The Wake-Up Call: Dangerous Driving, Women in Combat

Though we Patch editors like to think of ourselves as relaxed and free-spirited, there are moments when our jobs call on us to be a little nanny-ish—whether that means chastising freelancers who miss deadlines or deleting abusive comments from the sites.

I especially feel like a scold when I'm posting announcements about the Elk Grove Police Department's . You know, the ones that tell readers they better designate a sober driver because cops are on the hunt for inebriated motorists, followed by a string of scary statistics. "Party safe, kids." Yup, that makes me feel like I'm about 90 years old.

But then an incident like comes along and reminds me just how important those announcements are. Police say the driver, a 20-year-old Elk Grove resident, was intoxicated and have arrested her for vehicular manslaughter in the death of her passenger, also 20. If the charges are true, it's a sad reminder of how easy it is for someone to overestimate their readiness to get behind the wheel.

Elk Grove Patch will be following that story for you this week. Here are a couple other things going on today:

In the Patch:

, 5:30 p.m., Historic Grange Hall. What's next after the Chili Cook Off? What are business owners in East Elk Grove talking about these days? Find out here.

Elk Grove scholarship foundation featured in Sacramento Bee For those who missed it, this story by Anne Gonzales—also an Elk Grove Patch contributor—highlights how the grassroots Elk Grove Community Foundation has helped hundreds of local students achieve their goals.

Outside the Patch:

Should female soldiers be allowed in combat roles? One veteran says the current prohibition creates a glass ceiling, in this opinion piece from the San Francisco Chronicle.