Modesto Bee

The Modesto Bee does a thorough ranking of cities and town in California's Central Valley and how 'smart' their growth is. Oakdale, CA comes out on top, while Gustine is the dunce of the group.

The burgeoning increase in foreclosures is leaving some suburban California neighborhoods with multiple abandoned and unguarded homes, which become tempting targets for looters, vandals and thieves.

2,800 acres of Central California farmland has been effectively split into a collection of 40-acre parcels, all of which have been zoned to contain up to two residential units. Many in the nearby community are upset at the loss of farmland.

The Segway Human Transporter is designed for covering distances that are too far to walk but too close to drive to. But other devices that do the same thing are already available.