Commentaries

I am a former New Jersey State Police officer. As a Jersey trooper, I served on the “TEAMS” Unit for four years. My unit carried out high security details and operations—including Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)—in 11 northern counties of New Jersey. This territory included rural areas such as in Sussex, Warren, and Hunterdon counties, […]

Prior to about 45 years ago, women just didn’t (couldn’t?) participate in any sports. The first female who tried to run the Boston Marathon had to wear a hood. That was back when women’s place was in the home—barefoot, pregnant, and behind the sink. Young gals today take for granted their equality to males. I […]

Once again this nation has discharged the looney-tunes world of uncompromising gun ownership. Meanwhile, the planet no longer politely speaks and now hands us looney-tune climate conditions. Rude is rampant. Gun fanatics scream while Mother Earth kicks us like an old tin can. I’m feeling like I might want to resurrect one of those bomb […]

Following the holiday scramble to get the perfect gift, prepare festive desserts, and gather with family and friends in celebration, the fiscal cliff and all of the bureaucratic talk has ended—for now. It seemed like every other television channel was quoting Speaker Boehner’s or President Obama’s latest announcement regarding their efforts to reach an agreement. […]

Farm issues have taken a back seat to more pressing issues in our current Congress. These farm issues have the potential of being significant economic factors both nationally and most certainly locally here on the Central Coast. If farming does well, so does our local economy. It is one of the major drivers of local […]

Our country remains at war, the world remains unstable, and children continue to hear about violence in our own communities. Add these realities to cyber-bullying issues, and the constant talk of terrorism, and you find that news coverage and casual conversations about current events often include allusions to violence. When buying gifts for children this […]

I’m 23 years old (soon to be 24, I shudder) with a bachelor of arts degree in English. I graduated with honors; I’m hardworking, mature, and responsible. Despite all this, I sleep on a twin bed with my parents as housemates and work two part-time jobs along with babysitting and house cleaning on the side. […]

I thought I had Valley Fever recently. Turns out, I’m just really pissed off. It’s mostly because I’m so broke. Forget buying new tires for my truck; or doing anything fun; or saving money for the future: I can’t even afford shampoo. Luckily, I could rock dreadlocks if need be. What sucks is that I […]

Entertainment has been an integral part of the fabric of Lompoc culture from its beginning in 1874 when it was formed as a planned temperance city by the Lompoc Valley Land Company. The first venues were two dance halls on the second floors of the Swanton Stables on I Street and the Dinwiddie Store on […]

The whole “stores decorate so early for the holidays” shtick is a bit tired at this point. We’ve all heard the jokes about Christmas tree displays edging out Halloween spider webs and haunted houses in early October. Fake snow seems to start falling while late-summer heat waves are just blazing to life. But come Thanksgiving, […]

When California imposes another round of funding cuts on its higher education system, for whatever reason, state leaders will certainly claim that such cuts are necessary. Yet one only needs to consider a series of Golden State environmental projects to recognize the hollowness of such words. Across California, billions of dollars are being committed to […]