Canary

It’s finally here! That season when little ghoulies don their masks and go door to door begging for a handout. And though it may sound familiar, I’m not talking about political candidates—they’ve already done that part.  I’m talking about Halloween. When certain hedonistic activity becomes acceptable. When it’s OK to eat all the candy you […]

I  know it’s kind of a weird thing to say, but I like going to my mailbox every day. There’s usually something fun in there—you know, like my latest copy of Rolling Stone, those random $1.63 settlement checks from some company like AT&T, or that strange direct mail catalog that features compression socks and fiber […]

Every fall I anticipate a wonderful phenomenon. The air begins to cool, the leaves turn brown and crispy, and I get to wear my fluffy feathers and drink coffee with autumnal-inspired spices under gray, rainy skies.  Except that rain isn’t happening.  The county is also anticipating the rain. Each year they pay a company to […]

Hey, did you know that it’s National Newspaper Week, now through Oct. 8? I know, I know, everybody seems to have a special day of awareness or weeklong celebration. But hey, journalism is important! I’m also aware this may be a biased perspective. But why is it important? Well, duh! A newspaper like the Sun […]

If you weren’t already terrified at the incredibly small amount of water currently in the Cachuma Lake Reservoir, than the insane heat wave probably won’t assuage your drought concerns. If I remember sixth-grade science class, which I don’t, heat leads to evaporation. I also remember wanting to fly through the sprinklers when things got this […]

I grew up in a nest full of siblings, and that probably tells you all you need to know to understand what I’m going to say next.  When you aren’t the only baby bird in the nest, there is a lot of shoving and elbowing, and plenty of name-calling. But let some other bird come […]

It’s good to see representatives from two of my favorite governmental groups back in talks again. Members of the Chumash tribe and representatives from the county are at the table once again talking about all the things they couldn’t agree on when they held monthly talks previously. That is, right before suspending those talks when […]

Identity is a valuable thing. You protect it from being stolen, and you take care to cultivate one that is honorable. And sometimes it’s necessary to keep it hidden for the greater good. Like Superman or Spider-Man or … like me for instance.  So maybe I’m not at superhero level fighting for justice, but I […]

As the last bit of summer slowly burns out on the Central Coast, I can almost feel the cool breeze ushering in the fall. This is my time of year. NFL pre-season has begun, and like any other red-blooded American bird I’m giddy with excitement. At least I was. Until my merry pre-season madness was […]

Canary’s note: We’re stepping aside to allow Pat Walsh, chief of the Lompoc Police Department, fill in for the Canary. When a street sergeant asks for the SWAT and Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) to respond to a barricaded felon, it’s called “pushing the button.” On Saturday, Aug. 6, the Lompoc Police Department (LPD) did just […]

When I started my first newspaper job, this cranky old bird nodded at our lifestyles editor and said, “Now that’s what you get after you pay your dues. Feature writing. That’s the dream.” All spunky and full of pluck, I couldn’t believe that could be more fun than my beat at the time: government and […]

Indulge me while I display a bit of patriotism here. As I sit pecking away at this column, Santa Maria has two athletes participating in the Olympics, and I couldn’t be prouder of the Central Coast right now.  Karlos Balderas, won his first two Olympic boxing matches, and as of press time was set for […]