Well, it’s deja vu all over again, as Yogi Berra is alleged to have said. The recent heavy rains breached the Santa Maria River banks in Guadalupe (note: no levee) and again damaged the Apostolic Church at 9th and Pioneer streets, plus causing the evacuation of some 20 residents in the area for a few […]
Opinion
Posted inOpinion
Public employee benefits are breaking taxpayers
We need a ballot proposition to eliminate public employee unions in California
From Washington to Lompoc, taxpayers are finding they can no longer afford civil service workers with union-negotiated benefits, who in general exceed the income and benefits paid by the private sector for similar responsibilities. Civil service unions are the bane of taxpayers because, unlike private unions, there is no way to control them. In the […]
Posted inOpinion
What book can’t you finish?
Amy Molina mom “Frankenstein in high school. I just couldn’t read it. It was too boring.” Tim Derkson ad sales “Darkly Dreaming Dexter, because of work.” Waylon Hatcher professional actor “The Bible. I’ve picked it up here and there, but I’ve never finished it. I get a quarter through, and then I lose my spot […]
Posted inOpinion
Union demonstrators: This is not a democracy
Orcutt
One wonders when the Wisconsin Public Employee Union and its supporters clamor for “Power to the People” and “Democracy Now!” if these people are unaware that America is not a democracy, but a republic. Do they know that the word “democracy” is not mentioned anywhere in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, or that […]
Posted inOpinion
Compare what legislators say and do for veterans
Morro Bay
A recent analysis by HUD and the VA has revealed the distressing statistic that military veterans make up 16 percent of our nation’s homeless, while comprising only 10 percent of its adult population—a problem that is worsening as vets return from Afghanistan and Iraq. While there are many forces underlying this disproportion, congressional reluctance to […]
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A corporation bought the House Energy and Commerce Committee
Arroyo Grande
A corporation bought the House Energy and Commerce Committee They waited until the election was over and the dirty deed done, but a few weeks ago, L.A. Times’ reporters finally revealed how the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring corporation’s “persons” who could give unlimited funds to politicians of their choice helped one corporation buy the House […]
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Watch how Gov. Brown handles the pension issue
Arroyo Grande
Democrat Gov. Jerry Brown is gasping in Sacramento as he and his Democrat legislature observe the emerging national revolt against state and local government unions. Brown was elected and the Democrats retained legislative control because of the union vote. But California’s budget problem caused by union-pensions far exceeds any other state. Nationwide, state and local […]
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Conservatives don’t want rules to trip up profits
Orcutt
In a recent issue of the Sun (March 3) there is a letter written by Mr. Larry Bargenquast: “Liberals need to grow into responsible adults.” This letter says that liberals hate conservatives as people and are reduced to a state of rage when exposed to conservative ideas with which they—liberals—disagree. Reduced to rage? I don’t […]
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My fresh, electric start
I’ve found an incombustible alternative to cigarettes
In the fourth grade, my friend Michael would sneak a pack of Kents from his mother’s carton and, after school, a bunch of us would go to the woods by Nichols Park and light up. We used the code word “Superman” to refer to the Kent cigarettes, with Superman being Clark Kent. I stopped smoking […]
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What’s your favorite thing to do at the beach?
Morgan Martinez unemployed “Walks on the beach. It is relaxing and keeps my mind off of things.” Luis Ojeda construction “Being out in the sun playing sports. It’s how I grew up—playing sports with family.” Andrew Hawkes student “Surfing. It’s really nice getting out in God’s world to ride the waves of the Central Coast.” […]
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Smaller school districts can combine to better survive
Los Alamos
It has been my observation that during these very trying times many people, businesses, organizations and educators are and have been looking for new and innovative ways to maintain their level of work ethic, and quality of their product. Here in Los Alamos, we work hard every day to be certain that every school age […]
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We’ve survived recessions because we’re not stupid
Santa Maria
As any reputable economist will explain, recessions have only one basic cause: a fall in “aggregate demand,” or, in English, people stop spending money. There are many reasons why people stop spending, like too much debt, not enough income, lost job or belief they will lose a job, etc. Nearly every advanced government in the […]
