STOCKTON -- It took San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge K. Peter Saiers only 27 minutes Thursday to resolve what a lot of other high school football coaches, athletic directors, principals and fans couldn't agree on in six days: The high school playoffs will go on with Lincoln and Lodi, and without Franklin.   more »

Washington, DC – With home heating bills expected to rise more than 60 percent in some areas this winter, House Resources Committee Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-CA) introduced legislation today waiving fees for firewood collection in national forests. The legislation is aimed at helping families cope with the high costs of home heating during the winter months.   more »

This article in CPR Online by Bill Saracino makes it crystal clear that if you want to engage in racist rhetoric without being brought to account by the media, then it helps to cloak yourself as a liberal activist.

Today's new from in and around San Joaquin County:

Stockton Record
Support Sought For Sex Offender Initiative
Volunteers Give Money, Materials, Labor For Homeless Shelter -- For Cats!
An End To Cookie-Cutter Tracts
Editorial: Studying Closure of Lincoln Elementary a Good Idea

Lodi News-Sentinel
Opponents of Water Rate Hike Lack Protests
Lodi Icon Norman King Heading to Community Hall of Fame

Manteca Bulletin
Americana Motif for Tidewater Bikepath
Ripon Instills Culture of Expecting Classroom Results

Tri-Valley Herald
Tracy City Council Hopes to Lure Delta College Campus from Mountain House Site
Manteca Debates Sex-Ed Films
Manteca's Delta Film Festival Kicks Off Today
Tracy Planning Commission Votes Against 84 Homes; Developer Appeals To City Council

Modesto Bee
Pombo. Cardoza Team Up To Reform Endangered Species Act
Editorial: Cooler Real Estate Market Can Only Help Valley

Today's news from in and around San Joaquin County:

Stockton Record
Pombo Bill Would Fund Study Of New Dam & Reservior In East SJ County
Sen. Chuck Poochigian Pushes To Bring ID Theft To Voters
SJ County Property Owners Ask For $1.5 Million To Battle Bugs
LUSD Plan For Closing Lincoln Elementary Unpopular
Governor Joins Levee Repair Campaign
Editorial: PG&E's $30 million Investment Wise Plan For The Future

Lodi News-Sentinel
Lodi's Former Environmental Attorney Sues City for $7 Million
County Planning Commission Approves Large New Winery North Of Lodi
Lodi Unified Looks At Measure K Bond -- And Beyond

Manteca Bulletin
Can Manteca Break Mediocre Image?

Oakdale Leader
Council Revisits East Oakdale Pevelopment Plan

Riverbank News
Making Riverbank High School A Closed Campus Under Consideration

Tri-Valley Herald
Historic Lathrop Committee Present Revitalization Plan To Planning Commission

Modesto Bee
Manteca Start Fix For Traffic Snarl

Today's news from in and around San Joaquin County:

Stockton Record
Lincoln Unified SD May Close 127-year old Lincoln Elementary
Stockton DNA Milestone Set 10 Years Ago
Lawyer Suing Lodi Over Pollution Case Fees
Calvary Chapel Tracy's Plan To Convert Old JC Penney In Jeopardy
Lincoln Unified May Limit Media Access
Calaveras Water Hike May Cost Less
Manteca Building Costs Rise
Tracy: Put Delta Campus here, Not Mountain House

Modesto Bee
Manteca Highway Work Set To Start

Lodi News-Sentinel
Lodi Police Crack Down On School Zones
Judge: No Pledge In Schools

Tri-Valley Herald
Manteca Unified Trustees Hear Racism Complaints Again

Manteca Bulletin
Bright Future Seen For "New" Downtown
Making Electricity In Desolate Sierra

Toadys' news from in and around San  Joaquin County:

Stockton Record
Stockton Unified's Talks With Unions Stall
San Joaquin County Seizes Two Properties
San Joaquin Supes Delay Decison On Mountain House College
Stockton Cracks Down On Ice Cream Vendors

Modesto Bee
Manteca Unified School District To Make Administotors Take "Diversity Training"

Lodi News-Sentinel
Lodi City Council May Crack Down On Lunch Trucks
Part-Time Firefighter Gets Four-Years In The Big House For Arson

Manteca Bulletin
Problems With Pooping Pigeons
Property Owner Battles Planning Commission And His Neighbors

Oakdale Leader
Oakdale Council Revisits East Oakdale Development Plan

Tri-Valley Herald
SJ County Supervisors Request Levee Report

Today's news from in and around San Joaquin County:

Stockton Record
Biggest Aerial Spraying In County History Takes Place
Price At Pumps Affects Travel
Poll: Gas Costs Force Change Of Habits
Two Chaderjian Youth Facility Staffers -- Fired For Brawling With Wards -- Ordered Re-Hired
Lodi Officials Lobby For SJ Delta College Satellite Campus
Woman Alleges San Andreas Fire Chief Sexually Assualted Her 30 Times
Open Meeting Law Expert Casts Doubt On Manteca School Board's Creation of New Position
Editorial: Delta Loses Its Strongest Advocate

Modesto Bee
U.S. Census: North SJ County Residents Younger, Bigger Families Compared To Rest Of Nation
School Districts Rocked By Cost Of Gassing Up Buses
UC Chancellor's Work Pays Off
Editorial: Modesto Schools' Dress Code Is Appropriate, Enforceable

Lodi News Sentinel
Lodi Recommends Two Plots Of Land For SJ Delta College Satellite Campus
City Meets Schools To Combat Gang Violence In Galt

Manteca Daily Bulletin
Yosemite Hotspot For Labor Day Weekend
Pay As You Go Plan For Vintage Street Lights
Manteca Police Chief Says Armed Officers On High School Campuses Has Curbed Gangs

Tri-Valley Herald
SJ County To Stick With Deibold Touch-Screen Voting Machines
Embattled Weston Ranch High School Principal "Accepts" New Position

Apologies for the absence of Daily Digests in recent days, but it was summer vacation time.

In any case, here's the news from in and around San Joaquin County:

Stockton Record
Bay Area Pilot Joins Race Against Pombo
Anti-West Nile Spraying Over Wide Area Ready
Weston Ranch High School Principal Quits For New Post
Manteca School Board Member Moves, Leaving Vacancy
Lodi Utililities Director Fired
Editorial: Funding For San Joaquin General Hospital Threatened
Eric Grunder: Faith In The Future Of Waterfront

Modesto Bee
Modesto Gets $550,000 U.S. DOT Grant To Help Launch Air Route To L.A.
Manteca Woman Takes Plea Deal For Sex Crimes
Editorial: Support Bill To Stop Sale of Sweets At School
Editorial: Tax Flavored Malt Drinks As Distilled Spirits
Op-ed: Tardy Candidates Whine Their Way Back Onto Ballot

Lodi News-Sentinel
Lodi Fire Captain Guilty of Possessing Child Porn
Lodi Utilities Director Alan Vallow Fired
Galt Still Being Evaluated For West Nile Spraying
San Joaquin Council Of Governments To Acquire 775 Acres For Kit Foxes

Manteca Bulletin
Operation Take back Sotuhside Targets Gangs
Manteca, Lathrop and Ripon Police Mean Business
Church Suing Over Property Deals; Former Planning Commissioner Among Those Sued

Today's news from in and around the county:

Stockton Record
Governor Talks School Buses During Stockton Stop
San Joaquin County Schools Make Gains
Carole Murphy To Run For Stockton City Council
Lodi Imam Will Be Deported
Towing Cars For Tracy May Get Costlier
SJ Vector District To Vote On Whether To Spray
Lodi Signature Drive On Water Rates Under Way
Rental Petition Count Started
Editorials: Golfland Memories Can't Be Replaced

Modesto Bee
San Joaquin Schools Receive A Gold STAR
Pre-Dawn War On Mosquitoes
Editorial: Better Numbers Needed On Dairy Emissions

Manteca Bulletin
Maple Avenue Now One Way
Will Manteca Seek Injunction To Stop Lathrop Building?
Manteca May Establish Southside Youth Center

Lodi News
Former Lodi Imam Chooses Deportation Over Court Battle
Officials Want To Be Ready If Wide-Spread Anti-West Nile Spraying Needed
Unfinished McNair High School Opens To Frosh-Soph Frenzy
Bader Pleads Guilty To Marijuana Possession
Local Schools Make Gains On STAR Tests

News from around the county:

Modesto Bee
Signature Fruit Co. Up For Sale, Industry Sources Say
Activists Work To Keep Watts Riot In Memory
There's No Small-Town Patterson Anymore
County, City Team Up For Peterson Trial Reimbursement
Editorial: School Buses Need Help Cleaning Up Their Act
Op-ed: Downtown Great Foir Business, But Nuisances Inevitable

Stockton Record
Tracy Gets Federal Funding To Study 11th Street Bridge's Fate
Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility Superintendent Demoted
Ex-braceros Gather In Stockton To Seek Back Pay

Escalon Times
Community Support Superb For National Night Out
Carol Shipley Named Acting Stanislaus County D.A.

Oakdale Leader
Sierra View Elementary School Open House Draws Hundreds
$16 Million School Bond Placed On November Ballot
Riverbank USD To Close Milnes School

Lodi News
Residents Appeal Permit For Islamic School
Idea For Islamic Center Conceived 10 Years Ago
Leader Of Downtown Lodi Business Partnership Ousted
60-Foot Artistic Stone Wall Considered For Mall

Manteca Bulletin
E. Highway 120 Work Underway
Baptism Gang Fight Prompts Outreach Effort

Tri-Valley Herald
Del Valle Reservior Turns 35
Pardee Homes, Opponents Clash Over Report
Manteca Ponders Permantly Allowing Fireworks

Modesto Bee
Tallow Plant Faces Suit From Air Quality District
Hughson Seeks Doubling Of City Water, Sewer Bills
Judge Takes Slow Approach To Modesto Junior College Firing Range Report
Riverbank School Bond Given Third Chance
Bravado But No Blood At Bullfights
AMR Vets Filling Nursing Deficit
Editorial: Keirnan Business Park Not Meant For Homes
Editorial: Blame For Sewage Spill Rests On Many Shoulders
Op-Ed: OID IS Planning Ahead As Growth Transform's Valley's Water Priorities

Stockton Record
Metropolitan Airport Wants $1 Million Customs Facility
Local Imams' Deportation Nears
Waterfront Arena Audit Increase Backed
Two State Sentors Pay Surprise Visit To Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility
Agencies Violating Water Rules May Be Fined

Tri-Valley Herald
Pakistani Festivities Cancelled In Lodi
Dublin Gets New Development Director

Escalon Times
County Confirms West Nile Virus Case
Lions, Community Gear Up For Annual Autumn Cruise

Oakdale Leader
Oak Valley Hospital Prepares For Groundbreaking
City, OID To Cooperate On Future Water Needs
Oakdale Approves $7.6 Million Budget For 2005-2006

Riverbank News
City of Riverbank Approves East Side Annexation
Riverbank Recreation Director Proposes Programs For Disabled Residents

Lodi News
After Nine Robberies In Five Years, Lodi Sees Eight in One Year
Planning Commission To Review Downtown Tasting Room

Manteca Bulletin
480 Sq. Ft Home For $280,000; Median Price On Cusp Of $400K
Vintage Street Lights Going Up In Downtown
Ripon May Add 56 Estate-Style Homes