The Time Ranger

(Monday September 11, 2017, is the sixtieth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that claimed thousands of lives in lower Manhattan, Washington DC and a field in Pennsylvania in 2001. This commentary was first published in 2006 and has since been u(more..)

For some — especially the unwashed masses who recently moved here — it can be a mystery as to how their particular town earned its handle. Saugus, for example, was taken from the ancient city of Saugus, Mass., birthplace of 19th-century (more..)

Forget the Dodge City War and Wyatt Earp’s Vendetta Ride. Forget 1892’s Johnson County War in Wyoming or Arizona’s Sheep War. Forget the legendary Hatfield-McCoy feud that ran from 1880 to 1891, claiming nearly two dozen lives. Ame(more..)

Most people have never heard of it. Even the ones who drive by it daily. For years, it’s been mostly abandoned, a state historical marker on the side of old Sierra Highway in Newhall, California, better known as a place to dump unwanted mattre(more..)

“Cowboys are special, with their own brand of misery...”— Willie Nelson Since the days of the dons and vaqueros, this valley has had more than its fair share of round-ups, fiestas, barn dances and that spine-fusing, I.Q.-depleting (more..)

First off, bottom of my heart, thanks and a moment of silence for all those who served the country all these years. Appreciate all of you, from Afghanistan to wars forgotten, who stood tall on watch. Millions of us remember and appreciate you. Please(more..)

Top of a May morning to you, o Santa Clarita bunk huggers. C’mon out. I’ve got fresh lattes, herbal teas, coffee, protein drinks, hair of the dog that bit you and donuts waiting. Plus, not to rush you, but with all these thousands of hors(more..)

Much to investigate this beautiful morning, dear saddlepals. There’s Mother’s Day flash floods, giant camels, movie stars, environmental nightmares, the SCV Curse, movie star cover-ups, biker fights, bomb threats, babies driving SUVs, di(more..)

Well. I’m down here waiting with tens of thousands of the finest stable ponies ever assembled. Fine then, you late-sleeping latte-slurpers. Time to crawl out of those bunks and wiggle into a decent pair of jeans. And no. No Guess jeans. They&r(more..)

Hope you’ve all recovered from the SCV Cowboy Fest last weekend. We’ll have to follow up with our own trailride into our own Western lore. We’ve an interesting trek ahead, filled with the stuff that makes history: gunplay, infidelit(more..)

Really, I suppose a big part of what we do on these treks is to constantly unearth wonderful cocktail party trivia. We’ve got a doozy for you this morning about how a piece of Santa Clarita is up on the moon, smiling at us. Like, right now. W(more..)