I noticed in the political notebook this week that the Valley's prisons are not being considered for seven new prison medical centers in the state because the director of prison medical care, J. Clark Kelso, photo right, says we don't have the trained workforce to support them.

I'm not sure if that's a blessing or a curse. Sure, it's a slap in the face at our dropout-plagued workforce. I get that. But should we really be heartbroken that we won't get more prisoners dumped on us? Don't think so.

All things being equal, I'd much rather see the folks with the medical training here employed in clinics and hospitals with law-abiding folks who will actually do good things when they are well. There is no shortage of jobs here for people with medical training.

We'll happily pass on this so-called opportunity: Kelso's looking at Folsom, Chino, Whittier, San Diego, Ventura and San Joaquin and Solano counties. I wish them well with their "industry."