Commentaries

I’m typing this opinion piece with a total of six fingers. I didn’t lose the other four, but thanks to a genetic, progressive, and often debilitating disease, they’re becoming useless. These useless digits on my hand have begun to curl into the center of my palm. As a result, my pointer finger has become a […]

Regarding response to “Put Andy in the hot seat” by Gale McNeeley, published in the July 12 to July 19 issue: In recent days, the Sun published a criticism of California’s Green Movement, written by Andy Caldwell, followed by a well written response submitted by Gale McNeeley. In effect, Mr. McNeeley suggested that Mr. Caldwell’s […]

Since the Woodrow Wilson presidency, the Democrats have piled on one socialist program after another that today severely impacts the economic security of the United States and is driving our economy into unsustainable debt and bankruptcy. Here, we deal with the big four of these: the 16th Amendment Income Tax in 1913, the Social Security […]

Mr. Smith has not been spending a lot of time on the playground or school sites, as the Canary stated. As a matter of fact, Smith has not showed up at school and demanded that he be shown around by the principal or other top employees. Prior to Mr. Smith being elected to the board, […]

Andy Caldwell is well paid by special interest groups to publish, advertise, and promote his and their opinions. Because of his media presence in the community, some people believe he is actually a community activist. That is a false assumption. A real community activist doesn’t get paid for his opinion, and Andy’s columns and ads […]

Man is in love/ And loves what vanishes —Keats I had two chances to meet Ray Bradbury; when I was living in L.A. the elderly author made two public appearances, and I allowed circumstances to make me miss both. It was not that I was fooling myself, exactly—Bradbury was quite old, and I knew I […]

With consumer fireworks now more popular than ever in California, it is important that we use common sense, recognize that fireworks essentially function via a controlled burn, and follow the safety tips to insure a safe and wonderful experience celebrating America’s freedom. Consumer fireworks are actually safer today than ever before. Since 1994, the American […]

I really hate child molesters. Despise ’em, even. I’d love nothing more than to see them all neutered and worse. I could rant on and on about how depraved and horribly selfish it is to destroy a kid’s developing psyche for the sake of some twisted fetish, but condemning perverts does not a daring commentary […]

To the Santa Maria community: You may have recently seen activity regarding labor negotiations between SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and Dignity Health. As you may know, Marian Regional Medical Center and French Hospital Medical Center are Dignity Health hospitals on the Central Coast, which have technical and clerical staff employees represented by SEIU. Registered […]

The United States Postal Service has announced a plan to preserve post offices in small towns and rural communities across the country while the organization aims to achieve cost savings to return to financial stability. After listening to our customers and communities across the country who expressed a strong desire to keep their local post […]

I want my mom to die. Even knowing I’m experiencing completely normal emotions, I marvel at the sheer power of these words as they connect to the paper. I’m experiencing every emotion she feels, every pain that engulfs her body, every thought that delves to work its way into the limited thought capacity that remains […]

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the kind of Sunday made for being unproductive and lazing around in the sunshine. With no pressing obligations for the day, I decided to sit on the back porch and drink coffee. As I sat there, letting the rays of sun warm my face and listening to the steady […]