A little bit about a lot of things:

• Not so sure about this one.....the Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District board voted last week to authorize a $12,000-plus “public information” campaign to educate community members about the district’s success stories, how it handled proceeds from a 2000 bond campaign and the district’s current needs.

In essence, the district hopes that “well-educated” voters will be more likely to support a possible bond measure – perhaps as early as this fall - and wants to create as favorable a climate as possible for a school bond.

I have a bit of a philosophical problem with spending taxpayer money for what amounts to a PR campaign ultimately aimed at helping a bond measure succeed.

The advantage to the district, of course, is that the message can be shaped to “educate” voters with a specific objective in mind, and with the information of its choosing.

That, I guess, is politics.

• So......Ranchwood Homes has apparently sold virtually all of its remaining lots in the Borrelli Ranch project to Self-Help Enterprises – leaving some homeowners in the subdivision concerned about the impact on their property values and neighborhood.

Ranchwood and the city have gone the rounds over a number of issues through the years, but from where we sit it appears that the builder has had the last word and there’s not much the city can say about it.

While not at all opposed to Self-Help Enterprises or the mission it serves of providing home ownership opportunities for lower-income working families, we sympathize with those in the subdivision who purchased their residences in the belief that the entire project would be comprised of similar, market-rate homes.

If possible, development agreements which govern future subdivisions should contain provisions which at a minimum require city review and approval before such a change could take place.

• So you want to know how your friends and neighbors voted? So do we, and as soon as county officials have precinct by precinct election results tabulated, we will share the results of how the West Side communities voted in last week’s elections.

We do know that in both Merced and Stanislaus counties Hillary Clinton was a big winner over Barack Obama on the Democratic slate, while John McCain was a narrow favorite over the Mitt Romney (who has since quit the race) among GOP voters.

And, voters in both counties strongly favored the gambling agreement referendums which passed statewide.

In Stanislaus County, two growth-related measures gained voter approval, but it appears that Measure E (which requires a vote of the people to approve large residential developments in unincorporated areas) would supercede Measure L if the vote count stands.

We’ll learn when the precinct results become available whether the thoughts of local voters mirrored those of voters countywide and across the state....

• So maybe we’re not in agreement with the Newman-Crows Landing school district about its promo campaign......but we very much appreciate and applaud the district’s desire to improve student drop-off facilities at Hunt School.

Anybody who has made the mistake of being in the neighborhood at 7:45 a.m. on a school morning knows exactly how chaotic things get around Hunt. Traffic snarls, triple parking, frustrated parents, kids darting across traffic.....all in a regular morning at the middle school-turned-elementary campus.

Most of us (usually) have the luxury of just steering clear. Others have to deal with the situation on a daily basis.

For some the situation is an inconvenience; more importantly, it is a daily safety issue for the students and staff at Hunt.

We are encouraged by the district’s willingness to look at alternatives to remedy that situation.

Whenever something can be done, it will be not a moment too soon.

• Today is a special day set aside to honor that special someone in your life, and let him or her know just how much they are appreciated and loved.

With cards and flowers, romantic dinners and jewelry, or with balloon bouquets and chocolates, we deliver our Valentine’s Day wishes.

Today, we also continue a Mattos Newspapers tradition by bringing you the stories of two West Side couples whose relationships have stood the test of time and challenges.....the Greers in Newman and the Ranuios in Gustine.

Julie Rose spoke with Mr. and Mrs. Ranuio, while I had the honor of interviewing Mr. and Mrs. Greer....a wonderful couple who have been married for nearly 67 years and are still very much in love and deeply devoted to one another!!!

One of the things I take away from nearly every “sweetheart” couple I have ever interviewed.....and something that Kathy and I try to live by as well....is that while you celebrate and enjoy Valentine’s Day, you also appreciate every day together.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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