Jordan Jones

The summer issue of the highly praised literary magazine Bakunin, published by 30-year-old Simi Valley native Jordan Jones, focuses entirely on the Rodney G. King beating and trial, the L.A. riots and race relations. An eclectic mix of writers and artists have produced essays, poetry, fiction and art for this special edition subtitled "The Trouble with Los Angeles."

The summer issue of the highly praised literary magazine Bakunin, published by 30-year-old Simi Valley native Jordan Jones, focuses entirely on the Rodney G. King beating and trial, the L.A. riots and race relations. An eclectic mix of writers and artists have produced essays, poetry, fiction and art for this special edition subtitled "The Trouble with Los Angeles."

Less than half a mile away from the Ronald Wilson Reagan Presidential Library, and wedged within an innocuous Simi Valley housing tract that boasts a parade of cheerful two-story townhouses, a one-man, cottage-industry revolution presses onward. At the end of a cul-de-sac, mild-mannered Jordan Jones, bespectacled editor of razor-edged Bakunin magazine, cranks out his perfect-bound, indisputably left-of-center journal in the Spartan rooms of, he likes to joke, his "ancestral manse."

Less than half a mile away from the Ronald Wilson Reagan Presidential Library, and wedged within an innocuous Simi Valley housing tract that boasts a parade of cheerful two-story townhouses, a one-man, cottage-industry revolution presses onward. At the end of a cul-de-sac, mild-mannered Jordan Jones, bespectacled editor of razor-edged Bakunin magazine, cranks out his perfect-bound, indisputably left-of-center journal in the Spartan rooms of, he likes to joke, his "ancestral manse."

Newly divorced from a studio executive, Edith Reich needed a job in the early 1960s. She found one, and her future, at Musso & Frank Grill, Hollywood's oldest restaurant. Hired as a cashier-hostess, she soon married Charles Carissimi, whose family had co-owned the establishment -- famous as a literary haunt -- since the 1920s. When he died in 1969, their marriage was 6 years old, the restaurant 50. She was 55 and spent much of the next four decades managing Musso & Frank, in turn becoming something of a Hollywood institution herself.

Each year only one children's bookseller and one general or college bookseller are selected by a jury of book industry professionals to receive the prestigious Lucile Pannel Award sponsored by the Women's National Book Assn. This year, Jody Fickes, owner of Adventures for Kids in Ventura, was presented the award at the American Booksellers Assn. convention on Memorial Day weekend in Los Angeles.

Defending Pac-5 Division champion Anaheim Servite sent a message Thursday in its season opener against Oceanside that the toughness and intensity seen during its 2009 championship season are back. The Friars forced four first-half turnovers and six overall in rolling to a 31-7 victory over Oceanside at Orange Coast College. It was the first time two defending state bowl winners had met in a season opener, with Oceanside having won the Division I bowl and Servite the Division II champion.

After Anaheim Servite had held off Mission Hills Alemany, 28-21, Saturday night in a Pac-5 Division semifinal game at Cerritos College, there was agreement by both sides that in defeat, Alemany quarterback Vernon Adams was simply marvelous. "I think he's a darn good player," Servite Coach Troy Thomas said. Adams rushed for 153 yards and completed 19 of 34 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns. But Servite (13-0) made the big plays when it counted to earn a spot in next Saturday's Pac-5 final against Mission Viejo (13-0)

Since Hurricane Katrina roared ashore, National Guard troops from Gulf Coast states serving in Iraq have followed the disaster, worried about families and friends back home. "It's a significant emotional event. Their families are on the forefront of the disaster," said Lt. Col. Jordan Jones of the 141st Field Artillery of the Louisiana National Guard. "They're all watching TV, and some have seen their neighborhoods completely submerged in water." Jones, from Luling, La.

Ventura is a hotbed of active publishing houses. Jordan Jones of Simi Valley has for five years been publishing the literary journal Bakunin, in which the makers of stories, poems, essays, reviews and art are given voice. The beautifully produced, 138-page winter edition is available at bookstores. Send subscription orders or submissions to Bakunin at P.O. Box 1853, Simi Valley, CA 93062.

Those of us reared on reading are unable to kick the habit--nor do we want to. And yet, information hounds that we are, we are drawn to television and watch incessantly. How can we inspire a generation addicted to seductive and often wonderful TV programming to discover the power and solitude (but not loneliness) that reading gives us? Some of the answers will be provided by Jim Trelease, the best-selling author of "The New Read-Aloud Handbook" and two anthologies of children's stories, "Hey!