Alice Khosravy: Process still matters to county voters

The latest installment in the local tax debate rages on as the Los Angeles County supervisors attempt to pass the Clean Water, Clean Beaches Measure. The Clean Water, Clean Beaches Measure is described by proponents as "an extensive effort to protect public health, and increase drinking water supplies, by cleaning up our rivers, lakes, bays, beaches and coastal waters. Los Angeles County waterways have been found to be contaminated with toxins, trash and health-threatening pollutants ...

Charlie Vignola: What’s needed to pass gun control laws?

On the morning I learned about the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., I talked about the incident with a colleague of mine at work and actually cried. So did my colleague. We both have children in elementary school, so the very thought that this could easily have happened to our own kids really hit home.

Gary Horton: Reflect on ourselves to solve violence

"The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26 And so ended our Sunday service with the reassurance that God will protect. Pressing toward our sanctuary's exit, an old-timer friend paused to shake my hand. This gentleman has been around a long time and in his long life he's ...

Nat Hentoff: Ron Wyden provides good political example

In my more than 60 years of reporting on Congress, I have always focused on truly independent members who, regardless of party, are faithful to the Constitution. For years, an especially insistent example has been Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon.

Tom Purcell: Making rich French flee

Sheesh! Successful people in France are getting a lot of grief lately. As it goes, socialist French President Francois Hollande has raised the tax rate on those earning more than $1.3 million to 75 percent. Hollande has decided that $1.3 million is enough for the rich to be rich and they only need to keep 25 percent of their earnings beyond that. The rich, however, are telling Hollande to pound salt. According to many reports, ...

Donna Brazile: Right to work for less money and no clout?

In the 1967 movie "Cool Hand Luke," the Captain (Strother Martin) beats Luke (Paul Newman) and delivers one of the most famous lines in film: "What we've got here is failure to communicate."

Will Durst: Congress has cried ‘ruin’ too many times

And now let us speak of the current lame-duck session of the 112th Congress. Daily we witness the death throes of the final assemblage of this particular group of elected representatives on Capitol Hill, and of course they're spending these last precious moments together marshaling all their skills to put the American ship in order. Hahahahahaha.

David Shribman: Which Obama will we see next?

Let's step back a century. William Howard Taft was in the White House. He came into office literally as the progressive's progressive, having been Theodore Roosevelt's hand-selected successor.

Kathryn Lopez: Pope’s tweets show progress

Where people are, the Word of God must be," a priest from Washington state, in the holy city for a conference on the Church in America, told an Italian media outlet.

An opportunity for CLWA, Valencia Water Co. and the SCV

It is a watershed moment in the public management of the Santa Clarita Valley's water supply - the Castaic Lake Water Agency is acquiring Valencia Water Co., a purchase that will not only expand local control of our valley's water resources but also will result in financial benefits for local ratepayers.

David Hegg: Intent and life’s purpose

I like to read biographies of those who have made significant contributions to the history of our world, and I'm certainly not alone in this.

Bob Kellar: Santa Clarita celebrates 25 years of cityhood

It is truly an honor to continue the tradition of a responsive, professional local government working for the benefit of our residents.

Tim Myers: ‘Quasi-celebrity’ status of politics is a distraction

The local political cognizanti know the name Lynn Haueter. The former special education teacher turned political operative formed one-half of the controversial husband-and-wife duo with Bob Haueter, former local representative for Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Santa Clarita.

Susan Stamper Brown: Helping charities, voluntary wealth redistribution

With Great Depression-like poverty and homelessness on the rise during this Christmas season 2012, organizations like the Salvation Army are working overtime to make up for the increase worsened by a bloated federal government well on its way to becoming a victim of its own gluttonous appetite.

Betty Arenson: Democrats redefine ‘compromise’

Democrats have blared for a decade that the Bush tax cuts are for the wealthy. Now they panic that expiration of those dangerous Bush tax cuts will gravely harm the middle class. Which message is the truth? Call it ambiguity, hypocrisy or blatant lies; the scorners sow and reap a host of prudent observations and sapient questions.

Danny Tyree: Candy capitulation: say it ain’t so!

According to ABC News, you should probably get ready for a take-no-prisoners "This is your brain on nougat" campaign.

Byron York: Has Obama overplayed his hand in sequester?

Nine months ago, Barack Obama likened his Republican opposition to an illness. If he could just defeat Mitt Romney, Obama said, then the illness might subside. "I believe that if we're successful in this election - when we're successful in this election - that the fever may break," Obama told a fundraiser in Minneapolis last June.

Tammy Messina: Defending the Second Amendment

Most of us have never had to fight for our freedom. We don't even know what that looks like. In our lifetime, we've always had the right to say what we want and do what we want, as long as we operate inside the law. Many of those who've emigrated from other countries do know what it's like to live without those freedoms and how precious they are once obtained.

Joe Gandelman: Political gridlock

An old vaudeville joke went like this: "Do I look like an idiot? Do I look like a jerk who doesn't know what's going on? Do you think I'm dumb? Don't answer that!"

Kevin Bayona: Is the red menace back?

We don't hear much from Russia these days, but rest assured the Russian Federation is on the move across Eurasia and the world as its pugnacious leader, Vladimir Putin, vies to return Russia to the glory days of the Soviet Union.

Gary Horton: Incompetent staff make it a bad cruise

Cruise ships have become popular vacation scenes over the past decade. A chance to leisurely enjoy freedom of the open seas as ship's staff cater to whims and needs!

Tom Purcell: My parents school the Senate

"All right," said my mother, standing before the members of the U.S. Senate, "it's time for you to get your act together."

Jonathan Kraut: Heroes or vicitms?

I am having a problem with associating the term "hero" with every law-enforcement officer and government employee who has been harmed or died on duty.

Steve Lunetta: Obama's folly

The irony is astounding. The sequestration plan that appears to be a machination by President Obama's White House is now coming back to haunt him big time.

Donna Brazile: Right to vote isn't a racial entitlement

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Shelby County v. Holder - a challenge to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, specifically Section 5, which requires states and localities with a history of voting discrimination against racial and language minorities to get "pre-approved" by the federal government before changing how elections are conducted or voters are registered.

David Hegg: Choosing Chastity

I may be asked to turn in my man card for this, but here goes. On a getaway for my wife's birthday, I joined her to watch an episode of The Bachelor.

Tim Myers: Does election date change help incumbents?

Kathryn Pisaro: Protect music programs in Newhall School District

On Tuesday, the school board for the Newhall School District is going to be asked to cut a music teacher from our already-reduced music program.

Frank Ferry: Live from City Hall

"Government, at its core, is about doing together what we can't do alone. It's why we believe that citizen engagement is vital. ..."

Danny Tyree: Is the free ride over?

es, I dutifully affix my copyright notice to my column each week, and I've been known to notify the syndicate of suspected unauthorized use; but I haven't gotten anywhere near as persnickety (or creepy) as the entertainment industry.