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| Parting shots for 2007 |
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| Written by Jon Mendelson / Tracy Press / | |
| Thursday, 27 December 2007 | |
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Second Thoughts wraps up the year with a bit of this and a bit of that.
There was plenty going on this past year, and no shortage of opinions riding shotgun. What follows are, in no particular order, my top stories for Tracy in 2007, along with a few parting shots. Can’t we all just get along? From a brawl at West High School to a fatal fight at West Valley Bowl, there was no shortage of high-profile violence, despite a downward trend in violent crime overall. Accepted wisdom is that gangs are a growing threat. Unfortunately, the problem isn’t coming from over the hill, that mythical place that takes the blame for so many issues here. It’s coming from home, from parents who don’t care, from media that substitutes for friends, from a community that doesn’t provide alternatives for its youth.
This story is a homegrown one. We need to look to ourselves and our neighbors to change the plot line. A notable absence For the first time since 1990, Richard Pombo was not an elected official for Tracy. Pombo became a councilman that year and was elected to Congress in 1992. But in 2006, Pleasanton’s Jerry McNerney unseated the incumbent, who’s been very quiet ever since. McNerney’s first year in the House of Representatives was marked by a few conventional moves: He voted for a timetable for withdrawal in Iraq and for higher fuel standards and more renewable energy. It also included the unconventional for a Democrat, as McNerney proposed easing the estate tax for small businesses and farmers.
But maybe, more than anything, his presence in office was remarkable for what it wasn’t — cowboy boots tramping through the halls of government. The Bulldogs are back Tracy once prided itself on being a football town, and in the fall of 2007, at least, it regained some of its former luster. Mark Stroup coached the varsity Bulldogs to their first playoff appearance since 1996 and first victory over West High since 2001. And alumni wearing green and gold were suddenly a bit more boisterous in the local watering holes. Steve Lopez, meanwhile, coached a rebuilding West High team into the postseason for the fourth straight year.
Believe it, folks. Tracy’s a football town again. Reckless endangerment In a commuter city, car accidents will happen. This past year, though, saw several high-profile wrecks and a disturbing trend: young people not learning from the mistakes of others.
Mike Ucci died and Bret Clifton lost his legs in a January crash in front of West High, with speeding the probable culprit. It was the first of many tragedies. The coming months saw motorcycle fatalities, a Buick Regal wrapped around a pole, and a Mustang that slammed into a tree after being driven at close to 100 mph down Tracy Boulevard. Those are only the ones I can remember.
These stories, sadly, will repeat as long as we have cars — and as long as drivers fail to take the tragic examples of others to heart. Not-so-real estate The nation’s housing market went down the drain this year, and nowhere was hit harder than San Joaquin County. Stockton even earned the nickname “foreclosure capital of the country.” A search of RealtyTrac.com on Thursday yielded a total of 2,020 houses in Tracy that are in some state of foreclosure. As more folks are in danger of losing their homes (and actually do lose them), related businesses suffer and the economy in general is squeezed. We’ve even got a tour bus that will take you around to see the houses of the unfortunate — the “Down and Out Express.”
The meltdown is one of the main reasons a record number of people sought help this holiday season — and why so many charities were hard-pressed to cope with the demand. Don’t expect this story to get any better next year, though. All indicators point to a prolonged doldrums. Play somewhere else
After several years of wrangling, an ill-conceived sports park off Schulte Road was voted down by the City Council, 3-2. With any luck, it means the end of bitter debate and the beginning of a cooperative effort to bring better recreation to Tracy. There’s hope for 2008. A truly Grand opening The blazing neon façade of the reopened Grand Theatre Center for the Arts lights up downtown and provides a beacon for the creative arts.
The city now has a first-class venue where you can walk in most any weekday and peruse offerings from local artists and sit down most any weekend for in-the-flesh entertainment. In tandem with the also-unveiled City Hall, the Grand is the crown jewel of the downtown’s revitalization. Honorable mentions No to the bio-lab: The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was taken off a list of considered locations for a federal Level 4 bio-research facility in the face of community protests. Keep a secret: In a related story, e-mails between Councilwoman Suzanne Tucker, the lab and a now-defunct city committee are still secret, despite their seemingly obvious public nature. An appeal on the legal case brought by the Tracy Press is pending. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you think there’re more to add to the list. Otherwise, I’ll see you next year. • Jon hopes to do better in 2008. For more Second Thoughts or to vote for Tracy's top story, visit Jon's blog.
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You forgot all the bloggers who blame the real estate turn-down on the mayor? And that their conspiracy theory stinks!
I agree with the comment above. As a long time reader of the TP, I'm disappointed with the lack of objectivity provided by Firpo, Mendelson, Upton and others in once was a great local newsource. If I need the rants of a twenty something know-it-all, I have my son and daughter. Some advice for Mendelson...finish a complete 1st thought before you feel compelled to give Tracy your incomplete second thoughts! Find the facts and report them. It's a simple concept.
Let's, at least represent both sides. Not just the Anti-mayor, Anti-CityCouncil. What are we all supposed to be Garamandi supporters? Not all of us are, you know!
Agreed with the above posters.
And, now for some objectivity..... Lets here from mb (banana), Tom B., BaHaHaHaHaaa, Jimbo, Bob Blinker (the bulldozer), and all the other LOP's.
I would have to agree with the first three to five posters.
Jon wrote... Accepted wisdom is that gangs are a growing threat. Sounds more like... Too many Gang-Bangers and not enough cameras.
Do all the police cars have cameras yet?
I heard that they were going to get them, but never heard the follow up on that story. TP, Another thing to consider for 2008. Follow up on your stories!!! Otherwise, just sloppy journalism. Sloppy journalism, or just too busy with this business of 'out to get City Council'? Please, follow up, and explain which it is. If the latter, you might want to consider stop fighting a two front war. And just stick to the home-front. That would just be my humble advice. Hope your bosses make that an action item. Oh, that would be us, the public. There you go: "Action Item for you!"
I had to read the article again after reading the above posts. What does the Mayor have to do with any of this. Maybe you guys meant to post on his commnetary on the next page. I dont see anything negative about the mayor in this article. Any way since you guys brought up the mayor. What has he accomplished. He certaintly has not unified the council. He hasnt given us a sports park after 15 years on the council. He is AKT's waterboy as Evelyn Tolbert has said. He told his employer LLNL to offer us a college in exchange for the Biolab. He didnt even tell us that LLNL had an anthrax shipment that opened up in the mail before the lab started bragging about its excellent safety record. He didnt oppose his employer detonating depleted uranium all over us. He voted on projects that his consulting firm had done work for. Do I need to go on or is that enough for you Brent Ives fans. Keep up the good work Mendelson you know your doing a good job when the good old boys start defending the mayor even though you didnt blame him for the gang problems or the sorry location for a sport park or any other of the multiple probelms he has created. Lets not forget about good old Dan Hobbs at the end only the mayor wanted to keep him. Vote Tolbert for Mayor in 2008...
I sure miss Pombo. Too much naysaying this year: "developers got 'em in their back pockets". Here we go again! Sigh!
Brent,
Someone left you a list of questions... Do you want to take that or do you want me to get it? What has he accomplished. He certaintly has not unified the council. He hasnt given us a sports park after 15 years on the council. He is AKT's waterboy as Evelyn Tolbert has said. He told his employer LLNL to offer us a college in exchange for the Biolab. He didnt even tell us that LLNL had an anthrax shipment that opened up in the mail before the lab started bragging about its excellent safety record. He didnt oppose his employer detonating depleted uranium all over us. He voted on projects that his consulting firm had done work for. Do I need to go on or is that enough for you Brent Ives fans. Keep up the good work Mendelson you know your doing a good job when the good old boys start defending the mayor even though you didnt blame him for the gang problems or the sorry location for a sport park or any other of the multiple probelms he has created. Lets not forget about good old Dan Hobbs at the end only the mayor wanted to keep him. Vote Tolbert for Mayor in 2008... Let me know. I'd love to give it to him.
Had to read it again? Why they say that the memory is the first to go.
You forgot all the crap this year. That's all.
In 2007, only Tolbert has shown that she makes intelligent decisions.
Let's make 2008 the year we successfully recall Tucker, and vote Ives out of office. That will be a victory for democracy.
Are we giving parting shots for 2007 here? Is that what I am to understand? If so, your paper could use some balance. Lose the bias in 2008. Just my humble opinion.
ETFM'08,
Too thin. Now, I question your intelligence and good judgment. So, how is it that you can decide that for us. Thanks for the shameless plug, though!
SDRK,
Left in the dust? This past year included a number of success stories. But, you missed the boat: http://tracypress.com/content/view/12871/2244/
In 2008, will somebody please start the recall process for Tucker, or please stop talking about it.
http://www.newhomebuyer.org/tracyplanet/recall/index.htm
The council recently decided not to build a youth sports park at the Shulte Road antenna farm.
The reopening of the Grand Theater (so what if that Greek lady helped out a little bit). New City Hall. ... With more to come in 2008... So stop the incessant b***hing and moaning.
Problems? you bet.
Unfortunately, the problem isn’t coming from over the hill, that mythical place that takes the blame for so many issues here. It’s coming from home, from parents who don’t care, from media that substitutes for friends, from a community that doesn’t provide alternatives for its youth. This problem is being addressed, in spite of the opposition to Ives and the City Council. The city of Tracy doesn't need another turnover to slow the progress down. What they need is a City Council that will continue the fight.
We can all be thankful we have such a great Congressman in our fine Rep Jerry McNerney. We can all count on Jerry to work hard for us all in Wash D.C. and here in our district. Thank you Jerry McNerney for all your work in 2007
Ya right. A mathematician who knows about wind-bags. Should get a job in the Silicon Valley, but they don't need the windbag. The Altimont WindFarms don't really make money or enough energy to make a difference. Just ask Pombo. Someone, please ask Tom Benigno to run? Then we can get him outta here and get some development going... Otherwise, there is too much blocking of politicians going on in this town. When that happens... nothing gets done. Don't have anything else against the guy, but I wouldn't vote for a farmer to help develop a city. Farmers make good Presidents though. Just ask Jimmy Carter.  That's my thought. And, I lived on a farm too. So, don't get you ho's all up in a row. But, farmer stands vs. Costco (and WalMart, and SafeWay) now that's a conflict of interest. Unless you can prove me wrong. But, just ask Pombo about his farm. E-I-E-I-O
"Bob Blinker (the bulldozer)"
thanks! i like being a bulldozer. constructive machine, scrapes the *hit out of the way. we sure need to scape some to get this city back on the right track. only 313 days till a new majority
written by bob blinker , January 01, 2008
remember HATPAC remember pomblo/!ve$ pomblo/!ve$lush fund flush with eastern, Indian gaming money, remember pomblo/!ve$ spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep waterboy in office because he is their waterboy and will oppose Garamendi again to keep their waterboy in office. This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment.
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 27 December 2007 ) |
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You need a shot of objectivity!
I too am hoping for a better 2008, from you.
I encourage you - please don't keep listening to the naysayers on here.
Most of the Tracy population is reading the SF Paper online and thinks the Mayor is doing a GREAT job.