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Archive By Section - Local Columns


Mommy Musings – Keeping Local Business Local

Can you see me? This is a question that has plagued my mind a bit lately. More specifically, I wonder… if you can 'see' me, are you reading on the Internet or on a printed page? Technology, social media and instant news are no longer 'the way of the future,' but rather now a way of life. So, as someone who earns a paycheck not ...

December 07, 2011 | Teresa Hammond | Local Columns


Ramblings - Jumping The (Shopping) Gun

Black Friday has come and gone but it roused more emotions this year because many stores decided to jump the gun and start their sales at midnight on Thanksgiving Day instead of some ungodly hour the next morning.

November 30, 2011 | John Branch | Local Columns


Mommy Musings – Thanks And Gratitude

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It is my favorite of all holidays and each year (for as long as I have worked at the Leader) I try and sneak in a piece to remind readers to 'give thanks.' Each year the holidays look a little different to me, thanks to the eyes and views of my pint sized tenants (commonly known as my children). My ...

November 23, 2011 | Teresa Hammond | Local Columns


Stuff ‘N Nonsense - Turkey Time!

Everyone has their favorite holiday - that one special time of year that holds nostalgic charm or warm memories - and for me, it's Thanksgiving. I didn't grow up in a traditional household in the sense that we didn't celebrate most holidays; however, Thanksgiving was something we usually observed in some shape or form - and it always involved lots of food. I love everything about ...

November 23, 2011 | Kim Van Meter | Local Columns


The Reluctant Columnist - What Would Happen If We Stopped Voting?

Did you vote on Nov. 8? If not, you weren't alone. According to Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters Lee Lundrigan's office, there were 35,876 ballots counted for the unofficial results released on Nov. 9. There are 15,000 or so vote-by-mail ballots that still have to be counted before the official results are released on or before Nov. 21. In a county of 514,453 people, only 227,278 are registered voters, and only around ...

November 16, 2011 | Andrea Goodwin | Local Columns


Mommy Musings - Teaching The ‘Tricks’ Of ‘Treating’

So it has begun…The Seven Months of Celebration.

November 09, 2011 | Teresa Hammond | Local Columns


Dawn’s Column – Stored Memories

Very recently my husband and I cleared some clutter from our garage and moved it out to a storage unit. It's kind of funny what we hang on to.

November 09, 2011 | Dawn M. Henley | Local Columns


Mommy Musings - Emergency Call List - For Grown-Ups

The start of every school year brings with it much work.

November 02, 2011 | Teresa Hammond | Local Columns


Stuff N' Nonsense - The Price of Popular

When I was a teenager my family had little to spare. My parents were working hard to put food on the table and keep the roof over the heads of their four children, which meant there was rarely enough for extras such as new clothes or whatever trendy accessory that anyone who was anyone had to have. I made do with what I was given, which often wasn't a lot. As a consequence, I was bullied and disdained by those who always had more.

October 26, 2011 | Kim Van Meter | Local Columns


Mommy Musings - Rally Time

Fair warning: If you are a person who wakes up in the morning and thinks…What am I doing in this town? Well, turn the page because this is not the column for you.

October 26, 2011 | Teresa Hammond | Local Columns


Stuff ‘N Nonsense - The Price of Popular

When I was a teenager my family had little to spare. My parents were working hard to put food on the table and keep the roof over the heads of their four children, which meant there was rarely enough for extras such as new clothes or whatever trendy accessory that anyone who was anyone had to have. I made do with what I was given, which often wasn't a lot. As a consequence, I was bullied and disdained by those who always had more.

October 26, 2011 | Kim Van Meter | Local Columns


The Reluctant Columnist - Predicting The Winner

My journey to baseball enlightenment was a long one. I've never been what you would call a "sports enthusiast." I played basketball in fourth grade but could never locate the "key" everyone kept talking about and I never understood why I couldn't just hold the ball and run. That would make the game a whole lot easier, wouldn't it? I played softball in a rec league in middle school with similar results. I spent most ...

October 19, 2011 | Andrea Goodwin | Local Columns


Ike’s Sights - A Shameful Glance Ahead

Drop this paper and go do your homework. Watch some TV. Update your Facebook page with that muscle shirt photo you took in the mirror. Go raise your kill/death ratio on Call of Duty Black Ops or gain levels on World of Warcraft/Runescape. If you are an Oakdale High football player, do anything but read the following text of this column, because this article is not for you. As far as you know, this week's ...

October 19, 2011 | Ike Dodson | Local Columns


Mommy Musings - iWonder

This week's column was supposed to be about my 25-year High School Reunion. It's actually already written and was completed 48 hours prior to my Friday deadline. Like most of my colleagues, I am usually pounding out my column an hour or two before my editor is to read it. I guess you could say it's tradition.

October 12, 2011 | Teresa Hammond | Local Columns


Dawn’s Column - Home ‘Improvement’

A little over a year ago, right before I got married, my then-fiancé and I embarked on an ill-advised, do-it-yourself closet system installation. I had believed that it would be easy and convinced him of the same. I say "ill-advised" because my original theory was disproved when my guy just about blew a gasket a short while into the project.

October 12, 2011 | Dawn M. Henley | Local Columns


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Articles by Section - Local Columns


Ramblings – This Scribbler Calls It Quits

Resigning from any job is bound to quicken the heartbeat but retiring from a career is downright frightening. I did just that at the end of November although I've been on medical leave since August.

December 19, 2012 | John Branch | Local Columns


Marg-Ins - Keeping The Perspective

When you start adding it up, a column a month for 19-plus years working for The Oakdale Leader, The Escalon Times and The Riverbank News, I've probably covered about all there is – and some topics, more than once.

December 05, 2012 | Marg Jackson | Local Columns


Community Corner – Sending Out Holiday Wishes

Happy Holidays to our wonderful community! MOPS/MOMSNext would like to extend a warm wish for love, peace and togetherness during this holiday season. We here at MOPS/MOMSNext have been having a great time crafting, cooking, sharing meals and also listening to some amazing speakers. We recently went out into the community and attended our very first community block party put on by our local Center for Human Services. What a great and fun family outing! ...

November 21, 2012 | Erin Pearson | Local Columns


Editor’s Notebook – Holiday Season: Opportunity Knocks

Elections are over, the political ads are gone from television, radio and the print media, and now people can turn their attention to everyday life and getting back into the routine.

November 21, 2012 | Marg Jackson | Local Columns


Marg-Ins - Reaching Out

What a difference a month can make. Our columns here give us a chance to put down our 'reporter' or 'editor' labels and just be real people for a change. It provides us with an opportunity to offer an opinion, talk about something personal as opposed to writing a story about a football game or a council meeting.

November 07, 2012 | Marg Jackson | Local Columns


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