With an eye for detail and a sardonic sense of humor, Waite surveys California from past to present, revealing the origins, attitudes, quirks, curiosities, and little-known facts that make the Golden State unique.

Abstract: This publication reports the conclusions of a series of hearing concerning support and services for children in troubled families. The Congress has made a commitment to guarantee support in the form of out of home placement when necessary and reunification with their families when possible. This report sought to answer several questions including: are there fewer unnecessary placements of children out of their homes than previously occurred? When children must be placed, are there more effective permanent placements than there were ten years ago? Are children receiving quality services when they are entrusted to the child welfare system? Several failings of the systen are revealed while some promising policies, innovative strategies, and effective programs were found.

Born into the Mexican Revolution, Maria Perez entered an arranged marriage at age fourteen to Miguel Arredondo. The couple and their tiny daughter immigrated to the United States in the 1920s, living in a boxcar while Miguel worked for a Texas railroad and eventually settling in East Chicago, Indiana, where Miguel worked for Inland Steel. Their story includes much of early-twentieth-century America: the rise of unions, the plunge into the Great Depression, the patriotism of World War II, and the starkness of McCarthyism. It is flavored by delivery men hawking fruit and ice, street sports, and Saturday matinees that began with newsreels. Immigration status colors every scene, adding to their story deportation and citizenship, generational problems unique to new immigrants, and a miraculous message of hope.

Madison Newman is a young girl with a secret, one she hides even from her parents. Moved by the Holy Spirit to touch people's lives in a powerful way, the teenager hopes to remain anonymous and live a normal life. Madison soon comes to realize that she's been prepared for an even greater work; one that she fears will take her away from her family and change her life forever. When traveling faith-healer, Russell Stillman, witnesses Madison perform a miracle, he sees an opportunity worth a fortune. The cunning con-artist goes to dangerous lengths, and risks everything to learn the girl's secret and use it to his advantage. Reluctant to leave home, yet understanding that God's will cannot be postponed indefinitely, Madison struggles with knowing how to explain to her parents what she's experienced in the spirit. That decision is taken out of her hands when, on one fateful night, Madison's secret is spectacularly and publicly revealed to a world that turns against her in suspicion and fear. When spiritual forces of darkness threaten to tear her family apart, Madison realizes she cannot turn away from what God has called her to do. This is the first book of the exciting, "Second Acts," trilogy.

A fresh, lively retelling of the life of one of the most infamous characters of the Old West, Doc Holliday, by an imaginative, yet accurate storyteller.

Regional recipes include appetizers, salsas, soups, breads, egg dishes, meat, seafood, desserts, and beverages.

Professional historian and scholar Dr. Richard Bailey offers an examination of the contributions to American life made by more than 300 individuals, all of whom have ties to Alabama. Members of this diverse group influenced education, religion, civil rights, business, sports, entertainment, music, politics and the military.