On behalf of the men and women who work alongside me at The Modesto Bee's downtown headquarters, I offer you warm wishes for a healthy and happy New Year. I write those two words — happy and healthy — in particular because we're both of those as we move through our 85th year of delivering news and information to residents of the Northern San Joaquin Valley.

We have an interesting race shaping up in the new 10th Congressional District, which includes all of Stanislaus County and southern San Joaquin County. In this case, interesting means high-profile, expensive, potentially nasty and spiced up with some relative newcomers to politics.

Hopefully, you're listening to the rain on your roof as you read this. If not, here's what you'll be hearing soon: Angry words. Accusations. Political backbiting and the results of backroom deals ... and, naturally, the rustle of dry, brown grass.