MONTCLARION: June 12, 2015

“The Condor Lady” — that’s what the CBS radio network called me in 1983. I was a reporter for affiliate KSDO, covering efforts to save the California condor from extinction. With just two or three dozen birds known to exist at that time, the news was so big that it always aired nationwide. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: June 5, 2015

Call it outdoor eye candy. Gardens are spaces that cultivate joy. Just ask Montclair mom Debbie Tallia, whose landscaping business is becoming a big hit. Tallia Gardens grew from a 25-year career in fashion that led Debbie to the world of home staging for real estate. The garden was a natural extension. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: May 28, 2015

It was a scene straight from the famed children’s book “Make Way for Ducklings.” Mama mallard and eight little Montclarions were marching dangerously close to the Highway 13 onramp. But instead of being rescued by a kindly policeman, it was two moms who stopped traffic to round up the ducks and return them to Montclair Park. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: May 21, 2015

It’s no secret that Oakland’s police force is stretched beyond its capacity to serve. But a Montclair man is making it his personal mission to help police keep the streets safe. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: March 25, 2015

You think you know a person. I’ve seen Barbara Falconer Newhall many times over the years, usually in her gym clothes at the Hills Swim and Tennis Club. I had no idea, until recently, that her long career in journalism included the religion beat for the Contra Costa Times. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: March 18, 2015

The moon must be sending out signals. We’ve just finished hiking the East Bay MUD trail and are sipping some wine in the twilight. Continue reading →

Montclarion: February 26, 2015

I’m sitting here in Starbucks, with a window to the weekday world of Montclair Village. It’s 11 a.m., and I see a smattering of shoppers and a half-dozen seniors sipping coffee outside Peet’s. Continue reading →

Montclarion: February 18, 2015

It seems there’s another contender in the fight for the “soul of Montclair.” Starbucks is showing interest in the hotly contested empty storefront at the corner of Mountain Boulevard and La Salle Avenue. It’s no secret they’ve been eyeing a bigger space. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: January 16, 2015

It’s been more than 50 days since David Ruenzel was shot dead on the laurel-lined trail in the Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland hills. A path known for its beauty and solitude was the scene of a horrific act that belies explanation. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: January 9, 2012

January is a tough month. Let’s face it — the holidays are over and tax season is on the horizon. It’s easy to slip into a funk, But here’s a way to spread joy without lifting a finger. Leave your lights on. Continue reading →