Laying Out the ‘Sweet’ Facts Jim Chase is wishing a pox on the wrong house. It wasn’t the bakers union that caused the demise of the Hostess products he so loves. Union workers have been giving back benefits and accepting less pay for years while the company struggled with poor management. Meanwhile the executives gave […]
The Dark Side of Black Friday Whoever “they” are, they finally did it. They figured out how to make the days between Halloween and New Year’s one long, seamless spending and shopping season without the interference of that bothersome little holiday known as Thanksgiving. How? By ignoring it. Specifically, what was previously a mostly un-marketable […]
Turning the Key to Happiness I’ve heard it said that, “The key to happiness is forged from gratitude.” Okay – so, I actually made that one up. But the philosophy behind it comes from years of profound counsel from wise folks like nationally syndicated talk show host (and fellow Crescenta Valley resident) Dennis Prager, who […]
Tuna Camp and Charlie Chaplin’s Chauffeur Tuna Camp, now the site of the Verdugo Hills Golf Course, was a detention center during WWII for Japanese, Germans and Italians. It held enemy aliens for interrogation before they were released or sent to larger prisons inland. One Japanese man who spent time there on a charge of […]
A couple of weeks ago, I attended a vigil for victims of domestic violence. Taking place only 10 days before the election, my week had been filled with divisive campaign rhetoric. The vigil on the other hand was filled with neighbors setting aside political differences to show support for one-another and help each other succeed. […]
Shameful Behavior On Nov. 9, I attended a first-round CIF play-off football game between Ribet Academy (Los Angeles) and Flintridge Prep (La Cañada). When I showed up at Ribet Academy, I noticed that the home team had sacrificed their entire set of bleachers for the Flintridge parents and fans. Right next to the bleachers was […]
Looking for Mr. Good Bark When this edition of the CV Weekly is published, it will be one day short of exactly five months since we said goodbye to our remaining family dog. Not that I’m acutely, achingly, painfully aware of the exact day that old guy left us, or anything like that. You may […]
It has been an amazing honor to represent so many great communities in the State Assembly over the past six years. The support I received on election night six years ago and during my entire time in office since then has filled my whole family with encouragement and inspiration. You have welcomed me into your […]
Few today know the name of Stephen Seymour Thomas, but in the first half of the 1900s he was a well known American artist. His specialty was portraits, and he painted the rich and famous of that era – captains of industry, statesmen, prominent scientists, governors – all the way up to the presidential portrait […]
What’s Hot in Swat This column was due to the publisher on Election Day, so I don’t know which side of the American populace is celebrating now and which is packing suitcases to leave for more civilized shores. (I have my hopes and hunches, but they are only that as I simultaneously write this and […]