John Wilkens, The Union-Tribune

John Wilkens

The Union-Tribune

San Diego, CA, United States

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Recent:
  • Unknown
Past:
  • The Union-Tribune
  • Los Angeles Times
  • Del Mar Times

Past articles by John:

What book should we all be reading? Nominations open for annual One Book, One San Diego program

Now in its 17th year, region-wide program aims to build community by getting people to read — and talk about — the same book. → Read More

Charles Harrington Elster, San Diego word maven and author, dies at 65

The original co-host of "A Way With Words" had a special ear for the way we pronounce — and mispronounce — the English language → Read More

50 years ago Vietnam POWs came home. Their 'second lives' were just as extraordinary.

Operation Homecoming in 1973 brought almost 600 captured servicemen back to the United States. It was very much a San Diego story, as upcoming museum exhibit shows → Read More

Lectures, films, arts contest featured during Black History Month at library

Contest for local students will award cash prizes for best creative works highlighting a person or event instrumental in shaping the world → Read More

Granddaughter of slaves straddled racial divide in Coronado

Cynthia Hudgins spent 12 years writing a memoir that sat in a closet until a lay historian prodded her family to publish it, just in time for Black History Month → Read More

San Diego has a new poet laureate. But he sees you as the voice of the city.

Jason Magabo Perez's work as a writer and teacher has prepared him for what he wants to accomplish in the role: finding voices and offering people the tools to tell their own stories. → Read More

Secret hero of Korean War air battle to receive Navy Cross

Royce Williams of Escondido fought off seven Soviet MiGs during a dogfight in 1952 that he was sworn to secrecy about for more than 50 years. He's finally being recognized. → Read More

San Diego Public Library begins new year with reading challenge for all ages

Participants can win prizes for activities that encourage them to 'feel, experience, and dive into how reading enlivens our emotions' → Read More

Controlled chaos settles in at San Diego airport amid Southwest 'meltdown'

The continuing travel drama is for many a tale of lost suitcases, some happily reclaimed while others are marooned across the country → Read More

'The man who rode a whale:' Chuck Nicklin, pioneering underwater diver and photographer, dies at 95

La Jollan parlayed his love for undersea adventures into a lucrative career that took him around the world on magazine assignments and movie sets → Read More

The rain is moving on. Not the cold.

Two-day storm dropped rain across San Diego County, snow in the mountains and will keep the region at below-normal temperatures in coming days → Read More

Read the story about a murder — only three sentences long — that won the library's most popular contest

San Diego's Matchbook Story contest drew 281 entries this year, including finalists with clever takes on romantic relationships, the workplace and Wordle → Read More

'Major' weekend storm expected to bring rain, wind, snow to San Diego County

National Weather Service says mountains could get up to 3 inches, with at least 1 inch expected for much of the county as storm moves through on Sunday → Read More

They've urged us to 'Remember Pearl Harbor.' But what happens when the survivors are gone?

As final survivors die, memorials, grave sites, Navy ships and shared stories will be reminders of attack that pushed U.S. into World War II. Especially in San Diego. → Read More

Ever dreamed of sailing a historic ship? Maritime Museum will teach you how

Graduates of program will have opportunity to be part of the crew when the Star of India sets sail again next November for her 160th birthday → Read More

Not many teens have the patience for lawn bowling. Angel Gomez does — and he's good

Coronado High senior is headed to Northern Ireland for an international tournament next month as the sole member of Team USA → Read More

Bruce-Lane concedes in tight North County Assembly race

Democrat Maienschein, a five-term legislator, prevails in 76th District contest that flipped twice in early returns after Election Day → Read More

Tom Rice, WWII D-Day paratrooper who continued to jump out of planes, dies at 101

Coronado native drew international headlines late in life by doing tandem jumps to honor service members who didn't come home from the war → Read More

Bruce-Lane's lead decreases in tight 76th District Assembly race

The Republican businesswoman is trying to unseat five-term incumbent Democrat Brian Maienschein in contest to represent North County district → Read More

Two local Assembly races shifted overnight as other incumbents breezed toward re-election

Early returns had Brian Maienschein leading, Laura Davies trailing, but updated results have flipped those races with hundreds of thousands of ballots still to be counted → Read More