A little bit about a lot of things:

• Big changes are in store for a long-standing West Side tradition when July 4 rolls around (which is going to be here before we know it).

Organizers told us last week that the traditional morning parade is being switched to late afternoon and that there will most likely not be the usual activities in the park on the afternoon of the Fourth.

The parade will start at 5:30. One advantage, co-chair Judi Gandy said in explaining the changes, is that entries will be able to take part in the morning parades in Modesto or Atwater and still make the Gustine parade in the afternoon.

So this year’s Fourth of July could very well be a late afternoon parade, followed by the traditional fireworks in the Gustine High stadium.

The Citizens for the Fourth is sponsoring a street dance on the evening of July 3, and the Gustine High FFA tractor pull will host its annual tractor pull as well. And, of course, a new Miss Gustine will be crowned the previous Saturday evening.

Gustine’s Fourth of July will have a far different look this year.

Gustine is famous for its patriotic spirit.....and that’s one thing that a new schedule of events  won’t change!!!

• I have a confession to make....I sometimes watch cooking shows on television (but only if there is not a hockey game on another channel).

Kathy and I enjoy cooking, and we have fun trying different recipes and adding new twists to old favorites....we’ve picked up more than a few ideas by watching the Food Network.

Cooking is an art form in its own right, and I admire the chefs who are willing to perform in front of an audience....which is exactly what one West Sider will be doing tonight (Thursday evening).

Scott Pasco of Newman is one of three area chefs squaring off in the Culinary Clash competition at Modesto Centre Plaza.

Pasco, a kitchen veteran who is currently the chef at Clayton’s Cafe, will match his culinary skills against Marco Alvarado (Bacchus Food and Spirits) and Vincent Alvarado (Dewz) in the fund-raiser for the Doctors Medical Center Foundation.

Each chef will be creating four dishes using a secret ingredient....much like the “Iron Chef” showdowns on television.

The show starts at 5:30....tickets at the door are $50.

We wish Pasco the best.....and remember, Scott, leftovers are always welcome!!!

• Anybody else got an office pool going on when the price of unleaded gasoline is going to tick over the $4 mark? We’re already seeing the dreaded $4 number on diesel and the highest grade of unleaded gasoline, and as of Tuesday the lower grades weren’t far behind.

The pain at the pump is very real, for individuals and businesses alike. The impacts of high fuel prices ripple through the economy, affecting virtually everything we buy and leaving consumers with fewer dollars to spend on discretionary items or services.

Major oil companies are raking in record profits....all the while coming up with a series of glib explanations as to why they aren’t the bad guys in all of this and why those profits aren’t really out of line when one looks at the big picture.

Most people I know, though, are just busy trying to make ends meet in the real world.

We’d like to hear from our readers (commuters and non-commuters) about how the price of fuel is impacting their lives and their businesses, and what changes they have had to make to cope with skyrocketing gasoline costs. Anybody interested in sharing their story is invited to email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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