Archive By Section - Columnists
Live from City Hall: New ways to communicate
In recent months, Santa Clarita has welcomed thousands of new residents into the city through the annexation of several areas, including: North Copper Hill, Copperstone, Fair Oaks Ranch, Jakes Way, South Sand Canyon, and the future Vista Canyon.
Alice Khosravy: What about the students?
In September of 2012, I submitted an article entitled "California's education tax battle" that discussed the merits of Proposition 30 and 38.
Michael Reagan: Obama ignores the rational answer
What do Al Hunt of Bloomberg News, David Gregory of "Meet the Press" and President Obama have in common - besides their liberal politics?
Defense budget should be cut the right way
Republicans, and many Democrats, are upset by the prospect of so-called sequestration cuts to the nation's defense budget. Pentagon chief Leon Panetta is so alarmed that the day before the Senate took up what became the "fiscal cliff" agreement, he called a key Republican lawmaker, Sen. Lindsey Graham, to express deep concern that the cuts might go into effect. As it turned out, Congress put them off for two months.
Peter Funt: Washington's latest kerfuffle
Washington's latest kerfuffle, at a time when political kerfuffling is epidemic, concerns the number of women in President Obama's inner circle. Some say there are too few.
Joe Gandelman: Swartz is Internet's collateral damage
FONTANA, Calif. - It was April 9, 2005 when I met the young person who impressed me so much I'd talk about him for 7 years. I was moderating a panel discussion of bloggers at Stanford University on "eDemocracy: The Role of blogs and Online Activists in 2004" The young person: 19-year-old Aaron Swartz.
Village Idiot: Gender gap at the movies
Sue is dying to see "Les Miserables"; I can't wait to see "Django Unchained." She wants to see "Django" as much as she wants to eat giant sea slugs, and I want to sit through the three hours of "Les Mis" as much as I want to help her shop for purses.
Gary Horton: Let's not spend it just because it's lying around
My landscape company specializes in the housing industry - and let me tell you it's been one hard, long housing recession.
Tom Purcell: Lessons from the 1940 census
My great-grandmother Jane Purcell had a wonderfully full life. Part of her story is revealed in the 1940 U.S. Census, which the National Archives and Records Administration made available online to the public in 2012 at 1940census.archives.gov .
Kevin Buck: The American people embrace checks and balances
Republicans from all across the party's entire political spectrum, Goldwater conservative to really, really tea party conservatives, must still be wondering what the heck happened last November.
Danny Tyree: Is now the time to repeal presidential term limits?
The experts are giving it little chance of passage, but H.J. Resolution 15 is stirring a lot of talk.
Tom Campbell: CLWA looks ahead
As much as 2012 was a landmark year for Castaic Lake Water Agency, this year promises still more significant progress as we plan for the future, manage our valuable resources, and participate in a solution to the statewide water supply dilemma.
Steve Lunetta: Why is compromise so difficult?
Why is it that we human beings can be so stubborn? I find it remarkable that some folks, when faced with a significant problem, cannot come up with anything better than "no".
David Hegg: The value of self-control, not self-expression
Perhaps the first philosopher to assert self-control as a virtue in any meaningful way was Aristotle. He put it this way: I count him braver who conquers his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is the victory over self.
Maria Gutzeit: Problems with water deal
There are three big problems with Castaic Lake Water Agency's (CLWA) power grab of Valencia Water. It's not legal. It's going to cost us big time. And it's the picture of bad government.
Articles by Section - Columnists
Tim Myers: Should the Santa Clarita City Council be elected by district?
On Nov. 3, 1987, a now-remarkable 25 percent to 30 percent of eligible voters in the area midwifed the city of Santa Clarita into existence, voting nearly 67 percent to 33 percent in favor of the formation of the city.
Marsha McLean: Live from City Hall
A strong retail environment is one of the foundations of a healthy economy and a strong community.
Scott Wilk: Teacher firing reform needed
As a father of two, I believe no one - particularly a child - should live in fear in his or her school or neighborhood. So one of my top priorities as your assemblyman is public safety.
Joe Gandelman: Sample some popular political whines
The phone rings in a big warehouse in Oriskiny Falls, N.Y.
Jason Stanford: Turning Texas into a battleground state
Those of us who worked for the late Ann Richards used to run our plans by her. The former Texas governor did not suffer fools, gladly or otherwise, and if your plan had flaws, she'd let you know in great detail.
Michael Stafford: The Cult of Self
According to the Bible, the ancient Israelites strayed from worship of God into idolatry. Today, America has done the same - except rather than placing a golden calf upon an altar, we have erected a mirror.
Will Durst: The GOP autopsy
Normally you don't expect to see the words "Republicans" and "introspection" right next to each other. Like "supermodel" and "barbecue." "Physicist" and "polka." "Gazelle" and "ophthalmology." You catch my drift.
Jim Mullen: The Museum of Modern Body Art
I was at a doctor's office in a small town recently and overheard one patient in the waiting room talking to another.
Gary Horton: Jesus isn't a Republican or Democrat
Recently, this esteemed journal has spilled much ink debating the withers and thithers as to whether Jesus, should he ever choose to reincarnate himself as an American, would malign himself with the mantle of "conservative Republican" or "liberal Democrat."
Charlie Vignola: Medicare works, no thanks to the GOP
This week I am headed to Florida to deal with a solemn duty that no one looks forward to, but which almost everyone will have to face sooner or later: I am going to deal with the imminent death of my father.
Peter Funt: Injustice in the juvenile justice system
Many of the nation's prosecutors and judges continue to put kids on trial as adults. This, despite declining crime rates among juveniles and growing scientific evidence about the inappropriateness of taking young offenders out of the court system designed specifically to protect them.
Danny Tyree:Why can't every day be like Easter?
Although it usually gets overshadowed by "Blue Christmas" in yuletide radio rotation, I still enjoy the Elvis Presley version of "Why Can't Every Day Be Like Christmas?"
Steve Lunetta: Jesus would be a conservative Christian
"Look at what this feller wrote about Jesus! Its a disgrace!"
Bob Kellar: Live from City Hall
The belief that "what is good for business is good for Santa Clarita" is a mantra that the city of Santa Clarita takes seriously. That's why City Council and staff are dedicated to providing local businesses with the tools and resources necessary to strengthen operations and improve sustainability, especially during difficult economic times.
Tim Myers: City Council candidates declare early
The race for Santa Clarita City Council in 2014 started to clarify over last weekend with two more fully announced candidates, Dante Acosta and Alan Ferdman, joining the four already-announced candidates - Gloria Mercado-Fortine, Maria Gutzeit, and the incumbents Laurene Weste and Marsha McLean - to bring the total fully announced candidates to six with more than one year left until the election.
