This is Pat. Pat is a polar bear. I gave Pat that name because it is gender-neutral, just in case Pat decides to switch teams, like Caitlyn Jenner. Pat lives in the […]
Meet Pat, the polarized bear
Two views on short-term rentals
Short-term rentals – often referred to as “Air BnB” – have been a controversial issue in Orange County for years, indeed all over the U.S. where ever there is a lively tourism […]
Here’s not looking at you, kid
Note to readers: Jim Tortolano’s “Retorts” column is taking a week off. Here’s a classic column from a year ago when the pandemic was just getting underway. I am bored. Don’t get […]
Good news for bicycle fans
While most of the attention at Monday’s meeting of the Huntington Beach City Council was focused on the city’s growing image – to some – of being a hotbed of racist activity, […]
A tale of two (or more) cities
If you want to find one, all-encompassing picture of Huntington Beach, Orange County’s fourth-largest city, you’ll have to dig further than just the image of a surfboard stuck in the sand, with […]
Who let the dog out? She’s back
Let’s start with some heart-warming news. Luca, a very good dog, got lost near her home in Kansas. Persistent but without a compass, she traveled westward, ending up in California after a […]
Finding it took lotsa “paper work”
Day-to-day life through this pandemic has heightened my awareness about a multitude of things. One, in particular, is toilet paper. Strange, I know, but don’t worry, I’m not going to write about […]
All That I Know I Learned From …
Editor’s note: Jim’s brain is taking the week off. Here’s a classic “Retorts” from October 2019. At my deceptively youthful-apprearing age, I have collected a brain-full of witticisms, wisdom, old wives tales, […]
“Patsy,” berries, “The Habit,” etc.
It’s March, which would normally be the time when we in Garden Grove – and all strawberry fans in surrounding areas – get ramped up for the annual Strawberry Festival held each […]
In love with a Monster, and more
Throughout my childhood, my family had many pets; primarily cats and dogs with a rabbit or two in the mix. Most were strays, looking for a place to call home, which we […]
