Last year y’all presented another whirlwind year of activity in Idyllwild, from events to political controversies. We lost community members we loved, we raised funds and volunteered to improve our community, we paraded down North Circle Drive, we danced to splendid live music from jazz to rock to Zydeco, we rejoiced in our fine artists’…
I start by wishing you a Happy New Year and diving right into a favorite subject, as all of you who have read this column over the years — even before I retired in 2009 — know very well: open government. How does a public board have discussions about something as important as a tax…
I don’t drink coffee. I love the aroma but not the taste, heat and jitters it produces. So it takes me a bit more time to get my feet moving in the morning. After catching up on news, what I do try every morning are three online crossword puzzles — sometimes with a cup of…
Our annual San Francisco trip in December for the California Press Foundation winter meeting proved eventful for more than just receiving an award this year. We left home with my son, his wife and two children in their car at 4:30 a.m. Thursday to catch a train in Bakersfield. Mandy drove a tired bunch who…
Thanksgiving is our family’s favorite holiday (at least for the adults; the kids prefer Christmas, of course.) The Side Dishes Squadron (ladies) chop, stir, bake and saute throughout the day while Jack and the Turkey Brigade (guys) fuss over the oven. The turkey is never cooperative, even when brined overnight. Fussing over its creeping temperature…
Mary Zacher, all dressed up, walked into the TC Tuesday morning and announced, “My First Amendment rights are protected,” and we applauded her. Nancy Layton, an Idyllwild Fire commissioner, had filed a “Request for Civil Harassment Restraining Orders” against Mary for speaking out at Idyllwild Fire meetings. Riverside County Superior Court Commissioner Kathleen Jacobs did…
Since I wrote about motorcycle crashes last week, I’ve been working both with Caltrans and CHP, and going through our own files, gathering statistics about these tragedies. Statistics may or may not give us all we need to know. They may tell us who, what, when and how but may never tell us why. Let’s…
I can tell you from experience, if you can’t handle a photograph of a half-dozen firefighters and EMTs valiantly trying to save a man’s life, then you don’t ever want to run a newspaper. There are tough stories to write every issue that affect readers’ feelings, and it’s our job to write them. And it’s…
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has a special Public Integrity Division whose “ultimate goal is to increase the public’s level of confidence in its elected and appointed officials,” according to its website. Its focus is public officials, school officials, election and campaign violations, and Brown Act violations. Yes, it’s true. It looks into…
Under the most recent prior TC ownership, policy prevented us from endorsing candidates for office. And, I won’t always endorse a candidate unless I’m strongly compelled to do so. And in this election, I am quite strongly compelled to endorse Jeff Stone for the state Senate race. He closely involves himself in our litte communities…
