Letter to the Editor: SANDAG needs to start focusing on unincorporated areas By Robin Joy Maxson June 4, 2025 at 8:55 a.m. The Draft 2025 Regional Plan is hyperfocused on coastal and city projects to the exclusion...
Guest column: Some clarity on the sale of Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church property By The Rev Lawrence Hand May 28, 2025 at 10:24 a.m. Our congregation invested more than $3.5 million over 15 years in developing that site and...
Quail Mutterings: When rats fall from heaven By Chi Varnado May 8, 2025 at 1:00 a.m. Does it seem to anyone else that rats and mice are everywhere now? In our...
Sustainable Ramona: What is a carbon footprint? By Rob Lewallen April 7, 2025 at 9:26 a.m. Each year records a higher temperature than the preceding one. We can try and do...
Quail Mutterings: Stepping away from my life By Chi Varnado March 20, 2025 at 12:39 p.m. We’re probably not often able to get away for an extended period of time, but...
Quail Mutterings: Little nuggets of hope at a tough time By Chi Varnado February 4, 2025 at 12:22 p.m. These days it can feel more difficult, it seems, to maintain happiness. With the news,...
Ramona Real Estate Association: Ramona a hidden gem for those who want to live off the land By Meghan Bernd January 15, 2025 at 11:17 a.m. Nestled in the picturesque foothills of San Diego County, Ramona, offers a unique blend of...
Quail Muttering: Running solo, wandering with dog and hiking with friends By Chi Varnado January 8, 2025 at 10:57 a.m. One of my absolute favorite things to do is traipsing around the natural world —...
Guest Column: The California Voting Rights Act hoax By Jay Dyer December 26, 2024 at 10:18 a.m. Like many governmental endeavors, the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) doesn’t always accomplish what it...
Quail Mutterings: Traveling helps us grow in unexpected ways By Chi Varnado November 19, 2024 at 11:25 a.m. To go is to come back and coming back means that we’ve gone. It’s simply...
Sustainable Ramona: Composting the organic waste stream By Bill Prinz October 15, 2024 at 1:48 p.m. Since biblical times, farmers have utilized crop residues and animal manure to build soil and...
Guest Column: A golden opportunity for Ramona … for years to come By Tracey Lee Mcfarland October 15, 2024 at 1:28 p.m. In the Sept. 19 edition of the Ramona Sentinel, Ramona Unified School District trustee Dan...
Guest Column: Language in some ethnic studies programs reminds trustee of her childhood in Soviet Union By Maya Phillips October 8, 2024 at 3:13 p.m. When I read the Santa Ana Liberated Ethnic Studies Curriculum for the first time, it...
Quail Mutterings: ing the long days of summer By Chi Varnado October 1, 2024 at 3:58 p.m. The long dog days of summer are a wonder to behold.
Guest Column: To bond or not to bond By Dan Summers September 19, 2024 at 7:02 a.m. Let me introduce myself as a 38-year, tax-paying resident of Ramona who is a lifelong...
Our Readers Write: Correcting the record By Ramona Sentinel September 10, 2024 at 2:14 p.m. It has come to my attention that there have recently been social media posts disparaging...
Guest Column: Estates golfers, equestrians and others all deserve facility improvements By Steven Franck September 10, 2024 at 2:11 p.m. This is a follow-up to an opinion piece in the Aug. 29 edition of the...
Our Readers Write: Ramona Unified developer fees increase our cost of living By Jay Dyer August 27, 2024 at 12:47 p.m. RUSD wants to increase our housing costs even more with a property tax increase on...
Guest Column: San Diego Country Estates homeowners are not ‘customers’ By Steven Franck August 27, 2024 at 12:42 p.m. The San Diego Country Estates HOA board recently voted to eliminate quarterly guest es and...
Good Natured Gardening: Everything you need to know about leaf curl By Clarence Schmidt August 6, 2024 at 3:47 p.m. Curls can be cute on a person’s hair, on poodles, sheep, and, of course, on...
Our Readers Write: Vote ‘Yes’ on Ramona Unified’s school bond By Dave Patterson August 6, 2024 at 11:19 a.m. Ramona school bond naysayer Jay Dyer apparently thinks that the effect of denying school bonds...
Our Readers Write: Don’t Ramona Unified’s latest bond proposal By Jay Dyer August 6, 2024 at 12:34 p.m. The Ramona Unified School District (RUSD) is trying to increase your property taxes again. For...
Quail Mutterings: Finding our true north By Chi Varnado June 26, 2024 at 1:59 p.m. Who am I? Who are you? And who are we? What do we really know?...
Unclaimed monies: Are you owed by government agencies? By Rania Shaker June 26, 2024 at 1:56 p.m. Are you missing something? Nearly every day, Finance departments throughout local government offices in San...
Guest Column: A roundabout at SR-67 and Mussey Grade in Ramona? A super bad idea By Rex A. Schildhouse June 26, 2024 at 1:56 p.m. I am writing about the June 6 article, “Caltrans Proposes a Roundabout to Increase Safety,”...
Our Readers Write By Ramona Sentinel June 5, 2024 at 4:44 p.m. Tribute to 'Old Man River'After reading the story by Regina Elling about Jim Angleben, aka...
Sustainable Ramona: Keeping organic waste out of landfills is greenhouse gas reduction strategy By Bill Prinz June 5, 2024 at 4:42 p.m. In 2021 Californians disposed of nearly 39 million tons of trash in landfills according to...
Our Readers Write By Ramona Sentinel May 29, 2024 at 2:54 p.m. A double standard for signs in Ramona?This is a letter to the Ramona Community Planning...
Consider This: State Route 67 is now in your hands By Dan Summers May 22, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. It has been five years since the Ramona Community Planning Group first approached SANDAG and...
Quail Mutterings: A matter of perspective By Chi Varnado May 8, 2024 at 3:31 p.m. Getting a glimpse of the total solar eclipse from the heart of Texas is what...
Sustainable Ramona: Communities seeking a voice on utility costs are turning to electric cooperatives By Bill Prinz April 23, 2024 at 8:49 p.m. Sustainable Ramona is a local non-profit dedicated to the preservation of our surroundings. If you...
Quail Mutterings: Live and let live? By Chi Varnado March 20, 2024 at 3:59 p.m. When I had the dance studio, we included all the students in story ballets —...
Our Readers Write, Issue of Feb. 22 By Ramona Sentinel February 20, 2024 at 8:35 p.m. Graduate continues to help program On behalf of everyone at In His Steps Christian Homes,...
Quail Mutterings: The dissonance of life By Chi Varnado February 14, 2024 at 4:38 p.m. 1-2-3-hold 4—5-6-7 and 8. I listen to the familiar counting of musical phrasing as the...
Guest Column: We all do better, when we all do better By David Patterson February 14, 2024 at 4:37 p.m. Recently, I have been reading articles that describe a college education as a poor choice...
Quail Mutterings: An attitude of gratitude By Chi Varnado January 16, 2024 at 7:06 p.m. “Will I be creative and contribute to the development of the next, or will I...
Sustainable Ramona: Reduce our holiday carbon footprint By Joyce Strand December 12, 2023 at 8:11 p.m. Sustainable Ramona is a local non-profit dedicated to the preservation of our surroundings. By responding...
Quail Mutterings: Our Communities: Intentional or Unintentional? By Chi Varnado December 5, 2023 at 8:58 p.m. I don’t think any of us are in a community or group that is completely...
Sustainable Ramona: Rethinking can shake up your lifestyle choices – in a good way By B. Prinz November 15, 2023 at 3:31 p.m. Sustainable Ramona is a local nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of our surroundings. By responding...
Quail Mutterings: Balance as art By Chi Varnado October 24, 2023 at 3:04 p.m. My 7-year-old granddaughter and I are having conversations about what constitutes art. As we wander...
Sustainable Ramona: Building principles for new and existing homes By Rob Lewallen September 13, 2023 at 4:43 p.m. Sustainable Ramona is a local non-profit dedicated to the preservation of our surroundings. By responding...
Guest Commentary: Here’s how to become wired to detect and avoid impostor scams By Dan Cusick September 6, 2023 at 3:38 p.m. According to recent Federal Trade Commission data, U.S. consumers reported more than a 30 percent...
Quail Mutterings: Changes on the horizon By Chi Varnado September 6, 2023 at 3:37 p.m. Of course, we all know that change is inevitable and that most of it (in...
Our Readers Write, Issue of Sept. 7 By Ramona Sentinel September 6, 2023 at 3:36 p.m. Midriff ban protest another distraction This is but one example of what is wrong with...
Sustainable Ramona: Making homes energy efficient, Part 1 By Rob Lewallen August 16, 2023 at 3:45 p.m. Sustainable Ramona is a local non-profit dedicated to the preservation of our surroundings. By responding...
Sustainable Ramona: What is agrivoltaics? By Walt Sindewald July 19, 2023 at 4:13 p.m. Sustainable Ramona is a local non-profit dedicated to the preservation of our surroundings. By responding...
Quail Mutterings: Aging gracefully By Chi Varnado July 12, 2023 at 1:22 p.m. What might it be like to age gracefully? What does that even mean? Perhaps it’s...
Quail Mutterings: The shelter of place By Chi Varnado June 7, 2023 at 2:23 p.m. Might we be getting too complacent as we inhabit our house, hang out at our...
Our Readers Write, Issue of May 25 By Ramona Sentinel May 25, 2023 at 7:57 p.m. Kudos to Albertsons A big thanks to Albertsons Companies Foundations for their of Ramona...
Just Sayin’: Partisanship and Strife at SANDAG By Harvey Levine May 2, 2023 at 6:01 p.m. When we last talked about SANDAG, (San Diego Association of Governments) just about everything was...
Our Readers Write, Issue of May 4 By Ramona Sentinel May 2, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Take politics out of school board meetingsI’m with Dave Patterson and his concern about the...
Guest Commentary: Red flag warning for Ramona Unified By Dave Patterson April 25, 2023 at 4:14 p.m. I think it is time for an intervention at the Ramona school board as they...
Quail Mutterings: Sometimes less is more By Chi Varnado April 19, 2023 at 5:19 p.m. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the concept of less being more and I...
Consider This: Fire risk severity rates could go up in Ramona By Ramona Sentinel March 14, 2023 at 2:24 p.m. I agree with Ronald Reagan when he said the scariest words in the English language...
Sustainable Ramona: Are there incentives, rebates for water conservation? By Beth Prinz March 7, 2023 at 5:53 p.m. Sustainable Ramona is a local group dedicated to the preservation of our surroundings. By responding...
Quail Mutterings: Keeping your calm from escaping By Chi Varnado February 28, 2023 at 5:07 p.m. Calm is a state of mind — nothing more and nothing less, achievable when we...
Guest Commentary: By Maya Phillips February 22, 2023 at 5:06 p.m. Road tax is actually mileage tax It felt like a slap in the face...
Consider This: A statue for Ramona’s own Archie Moore By Dan Summers February 22, 2023 at 6:40 p.m. There is no safe place to hide from the vicious predator known as the mongoose,...
Letters to the Editor By Ramona Sentinel February 7, 2023 at 5:34 p.m. Is there a better funding source for security fences?I was grateful to see the headline...
Guest Commentary: Fentanyl is deadliest drug threat the U.S. has ever seen, and kids are being targeted By Arthur Tony Blain January 31, 2023 at 5:19 p.m. My son came home from high school this month and told me his 19-year-old friend...
Our Readers Write, Issue of Feb. 2 By Ramona Sentinel February 1, 2023 at 5:28 p.m. Textbook review clarification We would like to clarify information presented in Diane Chapman’s Letter to...
Guest Commentary: Veterans, spouses may now take their skills anywhere By Phil Blair January 24, 2023 at 4:34 p.m. I am happy to share some much-needed new legislation regarding the careers of our veterans...
SANDAG board weighs in on who has the power By Michael Smolens January 24, 2023 at 4:33 p.m. A new front has opened up in the ongoing battles among board of the...
Quail Mutterings: The silence within By Chi Varnado January 18, 2023 at 4:12 p.m. Our little neck of the woods has finally gotten that much-needed rain. But now, the...
Letter to the Editor By Ramona Sentinel January 10, 2023 at 5:37 p.m. Kudos on textbook review Regarding stories about Ramona Unified School District reviewing current history/social science...
Quail Mutterings: And for this, too, I am grateful By Chi Varnado December 7, 2022 at 5:26 p.m. It’s no wonder that when we think about being grateful, it’s almost always for those...
Guest Commentary: Unincorporated San Diego County deserves a seat on SANDAG board By Robin Joy Maxson November 22, 2022 at 5:10 p.m. With a “commitment to equity,” SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments) should expect and welcome...
Our Readers Write: Issue of Nov. 24 By Ramona Sentinel November 22, 2022 at 6:39 p.m. Ramona Unified trustees to decide Ramona's values? It is clear to me that the Ramona...
Quail Mutterings: The up and down sides of fall By Chi Varnado November 15, 2022 at 5:04 p.m. Fall has arrived! Crisp, clear days and cool, mild nights.Visually, everything appears so vivid this...
Quail Mutterings: Is it time to unspring those traps? By Chi Varnado October 11, 2022 at 8:13 p.m. Black holes, baited traps, charisma… they all suck us in — hook, line and sinker....
Letters to the Editor By Ramona Sentinel September 13, 2022 at 4:39 p.m. Response to letter about electric cars stressing the grid I've driven a plug in car...
Elias: Newsom’s early campaign for Party leadership By Thomas Elias September 6, 2022 at 4:17 p.m. As we head into September, it seems like the presidential campaign is seriously getting underway.Oops!...
Letter to the Editor By Ramona Sentinel September 6, 2022 at 4:14 p.m. Requiring only electric cars could stress the electrical grid Gov. Gavin Newsom,Just an opinion based...
Quail Mutterings: The age of shifting gears By Chi Varnado August 31, 2022 at 4:28 p.m. Newton’s law of Inertia states that an object in motion stays in motion while an...
Letter to the Editor: A good deed By Ramona Sentinel August 24, 2022 at 4:07 p.m. Thank you, Guy Buchanan for being a wonderful person, and helping to keep our Ramona...
Guest Commentary: Fighting for transportation improvements in Ramona By Joel Anderson August 17, 2022 at 4:17 p.m. My job as your County Supervisor is to make sure that the voices of the...
Letter to the Editor By Ramona Sentinel August 17, 2022 at 4:14 p.m. Battery energy storage project needs more oversight EnerSmart Storage is proposing, through a minor use...
Your Personal Trainer: Make the most of your flex time By Harry Katcher August 3, 2022 at 4:11 p.m. This column isn’t necessarily about the time to flex, but, rather, keeping your exercise time...
Letter to the Editor: Thanks for detaining Casner fire By Ramona Sentinel August 3, 2022 at 4:08 p.m. We would like to extend our grateful thanks to all the first responders to the...
Our Readers Write, July 28 issue By Ramona Sentinel July 28, 2022 at 7:59 p.m. Faulty argument for battery energy storageA recent Ramona Sentinel article by Julie Gallant reported on...
Consider This: Ramona, have we just begun to fight? By Dan Summers July 13, 2022 at 4:08 p.m. First, I'd like to update you on the history of state Route 67. In the...
Guest Commentary: A message to Supervisor Joel Anderson about the skatepark By Tracey Engel July 13, 2022 at 4:07 p.m. Thank you for visiting our pop-up skatepark only eight months ago, saying, "There's a new...
Letter to the Editor: Tolerance is being misplaced By Ramona Sentinel July 13, 2022 at 4:06 p.m. Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia once noted "that tolerance is not a Christian virtue. Charity, justice,...
Quail Mutterings: The win-win-win of a trip By Chi Varnado July 6, 2022 at 4:07 p.m. Are you coming from or going on a trip? Either way it can be viewed...
Your Personal Trainer: Bye-bye belly fat By Harry Katcher July 5, 2022 at 6:09 p.m. By the time you read this, the 4th of July will have come and gone...
Your Personal Trainer: Functional fitness makes everyday activities easier By Harry Katcher June 29, 2022 at 4:14 p.m. Functional FitnessAs I work on this column, it’s actually Father’s Day. So, a belated happy...
Just Sayin’: Free speech and critical thinking By Harvey Levine June 15, 2022 at 4:05 p.m. I am anxiously waiting to read a new book by Jeff Nussbaum with the interesting...
Guest Commentary: Many people came together to make shed donation happen By Lora Cicalo June 8, 2022 at 4:39 p.m. The Ramona Senior Center was gifted a beautiful shed from Montecito High School's construction class...
Quail Mutterings: Aah, the country life By Chi Varnado June 1, 2022 at 3:50 p.m. The buttermilk sky overhead brings to me a sense of calm and contentment. Ever since...
Your Personal Trainer: Seeing silver By Harry Katcher June 1, 2022 at 3:48 p.m. Are you a conservative or a liberal? Who did you vote for? Are you pro...
Letters to the Editor By Ramona Sentinel May 18, 2022 at 5:14 p.m. A huge thank you The Ramona Garden Club held its first Garden Tour since 2018...
Your Personal Trainer: Connections reveal shared experiences By Harry Katcher May 18, 2022 at 4:22 p.m. A couple of weeks ago, I attended FitCon — a fitness Convention in Salt Lake...
Your Personal Trainer: Slow and steady wins the race By Harry Katcher May 11, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. A few weeks ago, I wrote a column titled, "From Ow to wow," highlighting proper...
Letters to the Editor By Ramona Sentinel April 20, 2022 at 6:31 p.m. Proposed Chaparral Pacific Crest National Monument good for everyoneAs a lifelong East County resident and...
Quail Mutterings: Out with the old, in wth the new? By Chi Varnado April 13, 2022 at 4:02 p.m. Out with the old, in with the new? Uh, not so fast—at least not with...
Guest Commentary: Input needed from San Diego County reservoir s By Ian Harper March 24, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. Do you visit unincorporated San Diego County's lakes and reservoirs for activities like fishing, camping,...
Your Personal Trainer: Playing favorites By Harry Katcher March 21, 2022 at 5:10 p.m. I’m the youngest of three boys. Yup, I’m the baby. But, I have it on...
Letters to the Editor By Ramona Sentinel March 16, 2022 at 4:29 p.m. A tale of bureaucratic inequity SANDAG is entrusted with the community's tax money in order...
Your Personal Trainer: Playing favorites By Harry Katcher March 16, 2022 at 4:17 p.m. I’m the youngest of three boys. Yup, I’m the baby. But, I have it on...
Quail Mutterings: The art of laying a fire By Chi Varnado March 9, 2022 at 5:10 p.m. Who hasn’t been mesmerized by the dancing flames of a well-laid fire? But for me...