A little bit about a lot of things:

· Baseball fans, at least those of the National League variety, are familiar with the term “double switch.”

Turns out that there was a double switch of sorts in Newman’s recently-enacted water rates as well.

Largely unnoticed in the extensive (and well publicized) process of changing the rates was a reduction in the amount of water ratepayers receive for the base rate.....above which, surcharges apply.

Here’s how it pencils out: Instead of receiving up to 1,000 cubic feet of water for the basic rate of $8.65 a month (after which time a surcharge kicks in based on the additional volume of water used), residential customers now receive only 400 cubic feet of water for an increased base rate of $10.90 before the surcharge comes into play.

The lower volume of water included in the base rate was, I discovered as I looked back through the notices, clearly indicated in the notices alerting the public to the new rates (although I’m not sure too many people would have realized that it varied from the previous base amount). I looked right past the change, and it came as a surprise to some council members as well.

Initially, I was a little less than pleased.

But subsequently, the switch also prompted me to take a second look at our water consumption and try to be more aware of using that precious resource wisely.

Now, there’s no way on earth that we will ever get by for the 400 cubic feet base amount. That’s just not going to happen. I doubt that we ever stayed within the 1,000 cubic feet base amount previously, for that matter.

We have a good-sized yard, a back yard, a garden, citrus trees and plants of all shapes and sizes – all of which need a certain amount of water and are particularly thirsty in the hot summer months.

But I have been contributing to that water usage – and probably water waste – through bad water habits which I can break without leaving plants parched and thirsty.

For starters, I have to get out of the mindset that everything needs to be watered every single day. It’s almost force of habit. Bad habit.

And then there is my tendency to water the edge of the street or the driveway or the sidewalk, despite my best efforts to the contrary. I have yet to see anything grow on the concrete, other than some weeds coming up through the cracks.

I also need to watch my watering times more closely......and not get distracted by something else and go off and leave a hose running somewhere – I really hate it when that happens.

There’s a lot to be said just for stepping back and really thinking about how you use water instead of simply taking it for granted as you turn on the spigot.

Plenty of people are discovering that water is not an endless resource.

Water is only going to be more costly and more valuable in coming years, so the more people who are at least aware of their consumption and try to follow decent water conservation practices, the better for us all.

And if we backslide into bad habits or aren’t quite as careful as we should be, the monthly bill from the city reminds us of the error of our ways.

· The Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District’s new senior/adult education center is nearing completion.....and it is a wonderful facility.

I had the opportunity to tour the building recently, and came away very impressed by what the facility has to offer.

I’m also pleased that the district is making the effort to give seniors priority when it comes to scheduling use of the building......that was a fence which badly needed to be mended!

The school board will move its regular meetings from the City Council chambers to the new building beginning with its Aug. 11 session.

The city has been extremely gracious in sharing its meeting facilities with the school board, but it will be wonderful for the trustees to have a meeting room to call their own.

While the new center undeniably comes with some nagging political baggage, the facility should prove to be an asset to both the school district and the community it serves for many years to come.

· Happy to see this one.....Gustine High School’s new student handbook contains a a provision that seniors caught committing vandalism and/or student pranks will lose the privilege of participating in all senior activities, graduation included. Students will sign an agreement to acknowledging that policy at the start of the year, effectively eliminating any “I didn’t know” or “You didn’t tell me” defenses at the end of the year. Hopefully, parents will sign the same agreement.

Hopefully there is no reason for that policy to ever come into play, but I’m glad to know it is clearly spelled out.

Still have to wonder, though, about why something so basic even needs to be put into writing.....

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