On Aug. 24, Sept. 17, Sept. 18 and Oct. 25, four black bears -- two males and two females -- were trapped and killed for eating grapes from Paul Maroon's 106-acre Pope Valley cabernet vineyard. There has been no sign of a bear since.

So state Sen. Carole Migden wants to make zinfandel California's official state wine. She says zinfandel -- which like many other immigrants came from Europe around the time of the Gold Rush and flourished here -- tracks the human history of the Golden State.

Dear editor,

Dear editor,

Dear editor,