa Maria Boyles at 4:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)

If you've ever wondered why government does things the way it does and felt frustrated when it doesn't live up to its obligations to the people, serving on the Fresno County grand jury is one way to make a big contribution. People take grand jury recommendations very seriously.