A Valley Springs family faces the brutal loss of a child, purportedly at the hands of an intruder. Area residents rally to help. Then the family learns of a further possible tragedy, that a sibling may have committed the crime.

Really, should a law be passed to allow a young male or female to shower or use the same restroom as those of a different visible sex? I was never confused about my gender.

I am glad to hear that Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell did not receive the death penalty.

The cost of a flag? Well you see this flag has been paid for already.

My friends, we have a social problem here in Modesto — a lack of pride and respect. We hear on an ongoing basis from our politicians and city promoters about the need for jobs and attracting business, and these are true and genuine concerns, but first we need to clean up.

Enjoyed your article concerning shopping carts. A small town in Peru, Ind., has a grocery store that has a device on the shopping cart that requires you to insert a quarter before it releases the cart for your use.

The wheels are coming off the Obama train. In his campaign, the president claimed al-Qaida was defeated. Then his administration botched the response to the al-Qaida Benghazi terrorist attack.

If you've ever doubted the hypocrisy of the political left, look no further than the actions of the current administration in Washington.

Hillary Clinton said, "What difference does it make?" It makes a big difference, to the American people.

The NRA and others have made suggestions for protecting schools. All start with the word "if." If schools hired armed personnel, they could shoot the bad guys. If schools hired guards, they could kill the perps. If parents kept guns locked away in gun safes, shooters wouldn't have access to weapons.

It's time for vacations, so you have to get prepared, check coverage of insurance on your vehicle, new tires, maintenance, etc.

Foster Farms, J.S. West and all you other farmers and ranchers had better wake up and smell the brimstone.

LETTERS FROMOUR READERS

The economy is still miserable. Here in the Central Valley, where the recession hit hardest, we are still deeper than the rest. While the region may be breathing a sigh of relief as seasonal employment kicks in, that isn't enough. The valley economy, particularly Modesto's, is structurally unsound.

Many of the issues mentioned in the May 12 article concerning Davis High School are simply a result of misperceptions, misinformation and rumors. I can solve all the problems, however, with one simple solution: Invite all of the 300 to 400 students who live in Davis High School's new attendance boundaries but are attending or planning to attend a different school to please enroll in Davis for 2013-14. Davis will be immediately transformed into one of the strongest, most competitive high schools in the area.

A radio personality felt that the possibility of Ariel Castro, the Ohio man accused of kidnapping, either being put to death or committing suicide was the easy way out. This issue transcends not only this case but also all cases involving the death penalty.

In response to the letter "Tired of news about Latinos" (May 11): I share your frustration. I also have noticed an inordinate amount of print geared towards Latinos, most of it negative.

Article II, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution states, "The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."

The May 12 Bee carried an unusual ad for Saturday night specials. There are no prices. Is this because the prices are so low the guns would be easily within reach of children, gangs and the demented? Just wondering.

If this don't beat all, the best answer to the Benghazi murders of four Americans is who cares! I can only think of how this must look to the mothers of the slain Americans.

Here we go again! Gas prices are skyrocketing! Why? Because we, as consumers, are stupid enough to let it happen.

I enjoyed the political cartoon about whistle-blowers in the May 14 paper. As soon as I saw the elephant, it reminded of all the pressure that was being put on Richard Nixon to resign for his lying and illegal acts as the president.

Agriculture is the second largest industry in Tuolumne County, second only to tourism and followed by the lumber industry. Agriculture is the backbone of our country.

Regarding "Should the feds tax the miles we drive?" (May 5 pro-con): I have two comments.

As an old World War II vet who loves his country, I was most disappointed in your May 9 news item on perhaps one of the most important matters in the history of this totally inept presidential nitwit and his equally inept appointees as well as the half-hearted effort of the Senate to get to the bottom of the Benghazi attack.