Archive By Section - Columnists
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
A solution for top notch high schools
We are seven weeks and one day away from what is the most important election in American history. Of particular importance to Santa Clarita Valley residents is an item at the end of a very lengthy ballot. It is Measure SA, the William S. Hart Union High School District bond.
Articles by Section - Columnists
Rick Jensen: A slippery slope
Your 9 year-old daughter runs out of a public swimming pool shower, crying because a 45 year-old naked man is lounging in the sauna, "full monty." You call the police. The police arrest you for violating the man's rights and send both you and your daughter to "behavior modification counseling."
David Hegg: Ethics and a quality life
The basic question in the study of ethics has always been that of determining right and wrong, moral and immoral. Some find right to be that which aligns with authoritative truth or standard, while others base morality on the consequences of individual actions. The former - deontologists - and the latter - consequentialists - have argued back and forth for centuries, and the battle rages on today in academia.
Timothy Myers: Let the good times roll again!
One of my coworkers during my time working for Ernst & Young found himself working for KB Homes during the middle of the residential real estate boom, putting together the analyses or so-called "land packages" for the acquisition of property for the building of tract homes.
Peter Funt: Rambunctious raccoons are laughing at me
Our backyard is filled with the pleasing sounds of spring created by birds, frogs, crickets and teens down the street testing their new cars. But lately there are also the haunting sounds of raccoons laughing at me.
Live from City Hall
For the past few months, the city of Santa Clarita has hosted a series of local town hall meetings in Saugus, Canyon Country and Newhall to share important community information and hear from community members regarding issues of importance to them.
Kevin D. Korenthal: Make all marriages civil unions
Rights, as established by the Constitution of the United States of America, are greatly misunderstood.
Leyla Ramos: Veterans deserve more employment
When our veterans come home from war, they are greeted by "welcome home" signs, banners, applause, hugs and cheers. The popular line "Thank you for your service" is heard time and time again.
Tom Purcell: Reverse psychology vs. the Nanny State
Get this: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to ban the sale of cigarettes - now legal to people at age 18 - to people younger than 21.
George Runner: Obama steals California Gov. Jerry Brown’s playbook
Given California's chronic problems, it's hard to imagine anyone sees our state as a model - but it's clear the Obama administration does.
Kevin Bayona: Bush legacy hinges on his war on terror
The 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush, was recently honored with the dedication of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
Jason Stanford: The revised legacy of George W. Bush
New polls show that George W. Bush is not as unpopular now as when he left office. That bodes well for a public examination of his legacy, but it's difficult to look back on his presidency as something other than a preventable catastrophe.
The Village Idiot: Tv or no TV?
Remember when TV used to sign off for the night? No infomercials, no reruns, no experimental public-access foolishness - nothing at all but snow. Or, if you were lucky, a test pattern.
Tina Dupuy: The Theory of Relative Laziness
My working theory - you could call it a philosophy, or a freestanding reason of how the world works - is what I call the Theory of Relative Laziness.
Charlie Vignola: America worried about the wrong things
America has always had a propensity to whip itself into a frenzy about the wrong things, but seldom has it been so clear as it has been the last few weeks, particularly in the wake of the Boston Marathon Bombings.
Danny Tyree: R.I.P. George Jones
Editor's note: The following column ran in 2006 marking the 75th birthday of George Jones. The longtime country singer died Friday at age 81 and will be remembered at a public memorial Thursday at The Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
