Political parties are always looking for the stars of the future and the GOP clearly thinks it may have one in Ricky Gill, the recent law school graduate running against incumbent Jerry McNerney for the new 9th Congressional District, which includes much of San Joaquin County and the East Bay.

We seldom see presidents or presidential candidates here in Modesto, and we don't see much of U.S. senators either, except when they're looking for votes or campaign donations. Even then, Fresno is the typical valley stop. So it's welcome and a little intriguing that Sen. Dianne Feinstein wants to visit.

Officially, Marjorie Brooks had been retired from teaching for many years, but she was one of those people who never stopped teaching. I count myself among the many who learned from her. Although I never sat in her classroom, she was a role model of grace and how to live vitally in retirement.

California could be the key in determining who has control of the House of Representatives for the next two years. The national parties are zeroing in on 10 California congressional districts, and three of them are local.

For most of the last 20 years, few folks wandered into Modesto Irrigation District board meetings. That wasn't healthy. These days, MID meetings have become the best show in town.

In my (many) years at The Bee, we've always said there's a local angle to every story. So here's a local angle on Tuesday's presidential primary in California: There's a Manteca man in the race.

What you don't know won't hurt you, in some cases. And will hurt you in others.

Dave Cogdill, who is leaving the state Senate at the end of the year — of his own volition — is among three valley lawmakers who will be honored at a dinner in Fresno.

If you are thinking about running for office in November or beyond, I urge to start doing something right now -- begin attending the meetings of the agency you're interested in serving.

A reader named Robert called the other day to talk about how difficult it is for the average citizen, even a well-informed one, to know how to evaluate candidates for judge.

Oh, Hughson.

I know I've said I would never run for public office, but what the heck, everybody's doing it.

In a column in today's Bee, Opinions Editor Judy Sly encourages readers to keep writing. The newspaper received a whopping 4,936 letters to the editor in 2009 and published 3,050.

Every election is interesting, but it really spices things up when some strong incumbents step aside, creating unexpected opportunities. That's what has happened with Dave Cogdill's decision not to seek a second term in the state Senate, as Bee Opinions Editor Judy Sly explains in her Sunday column.

We could never make this stuff up; we're not that creative.