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Your vacation photos are always on the Couriers wish list
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It's vacation time for many.

Whether you're off to Saloon #10 in Deadwood, South Dakota, Hilo, Hawaii, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the Moon Caves of Idaho, the Florida Keys, or someplace local like Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, the cables of Half Dome, or Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, we're asking our readers to share a few of their favorite vacation photos to be published in our newspaper.

Not only do we think it's interesting to see where you've been, you just might inspire other Ceres Courier readers to follow in your footsteps.

This week, on page A8 there are vacation photos from Lee and Sheila Brandt who took a trip to gorgeous Alaska. Also, Karl Hatfield sent photos from his January trip to Maui and his May trip to Alaska.

Sharing photos with us is easy. Just send them in an email to jeffb@cerescourier.com and tell us a bit about who is in the photo, where you're at, what you were doing and when you were there. If we need more information we'll email back or call.

* * * * *

A reliable source tells me that a resident of Ninth Street in Ceres had a neighbor's pit bull invade his house and kept him at bay for two hours. He called Ceres Police but it was a no-show. He was told call Animal Control. Sad thing is Animal Control didn't show up either.

One might wonder how quick authorities would have arrived if the dog commenced to ripping the homeowner's face off, or had the owner blown away the invasive dog with a .38.

* * * * *

From the same source ... some slovenly person with zero conscience dumped a big pile of debris in the road on Standford Avenue. Calls were made for the city to assist in clean up. No response.

In the wake of city inaction, someone hauled the trash over to the Ceres American Legion Memorial Building - city property - and dumped it in the parking lot. The city had it removed within hours of discovery.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, it seems.

Code enforcement seems to be lacking in noticeable ways in Ceres these days.

How about taking some of that new marijuana money and putting it into code enforcement? I mean, if prospective businesses look at a community's appearance as a gauge to locate here or not, it seems like money needs to be put where the mouth is.

* * * * *

My son-in-law told me about this and I found it on Fox News. Joe Graham, an environmental specialist in Florida's Pinellas County came out in response to neighbor complaints and told resident Scotty Jordan that he had to keep the smoke from his barbecue contained within his own yard.

Say what? (Hey, if he can accomplish that then maybe he could stop the sounds of dogs barking leaving the property.) If anything, the smell of barbecue is a wonderful thing to inhale and is calorie-free.

Do ya think government gets a little ridiculous at times? Definitely.

* * * * *

Sacramento Democrats to the rescue. Always, they think.
Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) doesn't think our kids are smart enough to figure out what fake news sites are and feels his legislation will help.

He writes: "While information is more accessible than ever, many people lack the tools to identify fake or misleading news and information. By giving students the tools to analyze the media they consume, we can empower them to make informed decisions."

Note that he didn't say lack common sense, which is what we're really talking about. Maybe it's just me but I can spot phony news sites on social media easily.

Why do I have this sinking feeling that somehow Dodd is attempting to not only shut down fake news and ad sites but more conservative-leaning networks like Fox News?

More than ever I believe the public schools are more about indoctrinating left-leaning causes than teaching common sense and skills to become productive in life.

* * * * *

Two recent tragedies in the region resulted much pain and carnage - and appeared to be very unnecessary.

The first was the May 13 deaths of Stanislaus County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Garner and passenger CSO Raschel Johnson. By all indications, Garner was traveling way too fast on northbound Crows Landing Road as he approached South Seventh Street. The pair was reportedly traveling to a burglary call that happened earlier. From what has been reported, it wasn't a code 3 call with lights and sirens yet he was hauling butt. The Sheriff's SUV lost control and it struck the right front corner of Modesto Auto Wreckers where it burst into flames.

I'll withhold my judgment until the results of the investigation but unless there was a medical issue like a heart attack or a mechanical failure like a defective gas pedal or something, it looks as though Garner's actions led to epic failure.

The second epic failure was the May 23 tragedy at the southbound Highway 99 exit at Applegate in Atwater. Hughson truck driver Kamkyo Ramon Gnotsavath, 57, was getting off the freeway pulling a tanker laden with 8,600 gallons of gasoline. He appeared to be going way too fast as he entered the curve; the trailer toppled and spilled the load and crash boom bang. He died in a massive fireball reminiscent of the Oct. 1, 1958 explosion at Fourth Street and the 99 Highway.

Both deaths are a reminder that all of us - even professionals - are prone to taking fateful actions. It's also a reminder for the need to slow it down.

* * * * *

Tolerance is hardly a virtue of the left. But boy can they preach it.

A gay pride parade was organized in Charlotte, North Carolina. When Brian Talbert went to apply to be included, he was rejected. Why? Because his group, "Gays for Trump," supports Trump. Talbert has a Trump-Pence sticker on his truck as well as a "Not a Liberal" sign.

"For a group of people to claim to want tolerance, acceptance, and give it to every single person you can imagine to give it to, for them to sit back and judge me for exercising my right as an American to choose my leader without judgment is hypocritical," said Talbert.

He's suing - the American way.

Why not? Was it not a gay couple who brought on a 2015 lawsuit against an Oregon baker who refused to fulfill an order for a wedding cake?

Having said that, Trump has not harmed gay Americans one iota. I challenged one gay family member to tell me how Trump ever threatened gay rights and he just ignored me.

* * * * *

Shame on Livingston. A sanctuary city? Really?

Immigration agents made three arrests last week of illegal aliens through no help of the Livingston Police Department. Imagine, law enforcement officials refusing to help law enforcement officials thanks to policy makers.

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke noted that sweeps like that staged in our neighboring county are not new. But it has been hyped because Trump is president. In fact, libs conveniently forget that Obama's administration deported more than 2.5 million people through immigration orders.

Warnke bent over backwards to assure Merced County residents that illegal aliens shouldn't worry about being detained unless they have criminal histories. Hey, sheriff, what do you call jumping the border illegally? A federal crime?

It's all about political correctness rather than enforcing law. After all, Hispanics outnumber whites two to one in Merced County and 83.6 percent are U.S. citizens. Do the math: that's a lot of illegal aliens in Poverty County, er, Merced County.

* * * * *

I routinely received letters to the editor from a Ron Lowe in Nevada City. I usually never run them because he is far from our circulation area. But let me quote from one where he chides President Trump for inviting Ted Nugent to the White House. According to Ron, "Every president tells us something about the image he wants to project through the celebrities ... he invites to the White House." He claims Obama brought "a rotation of popular and esteemed black artists."

Well, wait just a minute. Obama also attended a church headed by a man who called America the "US of KKK" and once said "no, no, no, not God bless America, God d---- America." The attack on Sept 11, 2001 was America's chickens coming home to roost, said Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama, it should be pointed out, only invited entertainers with a liberal bent, hence James Taylor, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Jay Z, etc. Despite calling him a jackass, Obama apparently had advice for Kanye West to run for president.

Good luck with that.

I don't know enough about Ted Nugent's comments but on the surface he appears crass and crude at times. But it's funny how the leftists are engaged in the wholesale mugging of a president when they turned a blind eye under Obama.

Do you have any feedback about this column? Let Jeff know by emailing him at jeffb@cerescourier.com. He will read it, promise.