While the focus of any newspaper is what is taking place beyond the newsroom walls, our work lives are largely shaped by the people inside the building, the ones who make us laugh or make us miserable or make us get back to our desks and finish what we said we’d finish.

My son was so anxious to get into the preschool this morning that he skipped the front door and went to try to get into the playground gate. After I signed the kids in, I made my exit, but not before the requisite number of kisses and hugs. The kids knew that Momma was going to the tooth doctor.

Summer School

Well, the state Legislature has done it again — a totally out-of-whack state budget that lawmakers want to finance by increasing our taxes during a recession. And our Assemblywoman, Noreen Evans,

Is Sarah Palin the answer the Republican Party is looking for?

Dear editor, Once again on Friday, July 3, Chardonnay Golf Course held a military appreciation day. For active and retired military men and women, the cost of a round of golf was the cart fee. Much like Veterans Day and Memorial Day, the management and staff of Chardonnay show their appreciation of the sacrifices of our veterans and military men and women.

Dear editor, It has been a while now since Measure N bond dollars have been put to work at Napa Valley College.

Dear editor, I drive by West Park Elementary School off of Linda Vista often between 2 and 3 p.m., and notice that the big sprinklers are spraying the field and one even waters the street we drive on. Does the person in charge not know that watering in the middle of the day not only wastes more water, but cooks the grass in the heat of the day? Then, the soccer kids come soon after and rip the grass up more since it is wet. It doesn’t look very good. It is getting pretty beat-up looking. I hope this is not going on all over the city. That is one thing that could be changed to save money. I hope this will be rectified before summer is over.

Dear editor, It was refreshing to read Suzanne Lafferty’s thoughtful letter about free speech as it pertains to abortion (“Abortion and free speech,” July 2), a subject that is generally a political and emotional land mine in which strong feelings get in the way of reasoned discourse.

There was one big pothole on Highway 29 that I had driven over for years, I learned to look out for it every time I drove home, and there it would be. I could count on having to swerve around it. After a while I grew to like looking out for it, swerving on cue every time I went by.

I have often wondered about the logic behind the death penalty.

What politically-themed issue makes you want to scream?

Fire out your thoughts here on your topic of the day that is not covered through a Register.com article or opinion item.