Archive By Section - Columnists
The state of the race they’re in
I have written that this national election is one of the most historic and important in modern history, and that is still true. However, recent events have conspired to turn this presidential campaign into either farce or tragedy.
GOP needs more Stricklands and Smyths
"Show me a young conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains."
Renewable energy: The foundation for a new, better economy
As many families across the state know first hand, our economy is in crisis. Households are increasingly finding it hard to make ends meet with spikes in the price of gas ticking $5 a gallon, grocery bills that are taking up more and more of the family budget, home prices that are dropping, and the mortgage crunch affecting us all.
The smart, humble guy: Cameron Smyth
Why did I not support a Republican candidate for president in 2008? Anyone with a fully functioning brain would conclude we needed to turn away from eight years of "Bushenfreude." (Sorry, Sen. McCain.) Why did I not support Hillary Clinton? Simple. From earliest days she and/or her handlers based their primary campaign not on any enthusiasm for the actual candidate but a kind of Mafioso-type thuggery of complete arrogance: "I deserve this so get on ...
John Boston: On dirt clods and an Acton bullet
"The world is dying from a lack of love." - Barbara Mary Muhl Bullies form us. It ought not to be so. It is. In a seeming universe away this week, 10 gunmen inflicted their sick will on the ancient jewel once known as Bombay. At last count, 171 were murdered in Mumbai, India, some 300 more injured. At home, our outlying friends in Acton are famous for nearly becoming the state capital. Today, the ...
Let's join the chorus: Approve Sunrise
There is a groundswell of support up and down California for an electric transmission project that promises to move the state toward greater reliance on renewable, "green" energy.
Myths vs. facts: Hasley Canyon Private School
I am an educator. My intent in founding Monticello Preparatory School has been to provide an alternative quality education for the students and families of a community that I have come to admire and love.
Mayor will host town hall meetings
Providing a wide variety of avenues for residents to communicate with their city has long been a hallmark of Santa Clarita.
Where was Buck during the economic meltdown?
Historians certainly like to second-guess the bad thing. The most frequent example revolves around avoiding World War II by subverting the rise of Adolf Hitler.
A cool, helping hand for kids
In 2004, when I made my first trip to the Painted Turtle Camp in Lake Hughes, I knew I was in for something special.
The best meal I’ve ever eaten
I'm glad to feel the taste of fall in the air. It would be nice if the weather stayed this mild!
Photos with Santa a year-round gift for pets
Each year around this time I devote a column to the Santa Clarita Chapter of Pet Assistance Foundation. I do it because I love dogs (and other pets), and I wholly support the good work that Pet Assistance does, including its seasonal tradition of more than 15 years, Pet Photos with Santa. I hope that you'll embrace that cause as well.
The passing of a school board legend
Board rooms were never dull or lifeless when John Hassel was in the room. His sharp wit and unconventional levity would bring even the most heated discussion to its knees as tensions took a momentary pause to consider the wisdom of his remarks. More than the occasional one-liners and well-timed zingers, John brought a large dose of sense and sensibility to every school-centered discussion. Above all else, John Hassel was an advocate for students and ...
I say we let the Big Three go belly up
"Lord Mr. Ford, I just wish that you could see What your simple horseless carriage has become Well, it seems your contribution to man To say the least, got a little out of hand." - Jerry Reed, 1973 When the silver-tongued Jerry Reed sang these words 35 years ago, little did he realize how prophetic they would be. With the U.S. economy in a downward spiral and people not buying big cars, the Big Three ...
Honey, listen. I didn’t sleep with Jessica Alba
I've noticed something. Men are different than women. Bow. Smile wanly. Bow some more. Wave. Thank you. I now will accept my Nobel Prize for being a Brain Scientist.
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?
Marsha McLean: Live from City Hall
One of the comments I often hear from people who visit Santa Clarita for the first time is how beautiful our city looks.
Daryl Cagle: That First Amendment can be soooooo annoying
I syndicate the cartoons of Rick McKee, the brilliant, conservative cartoonist from The Augusta Chronicle, to newspapers around the world.
Tim Myers: Competition is the spice of local life
Our youngest son, a senior at Valencia High School, ain't happy.
