Because I was rudderless at the time, my friend Tom encouraged me to come with him to attend College of the Redwoods near Eureka. In those days–and under the best of conditions–it was a six-hour drive from the East Bay, where we lived, often along narrow, two-lane road. Rain could make the journey so much […]
When the chips were down and Tulare’s hospital was in danger of going under Devon Mathis did exactly nothing–except take money from HCCA, the hospital’s former management company. Now that the chips are on the table again, in the form of an election, he has nakedly, cynically, grandiosely donated that money to the hospital’s foundation. […]
The California Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of business and taxpayer groups are leading a strong effort to defeat the split roll property tax measure, Proposition 15 on the November ballot. Proposition 15 is an $12.5 billion a year property tax increase—the largest in state history—that is riddled with flaws which will hurt all […]
We bought our current home in April of last year and within 11 months–in response to the COVID-19 pandemic–quarantine orders were issued across the state. OK–not quarantine proper, per se, but a shelter-in-place directive amounting to the same thing. Even though deemed an essential business, we went to an online presence in lieu of print. […]
Foreign interference in the U.S. electoral process represents an assault on the American people and their constitutional right to vote. When foreign states direct hackers, trolls, money launderers, and misinformation to subvert or cast doubt on our elections, they threaten America’s sovereignty, democratic institutions, and national security. They undermine the vote and the voice of […]
The youth in our county have been denied classrooms, groups of friends and usual activities for over 4 months due to COVID 19. Are they bored? I would say “yes”! Another epidemic is occurring in our state and bored youth are its perfect target. The epidemic is teen vaping. A lot of people, including the […]
The attacks on the integrity of our local police create the atmosphere where we may soon suffer from the “Ferguson Effect.” In August, 2014, a Ferguson, Missouri, Police Officer killed a young black man. That city and St. Louis area was then rocked by weeks of riots and mob violence. A grand jury investigation concluded […]
After I read Harper’s open letter on “Justice and Open Debate”, I discovered that it immediately got a lot of hate. Some said that it was vague. And that it shed little light on what specifically the letter meant by “intolerance of opposing views”. Others, like culture critic Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times, […]
On May 30, Visalia became part of a national record of locations of vehicles plowing into crowds gathered to stand for progressive ideals. On that day Tulare County residents peacefully protested in unity the national wave and support for the “Black Lives Matter” movement. It was also the day when a Visalia driver drove through […]
I spent two of the past four weeks engaged in an orgy of destruction. No, not protesting that Black lives matter. The fight I was in regarded the other BLM: Backyard Life Matters. Because the man we bought this house from is allergic to grass, half of the backyard–the half surrounding the pool–resembled, say, Guadalcanal. […]