More from the tabloids' favorite town: Modesto mayor faces felony charges

[Bossy Monkey]

Would have put this in LBN except a) it's more than 12 hours old; and b) it's not really of national importance.
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/7263196p-8189323c.html

Embattled Modesto mayor claims he'll win re-election as underdog
By SUSAN HERENDEEN
BEE STAFF WRITER
Published: August 9, 2003, 06:13:35 AM PDT

"Modesto Mayor Carmen Sabatino came out swinging at a campaign kickoff picnic Friday night, saying that the 10 felony charges he faces are false and the work of his enemies.

"He received applause from about 60 supporters when he blamed Stanislaus County Sheriff Les Weidman, District Attorney Jim Brazelton, former business partner Pat McGrath and The Modesto Bee for his troubles."
Etc.

He blasts the Chamber of Commerce elsewhere, so presumably he's a Dem. And Gray Davis thinks he has problems...

Anyway, does anybody else think that after Chandra/Condit, Laci Peterson, and now this, that the tabloids ought just to pick up stakes and move from Florida to Modesto?

[Jim March]

1. You want worse?

This same twit is one of about 30 people in Modesto who can legally pack a gun.

I could go on for DAYS about the elitism, cronyism, corruption and racism of the California CCW ("Carry Concealed Weapons") permit program in this state...but...sigh, that's not why I'm here so I'll back off.

[Bossy Monkey]

3. But riddle me this: is there EVER good news out of Modesto?

I only googled Modesto to confirm my recollection that Condit, Chandra and Laci were all from there (with the idea of doing the "tabloids should move from Florida" line) and today's headline, just by odd coincidence, was that the mayor was charged with 10 felonies. Is there something in the water? How big is Modesto? When do OJ and Kobe move there?

PS: You might check out our gun dungeon (Justice/Public Safety). I suspect you'll hear a lot of interesting stuff there about concealed carry.

Edited out of anal-retentiveness for greater clarity

[Kanola]

2. I was born and raised in Modesto

I still work there but live on the outskirts and am not suprised about the allegations of Mayor Sabatino. Yes... we have the Laci case. If you want to find the Superior Court House I just tell people to look where the media is camped out. A very strange feeling that this burgeoning city that was once small has become notorious for scandal. BtW I did not vote for Condit because he was too conservative of a DEM. Another thing the "Yosemite murder case" did not happen in Modesto but the relatives of the slain women stayed here.

[Jim March]

4. Not everything in Modesto is screwed up :).

I recall making a "pilgrimage" there around...1987 I guess. The first really bad-ass streetbike I owned was a seriously modified Yamaha 650 twin...I used to streetrace in the Santa Cruz Mountains circa '86/'87 :D. King Kenny (Kenny Roberts, the best motorcycle racer that ever lived, period) used to race a Yaha650 and he had his racebikes on display at his Yamaha dealership - in Modesto :). Probably still there.

Anyways, I drove all the way out there just to see how his was set up.

(And yes, you can make those ol' Yamas go like hell...smoothbore race carbs, open pipes, suspension mods and the lightest rims you can find will let you keep up with much newer bikes. Ah...memories :)).

[Pompitous_Of_Love]

5. Can anyone confirm this guy's party affiliation?

Is he a Dem or Rethug? Also, the Chamber of Commerce exec in Fresno who got busted recenrly for buying crack while in Florida -- what's his party affiliation?