The 2008 recession/depression hit all of America pretty hard, but it hit California harder than it hit a lot of places, and it hit Stockton harder than it hit most places in California. Just an elevating scale of woe. Forbes got in a shot, calling it the “most miserable city in America” last year, and now it’s verging on bankruptcy. If Stockton was a dog, this is probably about the point where the vet’s starting to pat you on the shoulder and talk about cremation options. The city’s not giving up, though, and why should it? If you’re going down, go down swinging. In that spirit, the Stockton Symphony tonight premieres a new piece by Avner Dorfman that seeks to “address the city’s longstanding cultural and racial divides”. (Paul Conley, NPR)