Archive for November 9, 2011

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: The Contender

Thomas Benigno of Tracy, CA

I imagine that most of the voters have been watching the results of the debates & the forums that the republican candidates have been having. It seems as though it’s a cat fight for the candidate of choice. Just recently Herman Cain has taken an early lead in all the polls, but I have not heard anyone talking about why it is that he is in the lead. I can see that a few of the candidates as Rick Perry and Michelle Bachman have shot themselves in the foot. The others are just not being featured as the person the republicans want. Even Mitt Romney is not a strong contender for the prize. Herman Cain seems to be the one everyone wants. Is it that he is black and might take some votes away from Obama to even the race? Many have said that Herman Cain will not get the Latino vote, so if Obama loses part of the black vote and some of the Latino vote, we could have a close race. The TEA Party has pretty much endorsed Cain but that could change. Ron Paul has always been a steady contender but is not recognized by the Republican Party, as is Newt Gingrich. So what we are seeing is a fight that won’t make much difference in the primary, but will impact the race against Obama if the right republican is chosen.

The real story will be who the voters vote for to represent the Republican Party, especially with the TEA Party splitting the party in 3rd’s. Many hope that the independent voters will take over and the challenger will be a strong candidate against Obama. One thing for sure, the republicans won’t be spending a lot of money on any candidate to beat Obama, knowing very well that Obama has raised millions to win the seat. Let’s hope whoever wins will work harder to get this country back on track.

Thomas A. Benigno

Former Congressional Candidate

Tracy, CA

Last 2011 free fee day in National Parks

CALIFORNIA- The final U.S. National Park service Fee Free Day for 2011 is going to be Veterans Day Weekend November 11-13. The fee free days includes 100 National Parks that usually have entrance fees. In California these include Cabrillo National Monument, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lava Beds National Monument, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Monument, Sequoia National Park, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Yosemite National Park.

The Fee waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

California Republican Women Federated Elects First Latina

STOCKTON, CA - It is an historical first, that a Latina was elected by her peers at a statewide conference held
in Visalia, CA during the weekend of October 22 – 23, 2011, to vote on new leadership. The
California Republican Women Federated is the largest Republican Women Federated Club in
the United States.

Stockton’s very own Carol Trujillo Hadley, was elected as the 2012/2013 President of the
California Republican Women Federated (CRWF). Her term commences on January 1, 2012
and ends on December 31, 2013.

Carol had previously held the elected position of the California Federation Republican Women
Vice President Central.

Her extensive political experience has ranged from being the Executive Director of the San
Joaquin County Central Committee (twice), Campaign Consultant for various campaigns
throughout the United States, as well as Campaign Director for Shabbir Khan, San Joaquin
County Treasurer/Tax Collector.

Hadley has volunteered for various campaigns which included local, state and federal offices.
She has served on various local and statewide committees for the Republican Party, ranging
from “Health and Aging” issues to include various other statewide issues. She has and is
presently a Delegate to the California Republican Party.

According to Hadley one of her proudest achievements was the formation of the Latinas United Republican
Women Federated, California’s only Latina Republican women’s club.

Hadley will bring her ideas of female empowerment to the forefront of political policy decisions, ” I
believe Republican women need to be more involved. It is imperative on us to educate, invest
and encourage women to elective office”, stated Carol.

The California Federation of Republican Women is a distinguished organization of politically
active women, who support, encourage and inform women throughout the state about the
Republican political philosophy and necessary participation.

For additional information on the Latinas United Republican Women Federated, contact Evelia
Amador – (209) 333-7377

San Joaquin RTD Leads Multi-Agency Stuff the Bus Food Drive

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY,CA– The 13th Annual
Stuff the Bus food drive Friday will begin November 18, through Sunday, November 20, 2011.
The countywide effort will be a collaboration with the San Joaquin Regional Trasit District, the Lodi Grapeline, Manteca Transit, and new this year the Escalon eTrans. These agencies, along with RTD, will hold
simultaneous food drives modeled on RTD’s annual event in each city using their
vehicles, staff, and volunteers to collect food for a nonprofit agency in their
communities. The food collected in this year’s campaign will go toward feeding
thousands of San Joaquin County residents this holiday season.

RTD began Stuff the Bus in 1999 as a food drive campaign that encourages area
residents to “stuff” an RTD bus with non-perishable food donations to benefit local
nonprofit agencies. Over the past 12 years, RTD and its campaign partners have
collected over 127,000 pounds of food to help those in need during the holiday season.

Stuff the Bus will be held at the Food-4-Less stores in Lodi, Manteca, and Lower
Sacramento Road in Stockton, and Big Boy Market in Escalon. Donations will be accepted
Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m.

Area food banks serve nutritious food to thousands of people daily and over 100,000
men, women, and children annually in San Joaquin County.

For more information on Stuff the Bus, including a list of suggested food items needed
for donation, visit www.sanjoaquinRTD.com/stuffthebus. For event updates, follow
San Joaquin RTD on Facebook and Twitter.