Helping State Parks Like many Americans, I enjoy taking my family on the road for vacation. I turn to our state parks and open spaces to educate my daughter about plants and animals, to get back in touch with nature, and to find solace from the stress of modern urban life. To keep our parks […]
The Bandit Vasquez and Dunsmore Canyon: Just Another Legend? The bandit Tiburcio Vasquez raided all over California from the 1850s into the 1870s. Not only did he make a name for himself, but he also left his name on many important landmarks in the Los Angeles area. Most local communities trace some historical connection to […]
She Lights Up My Life My wife has never met a light she doesn’t want to leave on. There, I said it. To be fair, and to prove the old axiom that opposites attract, I can be more than obsessive when it comes to turning lights off. My dear wife and kids can easily recite […]
Don’t drink. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t get in a car with someone who’s been drinking. This includes pot and every other drug. Stay with your friends and take care of each other. Text me the signal word and I’ll call. I’ll come and get you, no questions asked. You will be punished if you […]
The Bandit Vasquez and the Crescenta Valley Tiburcio Vasquez is one of the most colorful figures in California history. This bandit, both feared and admired, terrorized California from the 1850s until his capture in 1874. He was a romantic figure – handsome and literate. He fashioned himself as a Robin Hood figure, robbing only the […]
From Sad to Mad in Two Blocks I find myself driving along Foothill Boulevard at least once or twice on any given day. No matter how often I pass by certain landmarks, some of them always make me say either “Wow!” or “Wh-what?!?” Like the still impressive architectural beauty of our new L.A. County Public […]
It was easier to learn about parenting before middle school. There were books, playgroups and the kindness of strangers. Time passed; times changed. But useful advice is still needed, and here’s a great way to get some. For the next five Tuesdays, take advantage of Tips for Parents of Teens, a partnership of GUSD, the […]
The Utopia at the Top of La Crescenta Avenue A Crescenta Valley Ledger newspaper article from January 1945 caught my attention recently – “New Life Center Officially Opens, Public Programs Scheduled Soon.” The article detailed the sale of the former Bissell property to the New Life Foundation. The Bissell property, which is now the Pinecrest […]
A Mother of a Day Here’s a heads up to all fathers and sons reading this newspaper: I have some news that could very well save your lives (or at least your marriages and/or otherwise important relationships with close relatives). Ready? This Sunday is Mother’s Day. As in, a special day set aside each year […]
For the Love of Grandkids Joy comes from unexpected quarters sometimes. It came for me last week in reading Jim Chase on the joys of grandkids. He quoted in agreement Gore Vidal, a lifelong, unabashed homosexual. (They also agree on opposing gay marriage – Vidal thinks the institution of marriage is such a resounding failure […]