Council approves apartment complex over school objections    (Bakersfield Californian)

Fresno State to reduce enrollment by 500    (Fresno Bee)

State supreme court to hear Proposition 8 fight    (Modesto Bee)

Audit: Library owed millions    (Stockton Record)

Few changes to final Delta audit    (Stockton Record)

No charges for Mettler    (Bakersfield Californian)

Health costs latest challenge for Fresno Co.    (Fresno Bee)

Valley lawmakers are inundated with requests for inauguration tickets    (Fresno Bee)

$1 fee added to ballpark tickets    (Fresno Bee)

Stanislaus allocates federal housing funds    (Modesto Bee)

Team named for Fresno mayor transition    (Fresno Bee)

County Bank takes $54 million hit    (Fresno Bee)

Project to turn poop to power    (Bakersfield Californian)

Senate puts river restoration plan on hold    (Modesto Bee)

Is anyone else troubled by the reactions to the passage of Proposition 8? In Stanislaus, the vote was over 68% in favor yet we have the NO on 8 folks crying foul. I'm sorry, I don't get it! When Proposition 22 passed and then the California Supreme Court overturned it [on a pretty split 4-3 decision], supporters did what was necessary and took the issue back to the voters who again agreed with them. I don't think the bad behavior [insults, boycotts, etc] is going to endear them to those who support marriage between a man & a woman. Marriage is like a driver's license in the eyes of the state: more a privilege than a right.

Mayor-elect Swearengin begins transition    (Fresno Bee)

Local firefighters moved from one Southern California fire to another    (Bakersfield Californian)

McHenry-Briggsmore crowd joins anti-Prop. 8 rally    (Modesto Bee)

'Tenacious' trustee out to make a difference in lives of S.J. students    (Stockton Record)

'Nasty economy' won't turn into a depression, panel says    (Bakersfield Californian)
Despite the financial turmoil triggered by the sub prime loan debacle,
it is very unlikely that the nation is on the cusp of another Great Depression.

Prop. 8 foe says she was forced out of school post    (Fresno Bee)

Valley's parklands could double    (Stockton Record)

Spanos plan advances    (Stockton Record)

Judge race looks to be locked up even without a final tally    (Bakersfield Californian)
More than a week after Election Day 2008, it appears the private
attorney, Charles "Chip" Brehmer, can claim victory in the race to
become a Kern County Superior Court judge.

City freezes most hiring    (Bakersfield Californian)

Request for road-tax recount unlikely    (Modesto Bee)

Governor isn't wed to sales tax hike    (Fresno Bee)

County considers casino expansions    (Bakersfield Californian)

SunCal bankruptcies spread, $2.5 billion at stake    (Bakersfield Californian)

San Joaquin River restoration bill nears passage    (Fresno Bee)

Local impact of river legislation still not clear    (Stockton Record)

Prison tries to integrate housing again    (Stockton Record)

I was doing my morning radio show today when I started getting emails and texts about a rumor. Now, since I'm just a radio talk show host and have NEVER claimed to be a journalist, I don't mind reporting rumors as long as I preface that it's just that. Rumor. I'd follow up on the rumor, but seeing as I'm not a journalist, I'm too lazy. Which might be why the rumor landed in my lap. For all I know someone (or myriad someones) are hoping I will spread the gossip like the big mouthed chick that I am.......and so I shall. RUMOR HAS IT THAT STATE SENATOR DEAN FLOREZ HAS BROKERED A DEAL TO GET ENOUGH VOTES TO TAKE OVER LEADERSHIP OF THE STATE SENATE FROM DARREL STEINBERG!!!!. Now mind you it's just a rumor. But I can see why they would support him. With his keen sense of the needs of the valley he has managed to regulate businesses and jobs right outta here. With his fabulous people skills he has failed to talk anyone into unionizing, despite his press conferences and use of government lettehead. AND with his political saavy, he has helped defeat his mother's run for assembly. Yep. This rumor HAS to be true.

Prop 8 passed in Stanislaus County by 68.02% gaining a total of 103,353 votes--that's before the provisionals and overseas ballots are counted. To add some perspective to that number, McCain got 74,025 votes [48.49%] while Obama got 75,106 [49.19%]. The question I have is: who are those voters who voted for Obama and Prop. 8 and how do we get them to vote for our candidates? There is an obvious contradiction in their voting. Any suggestions?

OK. So......8 years ago they believed that the "people had spoken" and Al Gore should be president because the majority said so. Today, when the majority says marriage is between a man and woman...."the people" are bigotted morons. Or are they just stupid in California? Which always votes blue......and has Gavin Newsome as one of it's mayors......?

I hear almost daily from people who's family members or friends have written them off, shunned them, cut them off entirely because of their support for prop 8. It's an amazing time indeed when some homosexuals would demand thier loved ones be in the closet or face shunning. did YOU like it in there? You know, you often compare yourselves (wrongly) to the black civil rights movement. Yet I don't think there's a black civil rights leader who has ever insisted I become a slave. Why do you want me to be in the misery that you lived in? If it was unjust for you, it's unjust for me.......yes? So, as I told an earlier blogger, the challenge is out. If someone can prove to me that God is lying about this issue,  I will turn my back on Him, call Him a liar, and support your marriage.

Anti-Prop. 8 protests hit Sacramento to Pasadena    (Modesto Bee)
Backlash to the passage of an anti-gay marriage law continued
to sweep across California on Sunday, with hundreds of protesters
rallying outside an Orange County megachurch whose popular pastor
brought Barack Obama and John McCain together last summer for a "faith forum."

Yes on Obama, yes on 8: Minorities mix support of Democrat with social conservatism    (Bakersfield Californian)
He may not espouse the same conservative values many of them do,
but local minorities did all they could Tuesday to put the
candidate who best represents their struggles and triumphs in the White House.

Are Valley ozone totals exaggerated?    (Fresno Bee)

The Kern County Board of Supervisors recently approved spending $908,000 of the taxpayers' money on out-of town attorneys and consultants to initiate another layer of unaccountable government called the Oildale Redevelopment Agency.

Why not use the money to just hire some local community activists as Community Improvement Liaisons (CIL) within a designated target area?  The CIL would act as an out reach clearinghouse to coordinate the existing governmental and private resources to effect bottom up change.

The CIL would patrol each street of the designated area weekly and compile a status report of all possible violations and deficiencies including: graffiti, vacant & derelict buildings, abandoned cars, health, safety, pot holes, gang & drug activity, trash, weeds, building repoars, broken sidewalks, truants, overgrown trees, nuisances, errant animals, and zoning issues.  They would help the respective investigators and inspectors in their research and citing of the offenders or correction of the problems.

The CIL would coordinate community groups who can adopt streets for quarterly cleanup.  The court-ordered orange vests can be utilized for regular cleanup of parks and other common areas.  They can encourage commercial owners to cooperate in simple facade improvements and painting programs.  The CIL can promote civic pride awards and neighborhood watch programs.

They would go door to door continuously and be a source of initial information on low interest home improvement loans, energy saving programs, bulk trash programs, social welfare and faith based programs.  The CIL could report to the County Supervisor with a measurable work product.

We don't need any more taxpayer funded boondoggles.  There are simple solutions to problems if government just provides the basic services they are supposed to provide very well.

Same-sex couples can still marry    (Modesto Bee)

Tax hikes sought for state    (Fresno Bee)

Oil industry: Proposed production tax would hurt    (Bakersfield Californian)

How would state cuts hit you and me?    (Bakersfield  Californian)

Florez still not conceding defeat in Assembly race    (Bakersfield Californian)

Stockton budget cut to bone    (Stockton Record)

After it sinks in that the republican governor has recommended a sales tax increase, a tax on your pet grooming, car maintenance, and golf games, a tax on your gas, and a tax on your car......have a drink. For five cents more per swig.

Arnold, Karen, and Don....you are geniuses!!! Geniuses!!!  I'm just sorry we all aren't working hard enough to get you the revenues you need. Perhaps I could take on a THIRD job so I can pay my fair share.

County clerk: No more marriage licenses will be issued to same-sex couples    (Bakersfield Californian)
"If there was any question whether it was going to pass or not, we would wait,"
Ann Barnett, Auditor-Controller-County Clerk, said of Proposition 8.

Politicos weigh in on election milestones, surprises    (Bakersfield Californian)

Gilmore outworked Florez in the 30th, pundits say    (Bakersfield Californian)

No voter fraud in Orange Cove    (Fresno Bee)

Prop. 8 foes sue to block amendment    (Fresno Bee)

Results in limbo as votes are tallied    (Modesto Bee)

Unions fail in attempt to sway Modesto council    (Modesto Bee)

Prop. 8 likely not end of fight    (Stockton Record)

State Senator Dean Florez has warmed out his welcome. How shall I count the ways:

Florez calls for hearings on Fresno State's discrimination lawsuits. He packs the dais with staffers because his fellow commissioners could care less. He makes no friends in Fresno and promises sweeping new Title 9 laws JUST for California...which we haven't seen (Thank God!).

Senator Florez publicly lambastes a Fresno county supervisor and has her removed from the air resources board for...being too connected to agriculture. Imagine THAT...in the central valley! Everyone knows how much we hate ag here!

 Florez backs a union push for St. Agnes Hospital. He has press conferences, uses state letterhead to push the union. The union lost. BIG.

At the behest of another union and in the midst of an energy crisis, Florez  leaves his district  to stop the expansion of an oil refinery. He lost.

He strongly endorsed a mayoral candidate in Fresno. Lost

Endorsed a Kern County supervisor candidate. Lost

Senator Florez sent his Fresno chief of staff to run for city council against an incumbent who was being deployed to Iraq to serve our country! Lost.

Then he puts his own mother out there to run for an assembly seat just to keep the Florez name alive after he's termed out and prepping to run for statewide office?! Gross! Sick! LOST.

Dean, even your former chief of staff and current Kern County supervisor, who plans to run for your senate seat barely acknowledges having known you! Go! Go get one of those fancy consulting jobs or join an 80's tribute band and do the lounge tour! But please-- Take a hint and hang it up!..I know I look cruel right now...unless you know Dean.

 

 

 

Gay marriage ban likely to pass    (Bakersfield Californian)

Gilmore leading in 30th Assembly District race    (Bakersfield Californian)

Voter excitement palpable at the polls    (Bakersfield Californian)

Swearengin wins Fresno mayor race    (Fresno Bee)

From school boards to bonds, Valley votes    (Fresno Bee)

Bill Berryhill edging Eisenhut in 26th; Brother Tom, Galgiani win re-election    (Modesto Bee)

In Kern County, high school trustee Chad Vegas is cruising to a re-election victory with an even larger percentage of the vote than he received four years ago (currently 28% with three-fourths of the precincts reporting).  This despite a field of seven candidates and an additional two write-ins for the two board positions on the ballot. All eight challengers had varying versions on the same theme: "I'm not religious/right-wing/conservative/Chad Vegas."  Voters went with Vegas.

In Fresno, Republican Ashley Swearengin has trumped the Democrat political establishment of Henry T. Perea by a comfortable 55-45 percent margin. Swearengin succeeds actor-turned-mayor Alan Autry.

And in the most-watched race in the Central Valley, Danny Gilmore appears poised to deal a body blow to the liberal Dean Florez machine by defeating Florez' mother Fran and moving an Assembly seat into the Republican column. GOPers nervously await the remaining Kern county numbers in this Fresno/Kern/Kings/Tulare district. With 70% of Kern reporting, Gilmore maintains a 10 point lead over Florez - but Kern has always been the Achilles in this Democrat district.  A Gilmore victory is nearly as big a win for Nicole Parra as for Danny and Assembly Republicans, as she endorsed Gilmore and takes a decisive lead in the long-running Parra/Florez feud. 

Just been to 2 polling places to see what's going on here in Modesto. Voting is very heavy. We won't have any results before 8:05 so it's hard to know which team is showing up. We have made thousands of  calls to Republican voters. Hopefully it will make a difference for our guy Bill Berryhill. Stay tuned.

This article has lots of great links to help you get your election results fix tonight.

Of course, Hit and Run will provide informative coverage as well.

I was watching an LA Times video about the stream of same sex couples getting married. Now, I know that they disagree with me on the definition of marriage that PREDATES law. I know they believe that man and woman aren't the ONLY best model for raising children. I know that they have a different honeymoon night than I had, for sure! But people please! In the video there are people attending your weddings who are WEARING WHITE!! They aren't getting married and they're wearing white? Have you no common decency? Have you no shame? Do you care about any tradition at all? Can't somebody tell these people that only the bride...s...wear white?

geesh. Sorry. I just needed to get that off my chest. And after labor day too! NO fashion sense at all.

Community shows up in overwhelming support for Trustee Ken Mettler    (Bakersfield Californian)
While this column embarrassingly fails to accurately describe the Kern High School District meeting attendees, those of us who were there saw an incredible turnout of at least 100 people, many from local Hispanic churches, carrying "Ken Mettler" and "Yes on Prop 8" signs, while 6 disgruntled, pro-homosexual and avowed atheist people prattled at Ken Mettler.

Turlock council candidate says Prop. 8 calls not hers    (Modesto Bee)

Political firsts    (Stockton Record)

Record number of voters expected to deluge polls    (Fresno Bee)

Valley voters surprise officials    (Fresno Bee)

Of course, this blog has been full of the case for Prop 8.  I'll just say that it is discrimination, no matter how you slice it.  If you want to hear the other side calmly stated, read this.

Non-media groups are planning a unprecedented and massive use of exit polling today to "try and determine in select precincts around the country whether or not votes are in fact being counted as cast."  The crapola will be thick tonight.  Read more at Citizen Exit Poll Driven by Distrust.