Predictions

Here comes the year 2011, can you believe it? What happened to
year 2000 and the 10 years in between? Time, indeed, flies. But so
much for looking in the rear view mirror; it’s time to look
ahead.
Here, in the news business, it’s tough enough figuring out what
just happened, let alone predict what might happen next. But we
think we have a good view of what goes on around here so we offer
this list of bold predictions.
First, we predict the San Francisco Giants will repeat and win
the World Series again next year. Tim Lincecum will share the
MVP trophy with his battery mate, Buster Posey. We hope they beat
the Yankees, but it will probably be the Red Sox.
We predict the new Republican Congress will actually get things
done. They will tear apart Obama’s health care reforms and the
large pharmaceutical companies will give them lots of money. The
new majority will take on a definite Tea Party flavor and Sarah
Palin will not go away. For his part, President Obama will continue
to win small legislative victories but will lose the war in
Afghanistan.
Our new governor Jerry Brown will lead by perplexity, totally
confusing both the Democrats and Republicans and actually forging
real budget reform and tax compromises. The state’s deficit will
stop growing past $28 billion. The gridlock in Sacramento will
begin to melt at glacier speed — but at least it will move.
Closer to home, we see brighter days for our shared local
economy. Housing sales will continue to improve and our local real
estate agents will smile more often. More businesses will hire new
employees and our skilled construction workers will find more
steady work.
The winter will linger, our weatherman instincts tell us, but
the growing season will be a good one. There will be ample late
spring rain, a good winegrape bloom, a mellow summer and a
spectacular 2011 harvest. Our Farmers Market will still be the
place to be, and, to be seen.
Times will be interesting for our county government and the
newly reconstituted Board of Supervisors. We predict daring stances
and new-fangled proposals from our “30-something” supervisors,
Efren Carrillo and Mike McGuire. They will solve the massive
unfunded public employee pension plan and they will get the public
employees’ union to like it.
School budgets will once again grow. The school year will be
restored to 180 days and all the proposed school bond and parcel
tax elections will win by a landslide.
The Relay For Life, Human Race, Girl Scout cookie sales, and the
Booster’s hot dog stands will all set new fund raising records. Not
one of the year’s great parades including Apple Blossom, Windsor
Days, Stumptown Daze, Future Farmers Twilight or the Great Day in
Graton will be rained upon. The night sky for fireworks on the
Fourth of July will be full of stars and no clouds.
Alas, hundreds of our friends and neighbors will enter official
retirement age, as Baby Boomers everywhere continue to raise
America’s average age. The local senior centers will get yet more
crowded, but at least the music will get better. (Think Purple Haze
Retirement Home.)
The salmon runs up the Russian River will show a surprising
increase, thanks to the recent years of habitat restoration and
protection. Healdsburg’s Steelhead Festival will be one of the big
hits of the year this February.
We also predict that not everyone will be satisfied with the
outcomes delivered over the next 12 months. Then again, without
debates and disagreements what good would a newspaper be?
Other nuisances like too-high gas prices, more Wikileaks and
brain-numbing “social networking” gadgets will persist through the
year as well.
But, if just a small percentage of what we predict comes true,
we’ll take it. Agreed?
— Rollie Atkinson