I have never lived in extreme poverty. I don’t know what it’s like to worry about whether I’ll have enough to eat on a day-to-day basis. I went to preschool and next semester I’ll be going to college. It would be a safe assumption to say that I’m living a pretty standard life for a 17-year-old girl in America.

Once again there is a large rise in what I find to be very disappointing comments being submitted to a number of NapaValleyRegister.com articles.

Arlen Specter was never much of a Republican. He won’t be much of a Democrat either.

A week from today, 30 residents of the Veterans Home of California in Yountville will take a trip back: A trip back east and a trip back to the time when they were serving our country bravely during World War II.

Dear editor, The Napa Valley Grapegrowers and the Napa Valley Vintners invite the community to spend a spring afternoon with local grape growers and vintners at the ninth annual Afternoon in the Vineyards event, taking place this Saturday, May 2, from 2-4:30 p.m.

Dear editor, Remember the invasion of the off-leash dogs in all corners of Alston Park? Remember how a deal was struck and now off-leash dogs are allowed only in a limited 39-acre area of the park? While some owners grumbled, for the most part today off-leash dogs stay in their off-leash 39 acres of the 158-acre park.

Dear editor, Comcast cares. They sure do! Phillips Charter School was highly privileged to be chosen by Comcast to get a grand “makeover” on Saturday, April 25. A team of more than 300 hundred people spent the day giving our school the TLC that it highly needs. We now have a new fence; a map of the United States painted on the playground; the treble clef and bass clef painted near the music rooms; a glorious mural designed by three of our students; a beautiful planter box; a waiting area for our kindergarten parents enhanced by students’ art work; many, many native plants; colorfully painted planters, and much much more. Wow!

One of my contentions about the cause of the recession has been that it has been brought about out of greed, the other issue being a lack of direction which leads to more greed.

1. Napa County is edging closer and closer to shutting down all major and some not so major development projects and if we become the County of No growth that will hurt us over the long haul.

What makes a good road trip/family vacation with your kids?

OK, so, we are in May, what in the political winds is ruffling your feathers?

Proposition 1A on the May 19 ballot proposes, among other things, extending the state’s sales tax increase for an additional year to help towards solving the state’s massive budget crisis.

Proposition 1B, the Education funding payment plan on the May 19 ballot, amends the state Constitution in regards to previously-passed Proposition 98 by requiring $9.3 billion in supplemental payments into the state’s k-12 education system ... among the issues Prop 1B covers.

Proposition 1C on the May 19 ballot, the Lottery Modernization Act, would allow the state to borrow money from state lottery profits to help with the massive state budget deficit.

Proposition 1D, the long-titled Protects Children’s Services Funding. Helps Balance State Budget act, would shift some $1.7 billion in the next five years from the previously-passed Children and Families First Act (a 50-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes with money going to early childhood development programs) to help balance California's general fund.

Yet another massively long title, Proposition 1F is known as the Elected Officials’ Salaries. Prevents Pay Increases During Budget Deficit Years Act.

Another long ballot title, Proposition 1E in the May 19 election, is the Mental Health Services Funding. Temporary Reallocation. Helps Balance State Budget Act.

This is your blog to talk about local, state or national non-political topics.