Archive By Section - Columnists
Wilderness Bill moves forward
The Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act has received wide bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.
Improving academic performance and environment
It was one of those moments we educators thrive upon - receipt of test scores that placed our students at the top of the heap in a state that bears a reputation for underachievement in education.
Credit where credit is due: Hart district compares well
The Signal recently reported on the Academic Performance Index results for the William S. Hart District and elementary school districts in the Santa Clarita Valley, so it's time to once again tear into the numbers to see what really happened and how the Hart district stacks up against other suburban high school districts in Southern California.
New club in town
Welcome to Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Welcome to the new members of the Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Santa Clarita Valley/Antelope Valley chapter. I was thrilled to attend the elegant installation ceremony held last weekend at the Hyatt Valencia. Kudos to the club which, after more than a year in the making, graduated from provisional to full chapter status. The ladies were brilliantly attired in all white, from their shoes to their ...
Uncle Earl’s view on the election
My Uncle Earl has voted for every Republican since Barry Goldwater in '64. To say Earl is little right wing is akin to saying that Chuck Norris has a slightly hard edge. Earl was very upset about the election. From the last phone call with him, I could tell that a couple of hours venting was all he needed to get back to his regular old crusty self. Dutiful nephew that I am, I paid ...
Palin: the chink in the Dems’ armor
We are renovating our house. Any of you who have lived through this experience know what a horrible thing this is. What was once a nice, comfortable retreat from daily struggles is now a nightmare of dust, debris, and detritus.
Is a water monopoly a good thing?
Recently, Castaic Lake Water Agency has begun promoting itself to become a water monopoly in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Inclusionary housing the way to go
Affordable housing is quite the buzzword these days. From the city's rush to approve a new housing element that meets state law in this area, to a developer in the county who used that law to push through a senior project in a high-fire-hazard zone, and Valencia Industrial Association's luncheon meeting on the subject, it seems that this problem has somehow just come to everyone's attention. As of 2008 there are 80,000 dwelling units in ...
Schools remember, honor 9/11
The thousand of lost lives and heartbreak from the 9/11 tragedy are something students and teachers in the Santa Clarita Valley will always remember.
We should not 'stay the course'
Bush's recent speech to the G20 was mostly a plea to stay the course and avoid the temptation of too much government intervention in the economy.
Pick the smartest guy at the BBQ
Oh, boy. Monday's stock market crash signaled a resounding kiss goodbye to the Great Lipstick Debate. The worst day in finance since 9-11. A 500-point crash on top of a real estate and mortgage meltdown of epic and unprecedented proportions.
Reflection on the election
This presidential election is one for the history books. Around-the-clock political analyzing and second-guessing had as its downsize the tendency for pundits to misconstrue or blow out of proportion every word, gesture, deed, acquaintance and faux pas of politicians. Whether the commentators appear malicious or simply attention-grabbing, the influence of the news organizations played a pivotal role in America's democratic journey.
Don’t let them fool you with their lies
With less than two months until the election, I believe we are on the verge of some significant and very-much-needed change.
Spending cuts and tax increases
Well, here we go again with another version of the Sacramento budget crisis. Californians were given a heads-up that the state is in deep trouble when, on Oct. 2, the governor sent a letter to the House of Representatives on the eve of the vote regarding the bailout of financial institutions. Schwarzenegger wrote: "Absent a clear resolution to this financial crisis that restores confidence and liquidity to the credit markets, California and other states may ...
Welcome Ian Lamont
We're edging up on the middle of September - already! Wasn't it just yesterday that SCV children were heading back to school? Yet, here it is, its been nearly a month! Welcome Ian Lamont
Articles by Section - Columnists
Gary Horton: Life can be a sound track by the B-52’s
It's sometime in the late 1980s and our family and friends are piled inside our Ford cruiser van heading off to a family ski trip to Lake Tahoe - or to a Boy Scout boating trip at Lake Mead - or some other fun teen-friendly vacation destination.
Kevin Buck: Straw men live in glass houses
Webster's dictionary has several different definitions for the word socialism. The one conservative fear and loathe the most is:
Tom Purcell: A nail in the coffin of Americans' rights
oy, do I feel sorry for smokers these days.
David Hegg: Ethically Speaking
Sometimes it turns out that famous clichés are just plain wrong, or at least wrong in enough important situations to make them suspect. One with which I particularly disagree is "Familiarity breeds contempt." I know what it is supposed to identify, and I flatly disagree. Familiarity, with the right people, in the right way, and for the right reasons, actually breeds contentment.
Steve and Cokie Roberts: Fixing Fox and the GOP
Roger Ailes, the head of Fox News Channel, is a very smart man. And he knows how to count, a skill that has apparently eluded many of his fellow conservatives.
Edward Headington: In honor of Presidents' Day 2013
Presidents' Day is a time set aside to celebrate the legacies of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and also remember all of the Presidents of the United States (POTUS) that have made our nation great.
Steve Lunetta: The case against Democrats
A friend of mine recently sent me one of those political emails that screams for fact-checking. You know the ones I mean - "Obama is really a space alien and we have proof!" or "Hilary Clinton Smokes Pot with Harry Reid."
Michael Reagan: Making Sense
Our failure in chief gave us his annual blurred vision of America again Tuesday night.
Diana West: Why aren't feathers flying over Brennan nomination?
We all know what happens when the fox guards the chicken coop - or do we?
