Galen Kusic, Editor

Robert Light, famed Delta cartoonist, passed away on Oct. 18 after a long bout with an illness at 58. Light worked at the River News-Herald and Isleton Journal, the sister paper of the Benicia Herald for 13 years under the Gibson Publishing umbrella until his death.

Light went by the moniker, RWL, (his initials) which for several years, only friends and a select few knew his actual identity. If you look up RWL online, you might be surprised at what you find, but those that knew him weren’t.

In fact, it finally all made sense.

According to Urban Dictionary, the definition of RWL is “roaring with laughter,” in reference to something hilariously funny. That was Light in a nutshell. Many of us that knew him were fortunate enough to experience laughter provided by Light, whether it was through his comics, funny stories or quick wit.

Light was born in Sacramento on April 11, 1961. In his early years, he grew up on Ryer Island in the Sacramento Delta and eventually moved to Isleton, where his parents owned El Faro, now presently Rogelio’s Sleep and Dine Inn. He then moved to Rio Vista, where he would graduate from Rio Vista High School and attend Delta College, where he earned a degree in graphic design.

When he first started doing comics for the River News-Herald in 2007, he started as a volunteer, offering his unique insight into the community and his take on current events and the local political scene. It quickly became a full-time gig, as he drew local residents doing everyday, relatable things that made readers laugh out loud, as they bought up papers just to see what he would draw next.

“He was one of our most loyal and long standing employees,” said Jenny Croghan, former managing editor of the Martinez News-Gazette. “He took his commitment seriously and cared about his hometown newspaper.”

Many of RWL’s comics came from actual events that took place or originated from ideas submitted by residents. He took pride in interacting with the community and making them part of the story. His comics made quite a stir – spurring spirited conversations at offices, lines at the bank and the region’s drinking establishments. Many residents voiced that he sparked a few choice conversations among politicians as well, due to his often abrasive, yet accurate, depictions of public officials.

RWL had a way of bringing the community together each week through his comics, making readers laugh at the tomfoolery of government and everyday life in the Delta.

“Bob was in many respects the conscious of the town,” said John Bento, local architect and childhood friend. “He was willing to point out and comment on issues and subjects most people shied away from either out of fear or political repercussions. Bob was unafraid and unconcerned on either front.”

But while Light started out doing cartoons strictly about Rio Vista, he branched out to cover the entire Delta, most notably, the Department of Water Resources and Gov. Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown’s plan to build twin tunnels under the Delta to siphon Sacramento River water south. Light became one of the most staunch and vocal opponents of the tunnels, defending the Delta every chance he got. He brought vital awareness to the issue in a way no one else could. Through his enlightening humor, he educated many residents that would have otherwise not gotten involved in the fight to protect the estuary that he called home.

“Bob was a true hero of the California Delta and was a constant thorn in the side of government agencies that he perceived were attacking the Delta or not making good use of taxpayer funds,” said Bill Wells, Executive Director of the California Delta Chambers & Visitor’s Bureau. “He helped stop the Jerry Brown plan of diverting the Sacramento River around the Delta and was starting to take on the current governor over his water policies concerning the Delta.”

Folks used to joke that Light had a target on his back, and that if he came up missing or an accident happened on a Delta levee road, to expect foul play.

That was the level of impact he made holding government accountable.

But Light was much more than just a cartoonist. He was an all around artist – a gifted painter and poet with some of the most original song parodies around. RWL saw life differently from the rest of us, and many of us were lucky enough to see a small portion of it through his lens. Light expressed opinions others were afraid to say themselves – with only an agenda to expose those that were unjust or corrupt. Or, just to get a laugh or reaction. His cartoons still hang in storefronts and are talked about throughout the Delta, much to some of the subject’s chagrin.

In 2011, one particular cartoon depicting three Rio Vista councilmembers as rats following the city manager as the pied piper, caused controversy in town. The City was upset at the cartoon, and demanded it be taken down at the City-owned Senior Center, where it was posted.

Residents were up in arms that their free speech rights were being infringed upon. Prominent members of the community came to Light’s defense, including the press. While the cartoon was eventually taken down at the City’s request, it only validated his work more.

He told CBS 13 Sacramento’s Koula Gianulias:

“When they do something like that, it only justifies what I’m doing in the cartoons.”

Light made a lot of enemies through his comics, but that was outweighed by the love he had in the community. People tried to dismiss him, but they couldn’t. It continues to be impossible to discount or discredit his accomplishments – with nearly 600 cartoons under his belt, many for charities and fundraisers.

“I remember at first, nobody knew who RWL was, it was a tightly held secret,” said Rio Vista Vice Mayor Don Roos. “As time went by, I felt like we became friends through his drawings in the River News-Herald. Robert always kept me entertained and consistently hit the nail on the head with his cartoons. Robert will be greatly missed.”

Light enriched all Delta resident’s lives in one way or another, and for that we should all be grateful. It’s now our responsibility to continue his legacy of free speech and search for the truth.

“Bob was a great man and his passing is a great loss to our community,” said Wells. “It is important that we keep his memory alive and continue his work of keeping our government officials honest and preventing the destruction of the Delta.”