Palo Alto, CA|News|
Make Election Day A Holiday, Rep. Anna Eshoo Pushes
Eshoo, a Democrat from the Peninsula, is reintroducing legislation to give workers with a day off to vote in the hopes of boosting turnout.

I've been a writer as long as I can remember -- in my secret hiding places as a kid growing up in Woodstock, Vt. Professionally, I've worked for decades as a reporter and editor for a number of California publications, including the North County Times (which was folded into the Union-Tribune group in San Diego County), Del Norte Triplicate and Times Standard on the Redwood Coast, Tahoe Daily Tribune and most recently with the online community news site Lake Tahoe News on the South Shore.
I've written in many beats, with some travel involved. My travels have taken me to cover U.S. sprinter Michael Johnson delivering the Olympic torch to Stonehenge at sunrise on its way to London for the 2010 Summer Games. Eight years before, my press coverage granted me my own running leg of the Olympic torch in South Lake Tahoe on its way to the Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
Eshoo, a Democrat from the Peninsula, is reintroducing legislation to give workers with a day off to vote in the hopes of boosting turnout.

CHP issued a severe traffic alert Wednesday morning from an overturned box truck on northbound Highway 101 north of McKee Road in San Jose.
CHP reported a severe traffic warning Wednesday morning on the southbound side of the major commuting thoroughfare south of Idylwild Road.
Drive, help people, fight fire -- the South Bay is known as a jobs hotbed.
Police seek help in locating a man who allegedly shot into a residence on Easter Avenue.
The 3rd annual #WomensWave expects people to pour into the streets at 11 a.m. on Jan. 19 in San Jose to join other cities across the nation.
Santa Clara Unified School District teacher Beti Magna raked in $25,000 for a housing down payment under a program called Extra Yard.
Santa Clara County experienced 11 flu deaths last year among those under the age of 65, prompting health officials to warn of complacency.
In tracking wait times since the federal government shutdown, the TSA shuffled passengers through the San Jose airport in 21 minutes Monday.
Two suspects allegedly approached the victim at his parked car on Birch Street demanding money -- with one pointing a gun at the victim.
Officers do not believe the unusual trio of sexual assaults are related. This one was reported to have occurred on Everett Avenue.
For those who find black holes and exploding stars fascinating, renowned scientist Alex Fillipenko will put even more flair in the topics.
Asad Ramzanali will guide the congresswoman on matters of interest while she serves on a House Energy and Commerce's tech subcommittee.
The 12-year-old boy had to be extricated from thick mud up to his knee near the southwest side of Lexington Reservoir.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority was forced to cancel the special service from Warm Springs BART to Levi's Stadium.
The building's design contributed to the Sunday morning fire's spread, Santa Clara County Fire officials reported.
The CHP said it was raining when for some unknown reason the victim lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a guardrail on US Hwy. 101.
The CHP reported a crash blocking at least one lane on the northbound side of State Route 85 at and in Saratoga. It has since cleared.
The #217 train heading northbound delayed the commute for travelers out of Menlo Park.
For the first time, the class is provided for free through a request by the Board of Supervisors.