Don’t suspend federal gas tax

With the recent surge in gas prices, talk of suspending the federal gas tax is again making the rounds.

What is it to be a man?

'You'll be sorry," was the accurate prediction sounding off from the guys sitting on the barracks' steps as our ragged lot passed by. We were brand new recruits at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Station in Manhattan Beach, in Brooklyn, N.Y. It was early June 1945.

Pros and cons of June propositions

There are two ballot propositions in the upcoming June 3 election that involve state constitutional amendments:

What I learned during the city council campaign

Being Mayor Bob Kellar's campaign consultant, I enjoyed an inside view of the longest council campaign (15 months) in Santa Clarita's history.

Let's help keep our city clean

Taking pride in the place where you live stems from each individual's sense of personal responsibility and desire for constant improvement.

Welcome to SCV May: Yuccas are in bloom!

My favorite time of the year is when the yuccas are in bloom - and blooming they are, right now. Those big, fluffy white flowers look like popcorn on a stick. I find them beautiful and fascinating. McWilliams image seminar

Who ought to be '08 candidates for veep?

The vice presidency "isn't worth a bucket of warm p---." So said "Cactus Jack," aka John Nance Garner, our 32nd vice president under Franklin D. Roosevelt (from 1933-1941). Almost 70 years later, more than two dozen people - all reputable, big-named politicians - are potentially in the running for the No. 2 slot in the nation. With the presidential conventions only a few months away, many of these names have been tossed around by pundits. ...

Take time to read beyond books' covers

Never judge a book by its cover. You've certainly heard that statement countless times. Years ago, I met Mustafa Bell, Mike Baham and James Johnson at my work site, Kenyon J. Scudder Juvenile Probation Camp School in Bouquet Canyon. To be straight up honest with you, I really had my doubts about these fellows. Mustafa, James and Mike certainly appeared different. Nonetheless, their reputations as health educators preceded them; they came highly recommended from the ...

Gardener? For what?

Last summer, my wife asked if I thought we needed a gardener to maintain our front and back yards. My answer was a big "No."

It doesn’t get any better than this

The year was 1988 and the Los Angeles Dodgers were playing the mighty Oakland A's in the World Series.

Will CalPers manage Newhall Ranch?

Early in 2007, the California Public Employees Retirement fund invested some $1 billion in the proposed 21,000-unit Newhall Ranch project. The real estate market was beginning to unravel and this project would require massive infusions of cash to cover its many infrastructure needs.

'I hate you, Hillary Clinton'

There's a new pop movie playing over at the Town Center called "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." Basically, it's about a nice guy who's been dumped by his hot TV star girlfriend for a flashy boy toy. While it looks nominally entertaining, what's most compelling isn't the movie itself, but rather its grassroots, "viral"

Judging the judges

As a private investigator, I witness firsthand a competent but timid judiciary at work on a daily basis. Although I am quite proud of our judicial process, many of even the most deserving civil plaintiffs, the most noble and caring parents, and the most innocent victims of criminal misconduct experience frustrations with our court system.

Annual Sacramento road trip offers many opportunities

What a great way to start the week. Shortly after 7 a.m. Monday, April 14, some 50 residents of the Santa

Six years of change since David March's murder

"I will always be painfully honest, work as hard as I can, learn as much as I can, and hopefully make a difference in people's lives."

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.