Andrew G. Fried When President Donald Trump ordered Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to review the status of 27 national monuments created by three former presidents, many across the nation took it as a call to action to advocate on behalf of the monuments closest to their homes, and their hearts. Northern...

The yellow-billed cuckoo is a rather striking bird. It has grayish brown plumage above and white below, red primary flight feathers, and tail feathers that have a bold pattern that almost looks like a white and black braid. The yellow-billed cuckoo is a member of the avian family Cuculidae. Some ornithologists...

On Tuesday, the LA County Board of Supervisors re-approved the first two communities of Newhall Ranch, Mission Village and Landmark Village. This marks a major accomplishment for the project, and creates tremendous economic development opportunities for the Santa Clarita Valley. This project will be...

A couple of years ago, my father, well into his 70s, finally bought himself a high-performance automobile. The kids and grandkids had all grown up, so there was no need for a larger car. And heck, he had waited a long time to drive something fun. All was fine with the new car until my mother broke her...

For those who don’t know me, my name is Max Duran. I once held the position of trustee for the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District (AADUSD). Prior to that, I was a senior project manager, responsible for the construction of new schools and the modernization of existing schools for the Los...

When I was younger, I learned to hunt in Africa. Native Masai taught me how to throw a spear and how to fight off an attacking lion and win. Many years later, I joined a hunting and gathering group in the Amazon basin, and my African hunting experiences came in handy. I made fishhooks so we could fish,...

As the temperatures go up this week, a great way to cool off is to head to one of the City of Santa Clarita’s six pools. While all locations offer swim lessons and other programs, there is only one spot to bring your family if you want to dive into the water and into a popular kids flick. Summer...

Some in the Obama administration knew of Russian attempts to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election in early 2016. “Some” did not include Jeh Johnson, Obama’s hand-picked head of Homeland Security. Interestingly, Johnson recently testified before the House Intelligence Committee that...

Being a father myself I know there are a lot of pressures kids are facing these days, many more than when I was young. Just thinking about what your children are exposed to can be daunting, stressful and keep you awake at night worrying. What is top of mind for many parents is the recent spike in heroin...

The summit of Mt. Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States, reaching an elevation of 14,508 feet. (This is a bit higher than it was believed to have been; a recent survey just put it at that height.) And just across the mountains, 84.6 miles away in Death Valley, you will find Badwater...