More Second Thoughts

Thoughts from this week's paper

2012-01-20T15:54:00.000-08:00

• Thank the rain gods for the wet stuff that started falling Thursday — but we could have done without the wind that's turned Eleventh Street east of town into a scene from the Wild West. The tumbleweeds are out in force, and at one point in the early afternoon were completely blocking the No. 2 westbound lane just off the Interstate 5 off-ramp. Dodgy stuff.

• Rep. Jeff Denham has serious credentials in the 10th Congressional District race and widespread appeal in the Central Valley. But he might find himself out of step with his flat-tax proposal, which would shift the income tax burden down the country's pay scale. Note his answer to a question about that downside paid no mention of the average worker or taxpayer. (Yes, close to 50 percent of American's don't pay income tax under the current system — but they still pay plenty in payroll taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, etc., so please don't call those folks freeloaders.)

• It'll be interesting to see how Denham and his Democratic opponents, so far Mike Barkley and Jose Hernendez, approach the water issue in this district. Tracy and its environs south draw water from the Delta-Mendota Canal, and the quality and quantity of that water would in theory be increased if a Peripheral Canal is built around the lower reaches of the Delta. But that samesaid canal would decimate the water supply for San Joaquin County's top industry — agriculture — an industry that Denham, at least, has sworn to protect. With water in these parts a zero-sum game, it looks like folks running in the 10th District race will have to choose between safeguarding agriculture in San Joaquin or Stanislaus counties.

• Police are making more contact with gang members, and the number of documented gang members in Tracy has gone up. It's disconcerting to think that gangs' precence in Tracy is increasing. But these numbers could also be comforting — as long as the rise is reflective of a police force that's getting a more accurate picture of the reality on the ground.

• Spoiler alert: Evidently, West High School's boys basketball team is the younger, updated version of Phil Slama Jama. Look for some coverage of their high-flying attack in future issues of the Press.

Special meeting sparsely attended

2011-12-23T11:19:00.000-08:00

One more point worth making about the City Council's special meeting decision to green-light a business incentive program: lack of public involvement.

As noted in today's Tracy Press story, only four people attended the meeting, which was called Monday, publicized Tuesday and held Wednesday, at a time two hours earlier than normal because of the normally scheduled Planning Commission meeting. Also, three of the four people in the audience were members of the Press.

The city manager suggested that the special meeting was necessary because the opportunity presented to the city might slip away if the council waited until the regularly scheduled Jan. 1 meeting.

Still, the timing of the meeting -- one day after the canceled regularly scheduled council meeting - was curious, and its last-minute nature contributed to the lack of public scrutiny on what could prove to be a huge deal for the city of Tracy.

Local newspapers still have special place

2011-12-19T13:07:00.000-08:00

Reports of the demise of the printed word might be greatly exaggerated, at least when it comes to community newspapers.

A recent industry survey found what some local newshounds already suspected: When it comes to tight-knit communities, readers prefer a local newspaper when it comes to getting their information about their town as well as advertising specials.

Just one more reason I'm thankful to be part of the Press.

A timely downtown cleanup

2011-12-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

Leaving the Press on Thursday, the leaves downtown had been piled into huge drifts by the winds blowing through the previous two days. Fun for shuffling feet through fall foliage, but rather unsightly.

On Friday morning, they were gone, collected by city crews.

Seems that somebody knows small, daily maintenance is as critical to a welcoming business district as is million-dollar makeovers.

Downtown problems, case in point

2011-11-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

I've put this opinion in print before: If everyone doesn't get on the same side — that means the city, business owners and property owners — downtown Tracy will languish, redevelopment effort or no.

A case in point happened this week, when structural problems left unaddressed by a property owner forced the closure of Helm's Ale House. This is a blow to downtown, as the ale house was exactly the type of outfit a bustling center needs — a restraurant anchoring a busy streetcorner that caters to a wide variety of customers, but that also fosters nightlife and gives people a reason to visit the area.

(Plus, the beer selection was superb.)

The problems to the building were known by the property owner for some time, but according to business owner Dave Helm, they either went wholly unaddressed or the landlord tried to fix the issues with substandard Band Aids.

Don't maintain the building that houses an up-and-coming business that pays you rent — it's the perfect way to kill downtown growth.

It's a story that will repeat unless everyone with a stake in downtown gets on the same page and realizes all players benefit from prudent cooperation and investment.

Proceed with your campaigns

2011-10-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Looks like the many folks who have flocked to the redrawn districts around Tracy and San Joaquin County seeking political opportunity (it's like the Sooners, but for cash and power as opposed to land) can continue their campaigns.

The state's supreme court dismissed a challenge by California Republicans that said some of the boundaries were drawn in an underhanded manner.

Sorry GOP, the underhanded stuff happened when lawmakers of both parties were allowed to draw their own districts, which is what happened in 2000. That's why we had citizens do it this time.

Occupy the Central Valley

2011-10-27T11:50:00.001-07:00

Occupy Wall Street — the loose movement decrying corporate greed and government complicity — hasn’t made an appearance in Tracy, to my knowledge. But it has appeared in San Joaquin County.

A smattering of protesters has been sighted in the downtown of county seat Stockton, carrying the now well-known “We are the 99%” signs and trying to convert passers-by to the cause.

Still, some folks seem unsure about what the protesters want. In fact, some of the protesters don’t even seem to know what they want.

In my opinion, they’re standing up for a very American principle — the idea that when power is concentrated in the hands of too few, democracy dies.

Whether in the form of wealth, political influence or a police state, too much power spread among too few is anathema to the republican form of government envisioned in the Constitution. And that’s true whether those few are government officials, businessmen, or anyone else.

I think the protesters are, though maybe not in eloquent terms, giving voice to the simmering sentiment that the American deck is more and more stacked in favor of those with the deepest pockets, biggest microphones and closest connections.

I don’t think these protesters want a hand out. I think they want a level playing field.

The roots of Tracy's lost courtroom

2011-10-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

We all know things don't look good for the county's superior court system. Tracy just lost its courthouse, after all. But according to an article at Law.com, the current underfunding of the San Joaquin County courts is the product of a flaw in how the state decided to originally allocate money for the institutions.

San Joaquin County jurors can't get coffee in the waiting room. There's no bottled water in the courtrooms and no Post-It notes for employees to use. Private security guards have replaced sheriff's deputies at some screening stations and civil courtrooms.

This month court leaders took more drastic action, closing the Tracy courthouse and all but one courtroom in Lodi. Small claims court will be dark most days of the week.

San Joaquin is one of the state's handful of chronically underfunded courts, as calculated by a formula tied to caseload. Its problems stem from its days under county control. State court funding levels were set by matching county allocations to courts in the 1994-95 fiscal year. San Joaquin and other counties were suffering the effects of a recession that year, which effectively put their courts financially behind those in other counties that had fared better.

Part of the remedy, the author writes, is to change how the money for courts is redistributed. Read the rest of the article here.

Cardoza calls it quits

2011-10-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

We called it. Dennis Cardoza, who represented South-Central Stockton, a narrow neck of San Joaquin County, and many parts farther south in Congress, has officially announced its retirement.

As many political observers, it's not a shocker. Redistricting left Cardoza without a natural district to defend, and many strong potential candidates he'd have to wrestle.

Too bad. Cardoza has been one of few people to stand up and demand relief for the thousands of Central Valley homeowners who were flayed by the housing bubble's collapse. If they could get some refinancing help, maybe they could keep their homes and have more money to put back into the economy, the thinking goes.

But so far, observers say the government has been slow to act, and banks have balked.

And in just over a year, one of the few voices calling to change that status quo will leave the halls of Congress. Sigh.

Out of the shadows

2011-10-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Michelle Brown isn't around to tell her story. That's why two weeks ago, the Women's Center of San Joaquin County told her story for her as part of a message against domestic violence.

The 26-year-old and mother of a 5-year-old daughter was a victim of domestic violence, shot to death by her boyfriend after work while trying to break out of the abusive relationship.

A cardboard cutout in City Hall stood in memory of Michelle, a reminder of the message behind Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is October.

Domestic abuse is often a hidden crime. Though we see it in the police log, folks at the Women's Center say it's a crime that's vastly under-reported. And sometimes, when it becomes apparent, it's too late.

The cardboard figure outside the council chamber was just one more effort to encourage those who are suffering to step out of the shadows, and a reminder to everyone else about what can happen behind closed doors.

Different power plant, same story

2011-10-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

This story from the Stockton Record should be pretty familiar to folks in Mountain House and Tracy. Build a power plant in Alameda County, send the smog to the San Joaquin Valley.

By now, this is no random occurence. It's a pattern. We've seen efforts to do this time and again (though not always successfully), and it always seems like San Joaquin County gets the short end of the stick in terms of pollution fallout and lack of tax revenue.

Of course, it isn't counties that approve sites for power plants. That is vested with a state agency, though counties can voice their pleasure or umbrage at a possible location. (I'm guessing Alameda County folks don't mind reaping the economic benefits of a plant when the wind will blow the less-than-desirable side effects into someone else's backyard.)

Mitigation measures extracted from power producers by our local air pollution control district (in the case of this plant, $200,000 worth) undoubtedly help. But that doesn't excuse the trend.

Expect it continue, though, as the area near Mountain House previously targeted for power generators has nearby water supplies and easy hook-ups to electrical infrastructure.

Breathe lightly, my friends.

Catch as catch can

2011-10-21T11:23:00.001-07:00

Time to catch up on some blogging, as we've been fairly buried recently. Expect sporadic updates in the future, as the Press is on the lookout for a new managing editor, as Kelsy Ramos, who was with the paper for nearly 7 years, has stepped down to pursue other interests.

We'll try to keep you updated.

Don't be part of the news

2011-10-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

One of the cardinal rules in journalism is, "Report the news. Don't be part of the news."

Well, today, at the coming-out party for Jose Hernandez's campaign for Congress, my notepad and pen got caught in the action, when at least a dozen kids pressed forward for autographs before I could grab my interview — another crowd member suggested my pen would be better than their pencils, and my pad would make a good writing platform.

Not wanting to disappoint the kids, I temporarily donated the services of my equipment. (Photographic proof below.)

Darn kids.

An emotional issue... meeting tonight

2011-10-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

This column about whether or not to put the name of Staff Sgt. David Senft on the Tracy War Memorial after he killed himself during his fourth tour of duty in the Middle East has generated the most response out of any column I've written during my six years at the Tracy Press.

For good reason. Honoring servicemen and suicide are extremely emotional issues both. Combine them, and hoo boy.

For the record, nearly all the feedback I've received is in support of putting Senft's name on the memorial despite the argument of Scott and Julie Conover, whose son is on the war memorial for dying in battle. They say the fact that Senft took, instead of gave, his life is reason to make a distinction when it comes to the memorial.

The Conovers understand it's a touchy subject. I talked to Scott on Friday after the column ran, and he said he respects Senft's family and has the utmost sympathy. But he said that while Senft served bravely, his final action should mean the difference between being on and off the memorial.

“We support the military, and we support this family, too, whether they know it or not,” he told me. “We just don’t think a suicide belongs on the war memorial.”

For their part, Senft's family thinks he without a doubt deserves the honor. My take is on display in the column.

All this emotion promises to play out tonight at the American Legion Hall. I've heard the War Memorial Association plans on moving the meeting into a bigger part of the hall than it's used to — this could be the best-attended WMA meeting in history.

Tracy gets on the anti-cancer bandwagon

2011-10-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Tracy looks like it's finally getting its cancer-fighting bandwagon rolling with its first Walk for the Cure, an effort of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, an organization dedicated to breast cancer education and eradication.

But if that seems like a story that sounds like it's not from your corner of San Joaquin County, it's because this is Tracy in southwestern Minnesota — it of the 2,163 population. (It's a repeat guest of the "Hey, that's not my Tracy," section of Second Thoughts.)

It's not too far off to say it's one Tracy following in the footsteps of another. The Tank Town Tracy has had one of the most successful anti-cancer fundraisers in the most populous state in the union. Good to see one of our smaller sibling cities doing the same thing.

Signs of the season

2011-09-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

Two cues that fall really is here seen from the road this morning: Red tomatoes scattered on highway asphalt, and grey fog peeking over the Altamont Hills.

Updated: FoodMaxx first grocery big box victim?

2011-09-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

Back when the city of Tracy was mulling whether to approve — at about the same time — a WinCo supermarket, Walmart Supercenter expansion, and a Raley's, at least one consultant's study warned that there would be casualties among the city's existing grocers.

Today, we found that FoodMaxx will close up shop in October.

It's hard to tell if FoodMaxx's closure is a direct result of WinCo and Raley's coming to town (Walmart's plans are still in process) but I wouldn't be surprised.

Of course, that's the way free markets work. If you can't hang with the competition, you're toast.

But this still presents a problem for the city as far as urban planning goes. As in, what happens when the anchor of a strip mall, which FoodMaxx was, disappears? Do the smaller ships drift into oblivion when the anchor's pulled out?

Let's hope not.

::Update::
Turns out the FoodMaxx won't sit vacant for long. Word on the street is that another market will take over once FoodMaxx departs.

Good to hear the storefront won't sit empty long.

Market moves out

2011-09-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

Work is happening today at the Westside Market, which the city of Tracy recently purchased.

Employees could be seen packing up boxes and moving out shelves at what was formerly a small grocery on the corner of Eighth Street and Central Avenue downtown.

It's not officially known what will be put in its place, but several people close to the matter have suggested the city is seeking a restaurant or some other high-traffic type establishment to further the rejuvenation of downtown as a cultural hub.

Don't bet on a quick turnaround

2011-09-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Fitting that at last night's City Council meeting, Finance Director Zane Johnston told councilmembers that the need to trim employee costs was pressing, even though the Measure E sales tax increase doesn't expire for four more years.

We haven't seen the light at the end of the tunnel, he said.

Truly, he spoke.

A UCLA study, this report says, envisions San Joaquin County lingering in the economic doldrums until at least 2017. It's consistent with what the University of Pacific Economic Forecasting Center has said in its quarterly reports for nigh on a year: The state's coastal and more urban areas are starting to show signs of life, but the Central Valley will continue to lag behind.

That means cities like Tracy, which have a budget to balance, would do well to get into the black sooner rather than later.

The end of butterfly season

2011-09-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

Last week, anyone exiting or entering Tracy on 11th Street east of town got a little something extra for free — a new coat of yellow paint.

Well, not paint so much as the remains of hundreds of bright yellow butterflies that flitted over and across that stretch of pavement. Beautiful to watch, but sad — there's no way to avoid turning your car into a giant bug swatter. Not to mention, they're a pain to clean.

A nation of cowards?

2011-09-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Another poll, another set of data that suggest maybe Americans don't value their freedom as much as they say they do.

This one suggests that a majority of Americans — including, no doubt, many of the "get your government hands off my Medicare" types — are willing to trade freedoms for security.

At some level, it's common sense. We do this all the time. Think stop lights and speed limits — we give up our freedom to drive however the hell we want in the interest of public safety. Because obeying a certain set of rules makes us all less likely to end up roadkill.

But what we're talking about here is different.

We're talking in the context of national security, giving the government widespread power to search and snoop without warrants or other advance notice. The bogeyman of terrorism, since Sept. 11, 2001, has been used to justify all sorts of government overreach, and our federal government is perhaps more cloaked in secrecy than ever before.

Government secrecy — and untouchable authority — is the enemy of republicanism and democracy. And now we have proof that a majority of U.S. citizens seem willing to go along for that ride.

I'll leave today with one thought, cribbed from the mind of none other than Ben Franklin: "Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither."

You can bet Ben wasn't talking about traffic signals.

Hotter in the classrooms

2011-08-31T16:59:00.001-07:00

A parent wrote in to complain this week that local schools had the air conditioning turned off a week ago, during one of the hotter days of this relatively mild summer.

Intrigued, Second Thoughts investigated.

Turns out, it is indeed warmer on Tracy Unified campuses this year. Just not when classes are in session.

The district, in an effort to save money and be an environmental steward, ratchets down the air conditioning after classes are out in the afternoons. But when school is in session, a district spokeswoman said, students should be appropriately cooled.

Of course, that doesn't account for equipment breakdowns and that kind of thing. But there's no plan in place to save a few bucks by baking the kids.

Another hit to local journalism

2011-08-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

An area newspaper is taking a big hit, and it isn't the Tracy Press. It's a paper that competes with the Press for local coverage: The San Joaquin Herald.

The Herald is the San Joaquin edition of the Tri-Valley Herald, owned by Bay Area News Group, which also owns pretty much every major paper between here and San Francisco that isn't named "Weekly" or "Chronicle."

Soon, it'll be known as The Times, and will officially be merged with the Contra Costa Times and East County Times. But re-naming isn't important — ANG has repackaged the same content for different papers for years. What's big news is the company is using the consolidation as an opportunity to lay off 40 people from its newsrooms — 17 percent of its news staff.

While the company claims this will allow it to "offer additional value for readers," it's hard to imagine how employing fewer news-gatherers will help these papers — ostensibly news-gathering organizations — better inform the people who turn to them to help make sense of the world.

Some might think the Press would celebrate a competitor downsizing, but that's far from the case. No blow to the journalism industry — and fellow journalists — is welcomed. No one here wants to see more journalists unemployes and less vital information get to the hands of our readers.

McNerney's homegrown challenge

2011-08-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Ricky Gill, the bright political up-and-comer challenging Rep. Jerry McNerney in the 9th District in 2012, opened his campaign with a salvo this morning, buying full-page ads featuring an open letter in two 9th District newspapers (Mountain House is in the 9th District, Tracy is in the 10th).

He came out swinging, mostly focusing on his in-district credentials, while painting McNerney as an out-of-town, and out-of-touch, carpetbagger:

"The fact is, Jerry McNerney has had five years to learn about and address our valley issues, and he just hasn't done the job. A first step in turning around our local economy is to stop outsourcing our Congressional representation in Washington to the East Bay. ... If you remember one thing about me from this letter, it's that I'm running for Congress not just to vote on your behalf, but to lead on behalf of our entire community." (emphais his)

At first glance, his letter is a powerful statement in favor of San Joaquin County residents. On second, closer look, it's a mixed bag.

He's absolutely right that San Joaquin County and the Delta region require their own voice in Congress, someone who knows the issues here and is dedicated to addressing them and fighting for its residents. But is homegrown synonymous with local knowledge?

Gill's examples that highlight McNerney's out-of-town status could be viewed as McNerney's ignorance of local issues — or they could equally be viewed as McNerney's informed stances that don't jibe with Gills'. I'd say it's more the latter than the former, but that's my personal take.

Ultimately, it'll be up for voters to decide whether Gill, a Lodi native, is the best man to represent the region's interests; if McNerney, with several years experience representing most of San Joaquin County can do the best job; or if that distinction lies with somebody else.

Dems get the early drop

2011-08-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

When it comes to staking a claim to the newly drawn political districts in San Joaquin County, Democrats are getting the drop on their Republican counterparts.

Today, Cathleen Galgiani confirmed to me that she's running for the 5th Senate district, which will be all of San Joaquin County, plus Galt and Modesto. The three-term assemblywoman is termed out in that chamber, so the state Senate is her best shot at staying around Sacramento.

Galgiani's Associate Press-style tag (D-Livingston) might suggest she's a carpetbagger, but that charge is leveled by her history and honest SJC roots. Galgiani is a fifth-generation Stockton native, and owns a home within walking distance of that city's vibrant Miracle Mile.

And though her district now only is partly in the county, she said “I always felt like I represented all of San Joaquin County."

Mike Barkley is another Democrat who declared immediately — actually, he's been working on his campaign since before the new districts were drawn. The man from Manteca might not have inside-the-Beltway orthodox views on a range of topics (scope his comprehensive and obviously thought-out platform here), but Barkley insists that's the type of representative you need if you want to shake up the District of Columbia. But smart money says he won't be the biggest Democrat in the Tracy-inclusive 10th Congressional District fight.

Rep. Jerry McNerney has also said he'll run to represent Mountain House (not Tracy) in Congress.

On the GOP side, Ricky Gill will be in the mix against McNerney for certain. He is the lone Republican so far to get ahead of his Democratic counterpart. He declared early this year that, however the districts would be drawn, he'd run to represent San Joaquin County and be a truly homegrown candidate, something the area has been sorely lacking for years. He's an energetic and sharp-as-a-tack guy with a ton of promise.

The GOP's Jeff Denham has all but said he will run in the 10th Congressional District opposite Barkley and whomever else joins the race, but has not officially declared that will be where he tosses his hat. We'll have more on him and his positions when he gives the official "I'm in."

With this year's redistricting, the 2012 election season looks like it could be a bumpy ride. So hang on — Second Thoughts and the Tracy Press will try to keep you as up-to-date as possible.

Grand success

2011-08-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

To anyone wondering if the Grand Theatre could ever be a viable spot for big musical events, you have an answer. The show of country artist Kellie Pickler is all but sold out, less than 10 days after tickets went on sale.

If you're interested, the last count had five individual tickets left for sale.

That means a recognizable artist agreed to perform in Tracy, and completely filled the house. This suggests the Grand, if it can match the right talent to the Tracy audience, can keep its seats filled with high-level acts — something critics in the past have questioned.

It's an encouraging sign that the theater can inch its way toward self-sutainability, even though that was never the plan for the place in the beginning. (Nor should it be the place's primary goal.)

It's good to see the Grand succeeding. But those who have kept their finger on the art center's pulse have known that all along.

SJC's political wrestling match continues

2011-08-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

Leroy Ornellas, Tracy's rep on the county board of supervisors, condemned the process of redrawing supervisorial district boundaries after the other four supervisors voted in favor of new maps yesterday.

To wit:

Just as state Legislators drew maps to their political benefit 10 years ago, it appears that the temptation to fiddle with district boundaries for political advantage is too strong for some folks to resist. The process of redistricting was intended so that voters could choose their legislators, not so legislators could choose their voters. Carving up districts in such a way so as to enhance your political careers is wrong. It's bad government, and I won't be part of it.

To read why Ornellas was hopping mad, see last week's Second Thoughts column. In short, supervisors were in charge of redistricting, not citizens, and some observers have accused supervisors other than Ornellas of tinkering with the lines behind closed doors and giving the public scant time to review the changes.

His words are about as close as you'll see one person call out colleagues in public on political skullduggery.

Meanwhile, other supervisors, especially Steve Bestolarides, defended both the process and the decision, and said that media reports (including last week's column) were unfair to the supervisors, mischaracterized the process and were baldly inaccurate.

Bestolarides said "political hyperbole" had clouded a process that was agreed to by all supervisors, and said it was a shame that certain rules seemed to apply for four supervisors, while other rules seemed to apply for one. You can guess which man he was talking about.

National Night Out, rethought

2011-08-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

By outward appearances, the new order for Tracy's National Night Out was a success.

People were playing, strolling and laughing on the greensward by City Hall earlier this evening, and the event's organizers said so many people showed up that they ran out of hot dogs and hamburgers (though some reports indicate a few folks went back for more than their fair share of the freebies).

However, it strikes Second Thoughts as something of a letdown to have NNO in one centralized location, instead of spread throughout the city, as in previous years.

Sure, it might save money. And it might make for a better party. (Getting the city manager in a dunk tank has gotta count for something.)

But the idea behind NNO is to take back city streets. It's not just to get information from public safety officials — it's designed to get neighbors talking to one another in their own front yards.

That's why the neighborhood-by-neighborhood block party idea was such a success. It got people unafraid to use their public spaces, which is one of the best ways everyday citizens can fight back against crime. It's something that goes missing when the event is concentrated in one space.

I'm glad tonight appeared to be a hit. But I'd rather see National Night Out spread throughout the city.

R.I.P. Leo Smith

2011-08-01T16:19:00.001-07:00

Leo Smith — the man whose family was helped by a small army of Tracy volunteers after this story ran in the Press — died this morning, Councilman Steve Abercrombie reports.

Smith and his wife, Angela, got to enjoy the hard work of the Tracy community less than three weeks. But Leo's final days, I have no doubt, were made better by the folks who gave up their time and talents to help a fellow Tracyite in need.

His death so soon after the work was completed in no way diminishes what those people did for him, out of the desire to do the right thing. And it in no way diminishes the joy he and his wife got from knowing that other people cared about them, that they weren't merely on their own, that they were part of the community.

That's the kind of gift that cannot possibly be overvalued.

It's a sad story, yes. But it's a reminder that a little time, a litle effort, can mean the world to someone else. And that spirit is a huge part of what makes Tracy special. At least in my eyes.

No punches pulled on McNerney announcement

2011-07-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

Rep. Jerry McNerney, who has no district to call his own thanks to redistricting, has announced that he will move to San Joaquin County and seek to represent a planned district that will include the north part of the county, as well as some of eastern Contra Costa County.

(It should be noted that congressional reps don't have to live within the district they represent, though Second Thoughts maintains it's good form.)

The campaign of Ricky Gill, the 24-year-old Lodi native who's made his SJC roots a cornerstone of his early efforts, seized on the announcment to draw first blood in the race:

"Jerry McNerney's claim to have adopted San Joaquin County as his 'home' is laughable. During his time in Washington, he has utterly neglected the people of San Joaquin County and the greater San Joaquin Valley," said Colin Hunter, who works for Ricky Gill for Congress. "We trust the voters will recognize that McNerney is moving to San Joaquin County for political purposes, plain and simple."

Gill seems like a thoughtful man, and he speaks in nonpartisan terms that seeks to build bridges with others, even those at different points of the red-blue spectrum. But if you thought his campaign would be so congenial, it's time to think again.

New Jerusalem lends hand to Stockton school

2011-07-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

The Lincoln Unified School District in Stockton (I know, a tad out of our coverage area) has rejected an idea for a charter school, saying the proposed academy does not meet its standards.

But the charter system has proven beneficial in the Tracy area — New Jerusalem's Delta Charter and Tracy Unified's Tracy Learning Center being two prime examples.

So it's no surprise that New Jerusalem is stepping up to the plate for the proposed Academy of Business, Law and Education, offering to partner with the up-and-coming school so it can become a reality.

More downtown business group tidbits

2011-07-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

One significant thing that wound up on the cutting room floor of this column about the Tracy City Center Association is a brief primer on its origin. And it's a creation tale that chaps the hide of some folks who didn't get a say in the matter.

The genesis story of the TCCA involves a bit of politics.

Several city parcels, notably the Tracy Transit Station, were included in the district, giving the city one of the largest votes when it came to whether or not to approve the business association. Meanwhile, one of the largest private parcels historically considered to be in the downtown — the Tracy Inn, which includes Tracy Thai and the now-defunct Dick's Newsstand — was left out, after being included in initial draft plans for the district boundaries.

It was a move to help ensure the district was approved, and that maneuvering has left a bad taste in the mouth of several people — especially some merchants who didn't get a vote in the matter. Remember, the TCCA vote was one among property owners. (Which, for full disclosure, included the Tracy Press. Our ownership voted in favor of the TCCA.)

Second Thoughts wishes the TCCA all the best, and hopes it can bring new life to downtown. The revitalization of the city's historic core is essential to making Tracy the type of city many hope it can be, and the TCCA and its volunteer members are dedicated to making that happen.

The TCCA is an organization that has the potential to really change downtown for the better. But we'd be remiss if we didn't remember the "how" of it came to be, and the friction that resulted.

True public servants

2011-07-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Addition to the Better Future Files: Read this heartbreaking yet uplifting story by Press reporter Denise Rizzo, and then you'll know what public service really is.

The firefighters, police officers, city councilman and other volunteers who went to the aidof Angela and Leo Smith — whose money for a ramp to help Leo, who has Lou Gehrig's disease, was stolen by some lowlife while the couple was at the hospital — are true heros. Because that's how a town like Tracy gets better. One helping hand at a time.

In a world in which so much is going wrong, it's nice to know decency still rules many human hearts.

Hopefully, the selflessness of these volunteers is an inspiration to the rest of us. Good way to start the weekend.

Closer to that solar farm

2011-07-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

A city of Tracy plan to turn the old antenna farm off Schulte Road into a solar array that produces clean power for the local grid is a step closer to reality.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committe approved legislation that would transfer to Tracy 150 acres, land that's vital to the solar project. The full Senate is set to vote soon on the measure.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Barbara Boxer. Rep. Jerry McNerney introduced identical legislation in the House of Representatives. Both houses of Congress must OK the bill before it can become law.

Keeping our cool

2011-07-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

A week ago, Tracy was sweltering in 100-plus degree temperatures. Today, unofficial temperatures have the daytime high pegged at about 80.

The reason? You know if you looked toward the Altamont this morning, where fog crept over the hills and wrapped itself partly around the feet of Mount Diablo. The Bay Area's fog is keeping us cool — the the breeze caused by warmer inland temperatures doesn't hurt, either.

The cool but sunny weather is supposed to last as least until Friday. Enjoy it while it lasts.

At least we're not Stockton

2011-07-08T12:28:00.001-07:00

Folks in town have made much ado about public safety in Tracy, especially over the past two years, when year-ending spikes in gang activity have focused the media's spotlight on the issue.

But at least we're not Stockton, where even the police station is a target of drive-by shootings.

Now THAT is a public safety problem.

Lawsuit in waiting

2011-07-08T11:30:00.001-07:00

One more interesting twist in the saga at our local police department.

Capt. John Espinoza's lawsuit has so far not moved forward — as of Friday, July 8, it hadn't even been served to the city of Tracy, at least according to San Joaquin County civil records department.

Usually, the plaintiff has 90 days to serve the entity he or she is suing before the court issues an order to show cause — courts like to know why a lawsuit is filed but not followed up on. For Espinoza, that 90 days has come and gone, though the court hasn't yet sent out its OSC.

The reason could be one of many things. A breakdown between attorney and client, a mutual agreement between plaintiff and defendant to hold off to see if things can be worked out, a plaintiff just letting the thing go.

But we're unsure of a reason in this case. There's a call in to Espinoza's attorney, Christopher Miller, seeking an answer. We'll keep you posted.

Tracy, the sloping city

2011-07-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Alert reader Steve Riddle called the newsroom today, trusty GPS device in hand, to corroborate a couple stories by publisher emeritus Sam Matthews that tried to track down Tank Town's elevation.

Riddle said that outside Raley's on Tracy Boulevard in the south of town, the elevation was above 70 feet. But the farther north he drove on Tracy Boulevard, the lower the elevation.

"It depends on where in Tracy you are," he said.

He reported 67 feet above sea level at Tracy Boulevard and Schulte Road, and 29 feet by the water tower outside the Boyd Service Center near Sixth Street. Which fits nicely with what Sam found out in his most recent column, even if the specifics are off.

Riddle insists his GPS is accurate to a T. He said that, when he compares it to official elevation signs in the mountains, the device "is right on the money."

We'll let Sam take over on this one and figure out how high the town.

Update II:: Another wrinkle to the police chief saga

2011-07-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

Reporter Denise Rizzo broke the story this week of Tracy's new police chief, who just resigned his post from Turlock to return to the burg where he made captain. Three cheers for the new chief, Gary Hampton.

One thing the story didn't explore, however, is the exceedingly quick turnaround from Chief Janet Thiessen's resignation to hiring her replacement. Folks familiar with the process have told me it isn't uncommon for police chief (or for that matter, department head) searches to last six months. This one was conducted and closed in less than 30 days.

Also, it's just been made news today that Thiessen, whose resignation was supposed to be effective this Friday, July 8, will stick around until Aug. 14, the day before Hampton is supposed to officially take over. Evidently, the city wanted to avoid naming an "interim" chief.

After Thiessen, Capt. John Espinoza was the highest ranking officer in the TPD and seemed a logical choice to serve at least as interim chief, as he has on occassion when Thiessen was out of town. But Espinoza has also filed a lawsuit against Thiessen and the city, and while some agree with the suit that Espinoza has been a victim of bad practices within the department and city government, others have commented that he is somewhat of a polarizing figure.

(As far as the lawsuit's merit and outcome, we'll have to see how the courts sort that out. Expect updates from the Tracy Press as they become available.)

It's speculation, but those extenuating circumstances might have been a factor in getting a new permanent chief in as quickly as possible and eschewing the "interim" designation. For the record, when Chief David Krauss left, Capt. Rick Gophin was named interim chief until Thiessen was selected for the job.

• This entry was updated from its original form.

Remembering the Fourth on the fifth

2011-07-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

One of the enduring values the United States was built upon — at least in the eyes of people like John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin — was that unchecked and unquestioned authority is a path to tyranny. Hence the First Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees the rights of the people to petition the government for a redress of grievances and to speak without fear of government reprisal, as well as the protection of journalists to print their material without prior review or censorship. (It also guarantees the right to assemble peacefully and the right to religious freedom.)

It's a concept as American as apple pie.

Attendees of Tuesday's City Council meeting were reminded of this by a citizen who has made himself a staple at council meetings the past year or so: David Helm, who somewhat fittingly owns a tavern on Central Avenue and 10th Street. (I say fittingly, because the American independence movement gathered steam in the bars and pubs of New England.)

He took to the podium again Tuesday, the fifth of July, to say it wasn't his intent to be "highly critical" of the city, a characterization offered by a recent Press report on the City Council's Brown Act compliance. Rather, he quoted Jefferson and Franklin, saying that it's the duty of all citizens to keep government honest.

"When things are wrong, they need to be righted ... that hasn't been done so far," he said, referring to an investigation of police department personnel that has dragged on far beyond the city's own time limits for such inquiries.

Aside from the specific complaint, which needs to be addressed by the city, the take-away is that an involved citizenry is a key to ensuring government functions with the interest of its constituents in mind. We've seen — especially on the federal level — that government can become an insular place that serves the well-connected, rather than the average guy and gal.

Flyboys aren't only ones with stake in airport

2011-07-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

As the early comments show on this story, there's not a whole lot of sympathy for folks who can afford their own planes.

But the city of Tracy — and us earth-bound plebes — should still care about the repair of runways at Tracy Municipal Airport.

The airport is an economic engine. Hangar rentals, fuel sales, and other business out there (as documented in this oldie but goodie column) bring money into the city. Which, last time I checked, was a good thing.

If the runways keep chewing up planes, and if the hangars aren't up to snuff, the flyboys will go elsewhere. And they'll take their money with them. (Also, there's a safety and liability issue that we won't even get into.)

The bigger worry I have is not that pilots aren't satisfied, but that this story points to a continued pattern of not fully realizing the airport's potential. More amenities, including business expansion and the opening of a restaurant, have all been discussed, but the plans keep stalling out. Not only that, but if the Ellis subdivision is eventually built right under the main approach to the airport, there is a serious possibility activity could be curtailed.

Tracy Municipal Airport has the potential to generate money for the city and local economy. It'd be a shame if that potential was squashed by inaction, poor planning and provincialism.

Some might call it the 'Helm policy'

2011-06-29T14:12:00.000-07:00

So the City Council has decided to clamp down on long presentations at the beginning of the council meeting.

It's an obvious response to public comment sessions over the past few months that have run on the long side. Much longer, in fact, than allowed for, according to the City Council's written policy.

Though there's been some criticism of the decision to be more strict with the time allotted for the council's public comment section at the beginning of every council meeting, the city appears to be on firm legal ground.

For the record, the California Newspaper Publishers Association's Jim Ewert, a Brown Act expert, has signed off on both the policy and the enhanced enforcement of the rules as meeting the letter of the law. He even went so far as to say the Tracy City Council is an "enlightened" bunch when it comes to allowing public comment, especially compared to some other cities.

By and large, Ewert is right. There are two public comment periods in each council meeting (the second of which is now virtually never utilized) and time for individuals to comment about each item on the council agenda in its turn. Also, the City Council has been far from heavy-handed, so far, when it comes to people sharing their views for extended periods of time before the council dais.

But it's hard to deny the practical effect of the city's new emphasis on a timely first "items from the audience" period. Namely, that it will push lengthy complaints about city leadership and policy — such as the comprehensive criticisms offered over the past few months by downtown business owner David Helm — to the end of the council meeting, when fewer people will be paying attention. That means such speeches could have less of an impact.

And that could create a perception problem for the city, even though the council is abiding by the Brown Act and (apparently) well within the law when it comes to accepting public comments. Because, whether it's accurate or no, when you read between the lines it looks like pushing long and critical speeches to a less prominent place in the meeting lineup is seemingly, at the least, a welcome side effect for the city.

And that kind of action, while legal, doesn't set a good perception nor create the type of tone conducive to public debate.

Under pressure?

2011-06-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

A billboard erected to try to bring two suspects to justice in a murder investigation was defaced sometime between yesterday afternoon and this morning.

Black graffiti covers the names and faces of the two sought-after suspects, which as of Thursday were visible to westbound traffic on 11th Street east of town. Evidently, it's the work of friends of the suspects who don't want their buddies hauled off, or of the suspects themselves who don't want to be hauled off.

Either way, it's a sign that someone feels pressured by the billboard's presence. Which means it's imperative to clean it up as soon as possible, and get those faces back on the minds of the thousands of drivers who travel westward into Tracy.

A conspicuous absence

2011-06-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not referring to the over-long hiatus of the Second Thoughts blog, but to something that city planners left out when it comes to the proposed re-zoning of 11th Street.

This story highlights the changes the city wants to make, including outlawing future sit-down restaurants on 11th Street between East Street and Tracy Boulevard. The move would push such businesses elsewhere — city planners hope that somewhere is the Central Avenue-10th Street downtown axis.

But a notable absence from those 11th Street businesses included is the Tracy Inn, which houses a Mexican restaurant on the bottom floor (coincidentally, a watering hole rumored to have the best Margaritas in town).

I say it's notable because the Tracy Inn also received exemption from the Tracy City Center Association, the downtown business association that is funded by fees levied on property owners within its boundaries. Members of the TCCA make no secret that the Inn was excluded from the district to ensure the district was approved — the district needed the approval of owners representing a majority of the property within the boundaries to pass.

Foregone conclusion in Mountain House

2011-04-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

If Mountain House Community Services District director Jim Lamb has any hope that the California Energy Commission might not give final approval to a 200-megawatt power plant on Mountain House's western doorstep, this might squelch it:

"(The CEC) ... held a Committee Conference at the Mountain House Community Services District on May 5, 2011. The Full Commission adopted the PMPD and Errata as submitted at the May 18, 2011, business meeting."

See? According to the California Energy Commission's siting committee, which ensures proposed locations for power plants are acceptable, the plant has already been approved. Nevermind that the final approval date is at least four weeks away.

Funny thing, those foregone conclusions.

Lawsuit story addendum

2011-04-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

A quick update to this story, which documents several lawsuits employees have filed against the city of Tracy for alleged unfair employment practices: Police Chief Janet Thiessen, whom is named in the latest suit brought by Capt. John Espinoza, was out of town last week and didn't receive my message seeking comment until after the story was published. So apologies to the chief. Still, my bet is there wouldn't have been much comment. My experience is that government agencies tend to keep a pretty tight lip when it comes to lawsuits and how they're handled and challenged.

Letter of the week

2011-04-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

They say brevity is the soul of wit, and the key to clear communication. In that case, this letter to the editor reprinted here in its entirety... "Dear Editor, Please help our state once again put our kids first!" ... is brilliant. Or some of the most cryptic writing the Voice section has received in many moons.

Gazebo gone

2011-03-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

Lincoln Park is without its trademark gazebo, location for numerous Tank Town weddings and afternoon band rehearsals. The structure had long lived past its sell-by date, with shingles missing from the roof, semi-rotted posts and a creaky floor. Not to mention stairs steep enough to pose a serious hazard to stiletto-heeled brides. So now, it's a bulldozed plot, waiting for a new built-to-last structure.

The new gazebo should be ready by July Fourth, in time for Tracy's annual Independence Day blowout. And it's just part of an extensive upgrade to one of the city's best parks. Read more on that here.

Phone call of the day

2011-03-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

It's not unusual for a dog to have its x-rays taken, and for strange things to appear in those x-rays. Canines, after all, usually decide if something is edible by eating it and just sort of seeing what happens next.

But a recent caller to my work and cell phone says his mutt's images have captured The Prince of Darkness.

That's right. Satan himself is evidently inhabiting some poor dog, the caller said, and it's a story that could put the Tracy Press on the map.

Sigh. Just another reminder for us all to take our prescription medication.

Feeling right at home

2011-03-24T19:39:00.001-07:00

As described in Friday's column (find it here), a local Sikh temple welcomed me this past weekend, giving me and a few other guests ceremonial orange scarves. The color represents their faith, and is supposedly the highest honor one can receive in the temple. Luckily, I have proof of the congregations' generosity and graciousness.

That's me, newly ensconced, with TUSD Trustee Walter Gouveia on the left.

And that's me in the orange head covering, with Tracy City Councilmen Steve Abercrombie and Bob Rickman on the right.

In support of the Congress

2011-01-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

After Saturday's shooting of an Arizona congresswoman, those in Congress are re-assessing their safety and Capitol police are reviewing security measures.

But as this note left on the office of Rep. Jerry McNerney proves, not everyone is out to get someone.

If you can't make it out, it says, "Not everyone is crazy out there! We care about you. Fellow Tenant. "

Sarah Hersh, McNerney's communications director and the person who sent the image to me, said "We were all very touched by its sentiment." Especially after a very tough week in the halls of the Capitol.

At the heart of the crime problem

2011-01-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd re-post this comment left on the Second Thoughts blog, because it illustrates one of the crucial issues regarding crime in Tracy. Namely, accurate reporting of crime so we actually know what we're dealing with:

I have learned from personal experience that a factor is how the police choose to categorize a crime is a factor.
I had a break in attempt in a commercial business, one small window in the glass storefront was smashed, there was no glass break sensor. The alarm company told me the interior motion detector was tripped. Nothing was stolen. The police categorized it as vandalism.
I complained to the officer who came to write the report, to no avail.When he departed and I was waiting for the glass company, I then finally took time to rewind the surveillance cams, which caught the perpetrator walking inside, then suddenly turning and running out as the alarm sounded.
I called the PD to come back and showed them the video, and they had to agree to change it to burglary.
~ Anonymous

That new library smell

2011-01-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

As students began to file to the front desk of the new Tracy High library this morning, I asked generally if they liked their new building.

The response:

"Yeah, it has that new smell," said one.

"What did the old one smell like?" I asked.

"I dunno," chimed in another kid. "But this one has a smell."

Now there's a sight you don't see every day...

2011-01-04T14:38:00.001-08:00

My thoughts, as a city of Tracy pickup drove away from City Hall with the city's Christmas tree — wrapped snugly in cellophane two-thirds of the way up — standing straight up in the bed.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics

2011-01-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

We're working on a story that tells us how safe Tracy is, statistically speaking. What we've heard so far, officially, is that crime is down in Tank Town across the board.

The numbers, a police spokesman has said, is proof.

However, with several gang-member-on-gang-member attacks in the past month and nine homicides in the past 20 months, that isn't necessarily the public perception.

So, how can raw emotion and raw numbers be so different?

First, it's a well-known psychological phenomenon that people seize on the bad incidents and ignore the others. (It doesn't help that media outlets, including the Press, publicize the shootings, stabbings and other instances of violence.) It's an inaccuracy that comes from recalling powerful anecdotes and assuming those individual instances represent a general trend.

Second, it could be in the police reporting. Police have a set of guidelines for when they write up a report, and when something is documented as a crime. Certain situations are mandatory for police to write up. Other times, it depends on a victim's willingness to make a report. And other times, it's at the officer's discretion. So there could be instances that might be reported in some cases, and not in others.

Third, it could just be that, though crime overall is decreasing, there are more instances of violence that simply stand out.

Or fourth, it could be that a lot of the crime that's happening in the city isn't being reported. For instance, just the other day, my car had a rock the size of a grapefruit thrown through the front window while it was parked out in front of my house in Stockton, where I just moved to. (The perp didn't even have the decency to rip out the stereo.) But I didn't report the incident to police, because there was nothing they could do about. As a result of my not wanting to spend time on the phone, that definite crime will never be part of the official record. I'm sure I'm not alone when it comes to stuff like this.

Whatever the case, it's clear that perception of Tracy's safety in some quarters does not match with what the numbers are telling us. Very similar to something I wrote more than a year ago, as the city dealt with another seeming wave of violence.

Seems some things might never change...

More from Holly Drive shooting

2010-12-30T11:12:00.000-08:00

A story that detailed a shooting on Holly Drive on Wednesday, Dec. 22, left out some harrowing information, according to a man named Ted.

Ted didn't want to give a last name, but evidently he is the man of the house that was the backdrop for the drive-by shooting.

Ted said that at least one bullet sprayed by the cowardly shooter flew through his house, missing the heads of a 7-yera-old and a 10-year-old "by inches."

It's likely that the shooting had something to do with gangs, and it's likely a stabbing on Dec. 29 on Eaton Avenue was retaliation for the shooting. Not surprising, as most of the violence in Tracy seems to be directed between members of rival gangs.

However, the Holly Drive shooting is a sobering reminder that, eventually, innocent people will get caught in the crossfire. Letting the thugs kill one another off isn't an answer. Because sooner or later, they're not going to just be killing themselves.

Not such a terrorist

2010-12-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Dec. 24, a man was arrested at the Tracy Wastewater Treatment plant and booked into county jail. He was charged with a felony — making terrorist threats — for allegedly initiating a chlorine leak. He was ordered held without bail.

Pretty serious stuff, it seemed, when we reviewed the police records earlier this week.

But the man, whose name we will withold here for soon-to-be-obvious reasons, was released from jail and had all charges dropped. According to local police sources, the man might have been a little out of it, but didn't do anything illegal or terroristic.

Holiday stress, maybe?

Judge hits water issue nail on the head

2010-12-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Judge Oliver Wanger recently decided that restrictions on pumping Delta water to protect an endangered species weren't based on the best science available, forcing the Fish and Wildlife Service back to the drawing board.

But the real nugget of truth in the judge's 225-page ruling didn't have to deal with the Fish and Wildlife Service or the challenging conglomeration of exported water users who chellenged the restrictions.

The money quote — which perfectly summarizes the failure to manage the state's water supply and the Delta imparticular — comes as the judge scorns lawmakers for their "failure to provide the means to assure an adequate water supply for both the humans and the species
dependent on the Delta."

"Legislative failure." It kinda sums up the history of Golden State water management.

Tracy goes nuclear?

2010-12-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

Right now, Second Thoughts is poring through the Sustainability Action Plan to see what the City Council is likely to soon approve, after the planning commission gave it a unanimous thumbs-up last Wednesday.

Appendix A of the plan contains community feedback. Thinking it might be interesting to see what fellow residents suggested for making Tracy a more sustainable city, I took a peek.

The winner for most colorful suggestion (and no, I am not making this up) is...

"Nuclear laser to manage garbage."

Just another reminder for all of us to take our perscription medication.

Not such a gullywasher after all

2010-12-20T12:36:00.000-08:00

The storm predicted to dump up to five inches of rain in the Central Valley and up to 10 feet of snow in the Sierras has certainly wet the streets the past three days, but it hasn't quite been enough to float away an ark, either.

According to the Tracy Press rain gauge, Tank Town collected 0.90 inches between Friday and Monday. That brings the season total to 4.66 inches, well ahead of last year's same-date mark of 2.73. (The grand total for 2009-10 was 11.64 inches.)

Despite the blue skies that peeked out Monday, predictions say clouds will continue to sprinkle Tracy over the next couple days, so the storm total could very well rise. But it looks like it'll take some serious cloudbursts for the weathermen to be proven right on this one.

At the corner of East and 11th streets

2010-12-15T15:39:00.000-08:00

Just got reports of a tussle outside Tracy High School, involving teens jumping out of cars stopped in the middle of the street and shouting at passers-by.

No word of any injuries or serious mischief, but we'll keep you updated in tomorrow's police log. Just check back at http://www.tracypress.com/ at about noon or so.

Fire a cannon down 11th Street

2010-12-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

Jim Meservy, the 2010 Male Citizen of the Year, has been around Tracy a good long time. Fifty-five years, to be exact. And the longtime resident, volunteer and honest-to-goodness-humble man shared some of the changes he's seen when I talked to him today for an upcoming article on his COTY honor.

Because he hasn't just seen some of the changes. "I've seen all of them, you could say."

Most vivid of his recollections was when Interstate 205 was laid north of town, turning 11th Street into a ghost boulevard.

It was so devoid of cars, he said, "You could almost shoot a cannon down it."

That was bad news for Meservy, who owned the Chevron service station at 11th and Adams streets (a station that's now a Valero). He said it cut business by about 50 to 75 percent.

But the cars eventually returned to the city's main east-west thoroughfare, as any afternoon drive down the old Lincoln Highway will easily demonstrate. In fact, from what Meservy told me, it looks an awful lot like it did back in the day, when 11th Street was main street.

Taking the jolly right out of Christmas

2010-12-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

Ornaments and decorations are springing up all over town — including those of the award-winning variety. We'll soon announce the winners of the annual Rotary decorating contest.

In the meantime, though, we have this to report: Thieves in several neighborhoods appear to be scarpering with folks' expressions of merriment.

One woman I recently ran into in the police department who was there to discuss what she could do told me that she had lost several items that she had long held dear, and that two of her neighbors had been hit as well.

She didn't know if the thefts were connected, but I'll bet they were.

Sad that nothing's sacred.

Second Thoughts blog, reborn

2010-12-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

Any alert readers of Second Thoughts have noticed the blog's been dead for a few months. No longer.

The blog is being re-invented as a Cutting Room Floor clearinghouse. I can't fit everything I learn while on assignment into news reports and columns, so this is the place I plan to show off that stuff.

Management at Second Thoughts hopes the extra tidbits gives a better, more complete picture of the people, trends and events that make Tracy tick.

Who says journalists don't have a sense of humor?

2010-10-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Thought journalists were all cynical, somewhat deadened and emotionally distanced by constantly covering tragedies, crimes and sad stories?

Well, possibly, but at least some of use have a sense of humor about our jobs.

The Phone Call of the Day

2010-09-29T16:51:00.001-07:00

Yesterday's Phone Call of the Day came from an irate reader who was upset about — well, something. We newsroom dwellers couldn't quite understand exactly what the problem was, but it ranged from the competency of the Press to the reasons this person was "stuck in Tracy," and included some stream-of-consciousness word play as well as several repeated and drawn out renditions of the reader's name, address and Social Security number.

Needless to say, it was an interesting way to cap the work day.

So take this as a reminder for all of us to take our prescription medication. Take it also as a reminder that one should never, ever, share their full name, address, and Social Security number with a newspaper reporter.

Unless, that is, it's accompanied by a bank account number and directions to the Cayman Islands.

Plenty of water after all?

2010-09-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

For some time, I and others have called misguided the claims that the government is creating a "Dust Bowl" out of the San Joaquin Valley's West Side.

As per this letter to the Westlands Water District — a letter that reveals Westlands, a chief "Dust Bowl" claimant, actually has more federal water this year than it knows what to do with — you can now add "disingenuous" to misguided.

Also, while we're talking about the fate of the Delta, consider this report, which reveals a sobering development: The same people who tried to discredit a nonpartisan, sceintific report about how much water the Delta needs to be healthy are now the ones conducting closed-door meetings that could determine how that water is divvied up.

Can you say "conflict of interest"? How about "foregone conclusion"?

One more equally revealing post about the Delta. Tom Philip, a strategist for the Metropolitan Water District, shares how Delta water is doled out during an average year here. It's an interesting look, and the results might surprise you.

One 'weird' quote of the day

2010-09-27T15:43:00.001-07:00

The story of Kyle R., the teenager who escaped alleged imprisonment and torture nearly two years ago by leaping a fence with a shackle still on his ankle, is sadly real, but the details are so disturbing you'd think it was fiction.

Judge Terrence Van Oss, the judge presiding over the trial of the four people accused of beating the boy, admitted that he's just as surprised as the rest of us.

As the white-haried veteran of the black robe said today from the bench:

"This is one of the weirdest cases I've ever seen."

Luna shines on Tank Town

2010-09-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, heavenly bodies lined up as an appropriate reminder of Tracy's location in the state's great breadbasket.

The harvest moon, accompanied by Jupiter, actually lit up area fields and orchards on the Autumnal Equinox, something that hadn't happened since 1972 and won't happen again until 2029.

Despite the name of the celestial event — hearkening a time that said moon was used to extend the time the fields could be worked — there wasn't much harvesting going on during the 2010 harvest moon, as the mild summer and relatively late spring have delayed the gleaning in much of the county.

There, but for the grace of God, go us all

2010-09-20T14:41:00.001-07:00

It's been some time since the last tragedy involving a carful of young drivers in Tracy, but when I heard about the four teenagers who died Saturday in an accident on Schulte Road, I was immediately reminded about that crash in front of West High School.

And while a few years have ticked by between these two accidents, my reaction remains the same.

It's too early for anyone to stand on a soap box and rail about teenage drivers, speed and the like. Young adults don't always make the best decisions. But the same could be said of all of us — it's just that those of us still here have been lucky enough to be spared the ultimate penalty.

Let the perfect cast the first stone. Or, instead, extend a sympathetic hand and hug. Because that's what our community should be about when tough times strike — and this certainly qualifies.

A trial no-brainer

2010-09-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

The defense in the Kyle R. case — in which a teenager with a shackle on one leg escaped his alleged captors and bounded into a Tracy health club pleading for help — is seeking a change in venue.

Those details, as reported in the Press and elsewhere, have a tendency to stick in the mind, as has the case's popular label: The Tracy Torture Case.

That's made the defense claim — and not without reason — that the four defendents can't get a fair trial in San Joaquin County. So far, the judge seems to want to move ahead with the trial, since it's nearly two full years since Kyle R. made his first public appearance.

That fair trial business is kind of important.

A speedy review

2010-08-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

There's a new environmental impact report for the proposed high-speed rail link through the Central Valley between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Those so inclined can take a gander at the Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave.

Give your feedback about the project that could have big local implications to www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov — it's significantly easier than going to the public meeting on Aug. 27 in Sacramento.

Making a case for library privatization

2010-08-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

The folks at LSSI — the company seeking to take over management of the San Joaquin County-City of Stockton library system, of which the Tracy and Mountain House bibliotecas are a part — has a website it created obstensibly to inform locals about what a partnership with the private company would mean. Check it out here.

LSSI says that it can provide increased library services while spending less money, even establishing a reserve fund that could be used for later improvements. When asked how they could do this, officials with the company said that they have a tested and proven business model and turned around the question, asking why the county and city management haven't been able to provide more efficient services.

One answer might be that LSSI wouldn't have to deal with the California pension plan. If LSSI wins management of the library system, current government employees would be terminated and would then have to re-apply for jobs with LSSI. (For its part, LSSI says those employees would have preference in the hiring process.)

But since it's a private company, LSSI wouldn't be responsible for bolstering their employees' pension plans via CalPers — though an LSSI spokesman said that the company offers a 401k and a package of benefits that's "competitive" in the private sector.

Regardless of how LSSI plans to get there, any contract with the local governments would obligate LSSI to meet certain service levels and to meet them with a limited amount of money. In other words, if the company can't give the county/city the proper bang for the buck, that's LSSI's problem.

Wait, rivers have water?

2010-08-20T10:28:00.001-07:00

If you've ever wondered how badly we've dammed and diverted our rivers in the Central Valley, there's this reminder from the Fresno Bee:

"On the Valley's west side near Los Banos, something strange is happening this summer in the San Joaquin River — water."

Yup, it's a surprise when there's water flowing in the San Joaquin River. Good grief.

Fire chief wears favored candidate on sleeve... er, chest

2010-08-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

If you've been wondering what's happend to Chris Bosch, Tracy's former fire chief who left his position under cloudy circumstances earlier this year, he's still around.

And evidently, from the shirt he was wearing when I saw him today when he was representing the local nonprofit Tracy Volunteer Caregivers, he's helping Larry Hite's campaign for City Council.

No word, however, on what's happening with the severance pay dispute between Bosch and the city. When there's an update on that, we'll keep you posted.

The transparency we've been talking about

2010-08-17T18:11:00.001-07:00

In last Friday's Press, the editorial board called for the city to be more explicit when it comes to telling the public exactly what it's doing to cut costs, especially when it comes to union employees.

Earlier this week, we got exactly what we were asking for.

At tonight's meeting, the City Council will likely approve a set of consessions wheedled from the local Teamsters union, amounting to just shy of a half-million dollars in savings to the city's general fund. (Considering the savings, it should be a no-brainer of a vote.)

It might not be enough on its own to bridge the city's ongoing multimillion-dollar deficit, but it's a step in the right direction. And it's a major step in terms of the city sharing with voters exactly what employee groups are conceding.

Many will insist that union groups and city employees take more drastic cuts, so as to allow voters to turn down a proposed tax increase with a clean conscience.

But these deals with employee groups happen on Planet Earth. Unions are going to protect the interest of their employees. And in this case, Teamster jobs are guaranteed against layoffs for the rest of the fiscal year in exchange for a reduction in pay.

In this case, the interest of both the employees and the city lined up — but asking workers to give up even more without receiving something more in return is unrealistic.

The city and the union members deserve credit here for finding a compromise that helps Tracy and its taxpayers. It might not be enough to eliminate the city's stated need for a sales tax hike, but it certainly isn't going to hurt.

San Joaquin Delta scores temporary win

2010-08-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

An $11 billion water bond that would likely help build a canal to ship water around the dying Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will be delayed — at least by two years.

The effort to but the bond on the November 2010 ballot was losing steam, and the state Legislature figured there's a better shot of it passing if it's put on the 2012 presidential ballot.

But delay or no delay, the proposed vision of a Delta further drained and diverted isn't a healthy one. That remains the same, no matter how long the proposal is shelved.

Far from a final victory on Prop. 8

2010-08-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

Though Second Thoughts and other backers of legalized gay marriage celebrated yesterday's court ruling affirming that California's odious Proposition 8 was nothing more than a Jim Crow-style slap in the face to the Constitution, it was a party with reservations.

Because this thing is far from over.

The folks who put the gay-marriage ban on the 2008 ballot and who went to court to defend its merits have already filed a formal appeal of Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling that same-sex couples have as much right to marry as opposite-sex couples and that the ban was based on personal moral and religious values rather than any Constitutional or legal foundation.

I hope that judges in higher courts see the wisdom and Constitutional merits of Judge Walker's argument, which you really should read. I found excerpts of his ruling here.

If you want Second Thoughts' feelings on the matter, consider some light reading here and here.

Back at the blog

2010-08-03T09:55:00.001-07:00

After a mild case of the vacation check-outs and a week spent recharging the batteries, the Second Thoughts blog is back under old management.

My apologies to those who found no new content for that week and a half, but we'll try to make up for the recent lull in August.

Stay tuned...

Are more cops the answer?

2010-07-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Not according to Tracy Siska of the Chicago Justice Project, who was recently interviewed on the subject following the third fatal shooting of a police officer in Chi-town this year.

His thoughts — which appeared courtesy my Google news feed and are definitely another addition to the "Hey, that's not my Tracy" files — are relevant to discussions of budget and crime here in San Joaquin County, as Stockton has already thinned its Thin Blue Line and other entities could soon be forced to do the same.

Read the interview here.

Be a state lawmaker for a day

2010-07-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

If you've been screaming at state lawmakers who couldn't pass a budget if their lives depended on it that you could do it better, here's your chance.

Follow the link to a nifty little widget at the Los Angeles Times website that lets you play budgetmaker.

See if you can close the $19.1 billion budget gap and still keep your re-election war chest filled!

Library privatization must be done right

2010-07-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

Today's cover story about the Stockton-San Joaquin County Library system possibly outsourcing its management to a private company brings up some issues and concerns.

First off, LSSI has a convincing sales pitch. The way its people present what the company can bring to the table — lower costs and better services to the public — it sounds like a winning proposition. However, there are several things that must be done the right way.

Specifically, it comes down to the word public, as in public libraries.

Taxpayers fund libraries with the idea that anyone can use them — no extra fee required. Libraries, in this way, are a great intellecutal leveler, giving people of all incomes and backgrounds access to a wealth of knowledge and resources.

Taxpayers also fund them with the idea that books and periodicals will not be censored because of their content — or that if there is censorship, it is done by a duly elected governing body.

LSSI says keeping these features alive, and actually expanding the way libraries serve the public by helping implement various literacy and language programs, is part and parcel of the company's philosophy.

If so, it seems that the company offers the best of all worlds to taxpayers and library patrons. But county leaders must be diligent in reviewing LSSI's bid to ensure that the public good is truly being served.

Working on the (no chain) gang

2010-07-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

The past two days, East 11th Street between Tracy and Interstate 5 has witnessed the modern version of a chain gang hard at work clearing man-sized bushes from the westerly shoulder.

A white sheriff's bus sits by while men clad in orange vests wield hoes and other various implements of destruction to tame the wild growth — a valuable service if ever there was one.

Because those weeds aren't just ugly. According to Tracy Fire Department personnel, 1 foot of dried brush, if ignited, yields about a 3-foot flame. If some of those 7-foot-tall monsters off 11th Street caught fire in the tinder-dry conditions that have led to several recent blazes, I'd hate to see the resulting inferno.

Preparing you for a strange Tuesday

2010-07-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

There's a hazy sky and muted sun, with not a lot going on outside so far today in Tracy. Kind of an eeire day — and, according to my sources in the local coffee shop, a perfect template for a zombie uprising.

I don't buy it. But just in case, remember the rules of survival — aim for the head, stay one step ahead, and avoid basements, bathrooms and other enclosed spaces. Oh, and always double-tap.

High-speed rail's consolation prize

2010-07-08T19:32:00.000-07:00

What happens if high-speed rail in California falls through, as some have predicted?

As far as Tracy is concerned, hopefully not too much.

The biggest benefit of high-speed rail for Tracy is that a connector between the San Francisco-to-LA and Sacramento-to-LA lines would hopefully run through the city, linking with BART in Livermore and securing a faster, more reliable commuter conduit than the current Altamont Commuter Express.

But according to a presentation from ACE at Tuesday's City Council meeting, getting ACE on its own rails and operating at a higher speed — up to 90 mph with current equipment if new tracks are laid on an exclusive right-of-way — is in the long-range planning cards with or without high-speed rail.

So I'm still hoping for that bullet train to happen. But if it doesn't, Tracy's still looking at a pretty decent consolation prize.

Don't blame Tracy for fouling the Delta

2010-07-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the push and pull over who is doing more damage to our state's most important waterway — those water-sucking dudes in the Central Valley and SoCal or the Delta residents polluting it with waste and runoff — consider Tracy expunged. At least from the latter category.

While Tank Town does draw some of its water from the Delta-Mendota Canal, which is filled with huge pumps that actually make some Delta waterways flow backwards, Tracy's doing a great job of not fouling that water in the first place. Or so says Steve Bayley of the city's Public Works Department.

The city discharges treated wastewater into Old River, but Bayley explained the city's new treatment plant takes out all the ammonia in the waste — chemically turning it into nitrogen that's released into the air, which is 70-something percent nitrogen to begin with. That means cleaner effluent, and a cleaner Delta.

If we could only get those other cities and fertilizer users on the same page.

Off the real estate grapevine

2010-07-07T11:20:00.001-07:00

While foreclosure rates are far from flagging, those homes don't appear to be staying on the market for very long.

Word on the street is that investors are starting to buy up what homes they can — as fast as they can — and turn them into rental units while they wait for the prices of homes to rebound.

And, according to this recent Record report, that rebound is slowly starting to happen.

You mean it's actually helping?

2010-07-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

The other day, I ran into one of the many Tracy residents who formerly worked at NUMMI, the massive and revolutionary auto plant in Fremont that shut down earlier this year.

He's looking for work, and is being trained for a new line of work by a heavily panned Act of Government — the federal stimulus. Without it, he told me, he'd really be up the proverbial creek.

That stimulus, however, will soon run out. And when it does, the news will not be good for workers here, nor for those across the country.

Bankruptcy — what it means, and what it doesn't

2010-07-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

In the Calling a Spade a Spade Department, the Tracy Press Inc. — which publishes the Tracy Press newspaper — has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

What this means is that the company has a chance to reorganize its financial house and plan a path back to a stronger financial position.

What it doesn't mean is that the Tracy Press is shutting down.

The Tracy Press will continue publishing in print every Friday and on the Web at www.tracypress.com every day. We're still going to be here in the newsroom tracking down the stories that matter to this community.

As we said when we went to a once-a-week print publishing schedule: We're part of this city, and we're not going anywhere.

Tracy councilman endorses McNerney

2010-07-02T11:00:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, local politics makes for alliances that transcend petty party affiliation.

Such was the case this week when Republican Councilman Steve Abercrombie gave his endorsement to Democrat Rep. Jerry McNerney.

Such thumbs ups don't happen much on the national stage, where blind partisanship and staying on the party message often take precedence. But locally, this kind of thing happens all the time, with Democrats endorsing effective Republicans and GOP-ers giving the high sign to worthy Dems.

Because when you talk local politics, it's about getting things done. Being available and active. Oh, and bringing money to the district. (That means earmarks, and it's something we'll get into later when we discuss the ongoing local congressional race.)

After all, red and blue don't really matter when you're talking green.

Happy fiscal new year!

2010-07-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

Today is the true beginning of the year, as far as government, schools and other such agencies are concerned. But there's not a lot of reason to break out the bubbly and confetti.

There's still no state budget in Sacramento — and while that might not exactly be new for our dysfunctional Legislature, it's still news. And another Fail.

Whatever compromise eventually comes together and is signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it will likely mean more pain for school districts such as Tracy Unified, which have already had to lay off teachers, cut community favorite programs and increase class sizes.

The outlook is gloomy for cities, too. Tracy projects a deficit next year, unless there's some miraculous economic turnaround that no one expects.

In fact, things are likely to get worse before they get better. Not only is the economy not likely to turn around, but federal stimulus money that has been pouring into state, city and school coffers isn't going to run forever.

Yup. It looks like a bleak new year.

Doing the civic duty

2010-06-30T10:27:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I performed my civic duty by standing in line, waiting in a room, and explaning to a judge why I couldn't perform my civic duty.

Yes, I was called to Stockton for jury duty today, and it was a fail. On my part.

Judge William Morris gave a stirring speech in Department 14 of the superior court house in downtown Stockton, invoking patriotism, civil responsibility and the guarding of our democracy to encourage prospective jurors not to offer phony claims of "hardship" to get out of jury duty.

So it was with trepidation that I stood up and told the judge that I couldn't afford going without pay for the two weeks the trial was scheduled for.

It was the truth, but it didn't make me feel any better.

Serving on a jury and supporting the criminal justice system is one of the most basic requirements of citizenship in the United States, and the more people who shirk that duty, the worse the system is.

Signs of life in downtown

2010-06-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Good Start Nutrition is set to open soon in downtown Tracy at 917 N. Central Ave.

While Second Thoughts doesn't know exactly what GSN is (we're making an educated guess that it has to do with food for young'uns) it's a good sign that a business is opening its doors in downtown.

However, we question whether the location is the best fit. The venerable and tastefully expanded 12 Monkeys — in this space's opinion, far and away the best house of ink Tracy has to offer — is right next door.

Although there could be countless tie-ins waiting to happen.

• Baby portraits for your back
• "Hot Mama" discounts
• Matching tats for Mom and Dad specials

OK ... so maybe not.

The Press' Hester Prynne

2010-06-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

I swear, walking around downtown Tracy trying to get a quote is near impossible. At least when you're wearing this thing:
It's like my very own scarlet letter.

Thwarting Walmart for Dummies

2010-06-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

According to the Wall Street Journal, a consulting firm has made its own cottage industry out of preventing Walmart from moving into communities, working on behalf of other large grocery chains and passing off the opposition as a grassroots movement.

Says the Journal:

"For the typical anti-Wal-Mart assignment, a (Saint Consulting Group) manager will drop into town using an assumed name to create or take control of local opposition, according to former Saint employees. They flood local politicians with calls, using multiple phones to make it appear that the calls are coming from different people, the former employees say."
...
"Safeway, a national chain based in Pleasanton, Calif., retained Saint to thwart Wal-Mart Supercenters in more than 30 towns in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in recent years, according to a Saint project list and interviews with former employees. Former Saint employees say much of the work consisted of training Safeway's unionized workers to fight land-use battles, including how to speak at public hearings."

It's worth noting that Tracy's Walmart project will move ahead after a lawsuit aimed at the to-be-expanded giant was dropped for lack of follow-through on behalf of the plaintiffs.

Keep in mind, this kind of thing is typically totally legal. It's just further proof that while citizen-based movements sometimes really are citizen-based, they can also be used as tools by vested interests with deep pockets.

Thoughts on Melissa Huckaby

2010-06-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the official sentencing of Melissa Huckaby for the murder of Sandra Cantu and the details that have been released regarding the case, this past week has given me — as well as everyone else in the Tracy Press newsroom — a lot to think about. Specifically, about what the role of the media, especially a community paper, is when it comes to publishing distrubing information about criminal cases.

It's a balancing act, with the public's right to know and the media's watchdog role on government pulling hard against the right of victims to privacy and a general sense of common decency.

It's led to some spirited and emotional newsroom discussions. Because, contrary to what's often assumed, we don't treat this stuff lightly. We honestly belong to a paper that prides itself on being a part of the community it covers.

You can see the compromise we arrived at in Friday's Tracy Press. Basically, that publishing salacious or gory details for their own sake don't add anything to the public's understanding of what happened in this case and simply hurts greiving family members. However, when stomach-turning information helps contradict Huckaby's statements, and demonstrates that she's either lying or unaware of what she has done, that merits consideration. We believe our readers should be treated as adults.

(For an overall defense of media action in cases like this, The Record's court reporter has an interesting take. You might not agree, but it's worth a read.)

As for Huckaby, it's hard to show any sympathy for her tears in court on Monday. It's absolutely fitting that she will have to live with the guilt and shame of murdering and abusing an 8-year-old girl for the rest of her life. The pain she's wrought is immeasurable. I doubt Huckaby even truly comprehends what she's done. And nothing she can do will make it an ounce better.

However, I do have sympathy on this one level — she was not born like this. Huckaby is fully responsible for what she did, oh yes. But I wonder what happened in her life to turn her into someone capable of murder.

Huckaby took that leap to take a life and ruin a family. But I'm willing to bet she didn't get close to the edge all on her own.

A bridge with troubled pavement

2010-06-17T14:39:00.001-07:00

This evening at the Tracy Transit Station, the city of Tracy will start to publicly deal with a problem long familiar to local motorists — the 11th Street bridge east of town. Or, as my car calls it, "No, no, please — not that."

The street, to put it mildly, is not smooth (shades of my most recent column about the mess on Grant Line Road). However, unlike the Grant Line issue, there's no real reason that we at Second Thoughts can postulate for the road's disrepair. Other than that it's old and desperately needs repairs or replacing.

According to a city press release, it appears replacement is the preferred option. No surprise, since several years ago the overpass was declared not up to snuff by the feds in an annual bridge report.

So tonight, you have a chance to weigh in on "proposed alternative designs" being considered for a new 11th Street bridge. Stop by 50 E. Sixth St. at about 6 p.m. if you — or your car — are interested.

Delta residents — Delta water 'outsiders'?

2010-06-16T15:32:00.001-07:00

Water exports from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta have been ratcheted up once again, according to reports from Central Valley news outlets.

Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said that it's a victory for his region over "Valley outsiders."

Except that many of those "outsiders" he refers to are, in part, residents of the same valley. It's just that they happen to live where the water is being diverted from, rather than being diverted to.

Those who depend on water exports to till often marginal land in Parts Previously Unwatered have quite the nerve to label as "outsiders" residents of the San Joaquin Delta — who this past decade saw marked increases in the water pumped out of the Delta and the dramatic adverse impact those diversions had — or fishermen who rely on a healthy ecosystem for their livelihood.

That's not to suggest the folks near Fresno and on the western side of the lower Central Valley shouldn't get any Delta water at all. Just saying that a little honesty in this debate could go a long way — especially from a congressman.

Why fix those medians now?

2010-06-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

I've heard a lot of grumbling about the "improvements" being done to the medians on 11th Street, especially the timing of the work given the city's financial straits. I put improvements in quotation marks, because I've heard serious doubts as to whether these rocky centers are actually an upgrade.

I can't answer the question of taste, but I can tell you that the money for the median work isn't coming from the city's General Fund. It's from developer fees that are specifically set aside for median improvements on Tracy's main thoroughfares, according to City Manager Leon Churchill.

In other words, this is not money that could be used to shore up the city's projected $4.8 million deficit for 2010-11. It's not money that could pay for firefighters and police officers. It's not money that can be used to maintain your local park, or keep Joe Wilson Pool open. It's money that either must be used for median upgrades, or sit unused.

So, Churchill said, instead of not spending money just to feel more frugal, the city decided to go ahead with the long-ago planned construction.

In reality, the only quibble I have — aside from the small delays the work has caused — is that there seems to be a serious dearth of trees on those new medians.

I get the rock — it's low-maintenance, doesn't need water, etc. But the city needs trees. Not just for looks, but for shade and their natrual cooling effect on brutally hot days.

For a town trying to reach Emerald City status, I would have thought more fast-growing trees would have been a no-brain decision. Then again, when it comes to getting green, "no-brain" is a relative term.

Murphy's Law for journalists

2010-06-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

When you have a very important Web edition planned for the day, you can count on your website to be a complete functional and visual mess...