Year in Review: Nick Welsh Chooses a Handful of Stories

For the Indy’s annual review of stories, our writers and editors have put together lists of the stories they were proud of this year, or just enjoyed writing, reporting, or reading. Here are Nick Welsh’s picks.

Get Oil Out Founder and Dolphin Sculptor Bud Bottoms Dies

Bud Bottoms was always a welcome breath of fresh air even when he wasn’t. A regular visitor to the offices of the Independent, Bottoms brought a spirit of delight rare in crusading public citizens, and he managed to make it infectious. Bud is best known for his efforts in the wake of the oil spill of 1969 and later for his well nigh ubiquitous dolphin fountains, which foist themselves upon the Body Politic with a great deal of friction. Bud, who died this year, also claimed to have crafted the design for McDonald’s Golden Arches. I could never confirm this claim, but if it was good enough for him, it worked for me, too.

UCSB Prof Talks New Ruth Bader Ginsburg Book

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg is both meme and icon for good reason. At times it seems she’s the very fine line between us and insanity. When UCSB history professor Jane Sherron de Hart wrote the first major biography on Ginsberg, we had to talk. Here’s an abbreviated version.