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Mistakes.
As a copy editor, it’s appropriate that my first blog entry would talk about mistakes, as probably many of them will. In first grade, my fellow students and I corrected sentences with all kinds of absurd spelling and grammar errors. I finished elementary school, junior high, high school, went to college, worked at student newspapers, completed internships — and all my education has basically led back to where it started: correcting mistakes.

I'm watching news about the wildfire in Mariposa County closely. My in-laws live in Greeley Hill and have been given "pre-evacuation" notice. If they get another visit, they'll have about 15 minutes to pack up the pick-up and head to Merced.

If, like me, you're paying close attention to the latest news about the wildfire, you'll probably find the following information useful:

The debate over whether a Taser can kill is about the heat up in a very big way.

Recently, the coroner in the small town of Winnfield, La., ruled that a suspect died in police custody -- and that his death was due to being shocked by a Taser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrjBbx5dyKY&feature=related

This case is particularly interesting because it is rare -- if not unheard of -- for a coroner to rule that a suspect was killed by a Taser. This particular suspect was Tasered nine times.

Our reporters are looking for examples of how high gasoline prices have affected the way people hereabouts live, think and, of course, drive.

Whether you've changed vacation plans to somewhere closer (and cheaper), whether your ice cream van no longer goes through all the neighborhoods it once did, whether you're riding a scooter or bike now--we'd like to hear from you.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Delilah Garza is one busy woman today. Her personal cell phone number was given out by mistake at Monday's town hall meeting about the Telegraph Fire in Mariposa. The number may also have been posted at the Mariposa County Web site, Garza said.

Garza's phone number is just one digit away from the correct number, which goes to a voice mail box for residents to inquire about the status of their property.