Although it’s technically a city by the bay, it wasn’t so long ago that Oak Harbor was a West Coast version of River City, the mythical Iowa town that hosted Professor Harold Hill in Meredith Willson’s, “The Music Man.”

River City was a quiet, even boring, place, where church morals reigned and the big scandals revolved around a new pool table in the billiard parlor and who the librarian was dating.

Well, times change, and the mythical River City might be a lot different today due to various court decisions, changing mores and competition from tribal casinos. River City in 2006 would no doubt feature a floating casino or two, numerous establishments where liquor is served all hours of the day and night, and perhaps a strip joint.

Oak Harbor, while still conservative in many ways, is undergoing the same changes as our River City example. It’s still got two Reformed churches, but also legalized tattoo parlors, a dirty video store, a newly licensed gambling joint opening downtown featuring blackjack, poker and martinis, and other places where cards and similar gambling games can legally be played. There was even a big controversy over strippers last year in which the community rallied against their appearance. The establishment backed down, but we hear that a competitor brings in something similar from time to time. And anyone who wants full-blown gambling can drive ten miles to the nearest tribal casino, or if they’re after a really big jackpot they can play the state’s own sucker games.

Of course, none of what’s available in public can rival what’s accessible in the homes of modern River City or Oak Harbor. Online gambling knows no limits and the most graphic pornography is a mouse click away. You can even play pool on the computer, which is now the smallest of River City’s troubles. Our main concern now is where to safely house an abundance of sex offenders.

Despite all these changes, River City is probably a more sociable place in 2006 because of all the meetings people can go to: Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, for example. Perhaps our vices will finally bring us together.