It's a tale of two cities separated by 234 miles of farmland, political orientation, economic condition – and hockey.
Stockton lies at the northern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, Bakersfield at the southern end.
Stockton votes Democratic, and Bakersfield is solidly GOP. Stockton was clobbered by the housing bubble's burst, and the city government has filed for bankruptcy protection while Bakersfield is enjoying the oil boom.
Both cities have minor league hockey teams, the Stockton Thunder and the Bakersfield Condors. The Thunder's city-owned arena, in fact, figures prominently in the city's bankruptcy case.
The two teams have a Dec. 27 game in Bakersfield, and the Condors' management, which is known for its wacky promotions, has designated it as "Our City Isn't Bankrupt Night." It plans to hand out phony million-dollar bills and Rolls-Royce automobiles.
That has drawn expressions of outrage in Stockton media, as Bakersfield Californian columnist Lois Henry explores in a recent column.
The Condors, however, appear to be enjoying the attention – it is a marketing promotion, after all – and say they may make amends by offering Stockton's much-troubled city employees a discount on tickets to the game.
– Dan Walters
BUDGET WATCH
A CSU committee has approved a 5 percent tuition hike if Gov. Jerry Brown's tax increase doesn't pass on Nov. 6. The finance committee of the CSU board of trustees voted Tuesday for the "contingency strategy" to cope with Proposition 30's potential failure. Meeting in Long Beach, the full board is expected to approve the measure today.
– Associated Press
WORTH REPEATING
"If you can't read a county budget, I'm concerned that you can't read a federal budget."
KIM VANN, Republican challenger to Democratic Rep. John Garamendi, criticizing his campaign's television ad (ultimately removed) that incorrectly said Colusa County bought her a $4,000 chair
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