ON THE TOWN:

In “Travels with Charley,” John Steinbeck’s Nobel prize-winning novel, Steinbeck writes about the notion many Americans have about putting down roots and how what we say we want and what we do are often two completely different things.

Steinbeck points out that Americans have a history of moving around, from the Pilgrims who pulled up their roots to come here to the pioneers who pulled up their roots to move west.

About a year ago, Costa Mesa lost a family with some very deep and very healthy roots when Dana and Bill Redmond moved to Oregon. The Redmonds’ daughter, Jill, was a best friend of my daughter.

Bill’s roots included over 20 years as a member of the Costa Mesa police force. The Redmonds have been missed.

Now I am very sorry to report that another fine family has pulled up roots.

Last week, Costa Mesa lost the Barr family to the San Antonio area.

Geri and Mike Barr have been raising three kids in Costa Mesa for over 15 years. Their kids, Sara, Katie and John have been in Costa Mesa schools and sports leagues, sometimes with our kids ,and they have always, always been an asset.

Their parents have been assets, too, whether it was Geri’s active involvement in the PTA or Mike’s huge contributions to the local AYSO chapter, in which he served a term as commissioner.

The Barrs were members of the United Methodist Church in Costa Mesa, active there, too, and I know the church will miss them.

Costa Mesa could not do much better than the Barrs. Our loss is San Antonio’s gain, and I know that there are many people in town who are sad to see them go. Our daughter leads the pack.

Good communities are built through people such as the Barrs, and I have no doubt that San Antonio will be a better area for their presence.

Good luck, Barr family, and God bless you.

Sometimes, you have to laugh to keep from crying. But there isn’t much funny about the wacky protocols established by the Orange County Republican party’s central committee.

On Monday, the committee decided not to endorse Newport Beach City Councilman Dick Nichols in his reelection bid. Nichols was denied the nod because he said in 2003 that more grass at Corona del Mar State Beach would bring unwelcome visitors. “With grass we usually get Mexicans coming in there early in the morning, and they claim it as theirs, and it becomes their personal, private grounds all day,” Nichols said.

Now here’s the not-so-funny part. The same committee that rejected Nichols for his intolerance has endorsed Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor for reelection.

Go figure. Mansoor is about as tolerant as a wounded bull. And while he has better sense than Nichols — that is, he’s not as willing to bare his soul the way Nichols did — there is evidence that he’s just fine with letting others do his insensitive talking for him.

And go figure this: This same committee refused to endorse school board incumbents Judy Franco and Serene Stokes. Perhaps they’re willing to take their chances on some fresh faces that will get a charter school up and running and stop sticking homeowners with hundreds of millions in taxes to cover up their decades of fiscal mismanagement.

Works for me.

A recent letter lamented the loss of the Hard Rock Cafe in Newport Beach. In the letter, it was called a “family restaurant.”

Not for my family. We ate there twice and vowed the second time to stay away for good.

Most restaurant chains cannot provide the level of service that an independent provides. For that reason, and because the food is really good, our family finds itself going back time and again to Taka Sushi in Costa Mesa, Nick’s on Harbor Boulevard and Mi Casa, on the border of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.

Similarly, the best steak is found at the Bungalow, another independent, in Corona del Mar.

One exception to this rule is Red Robin, where the food and service have never let us down.

So I don’t lament the loss of the Hard Rock at Fashion Island. There is a Ruby’s there, anyway.

Supporting an independent is also another way of supporting the community at large as it has been documented that a greater percentage of the money spent at any independent establishment remains in the community for a longer period of time.