Mayor Dude all a-Twitter

While some cities have mayors who are mild-mannered, paper-pushing bureaucrats, Santa Clarita has Frank Ferry, aka Mayor Dude, who rides a skateboard, is addicted to Twitter and jams on an electric guitar.Jerry Berrios in the Daily News.

Mayor Dude isn't Ferry's alter ego, but an extension of his exuberant personality. At www.mayordude.com and forums held around the community, Ferry reaches out to young people, encouraging them to volunteer in their schools, communities and houses of worship and to continue that tradition for the rest of their lives.

"In the United States, there are thousands of mayors. But in the city of Santa Clarita, there is only one Mayor Dude," said Ferry, 43. "For the youths of the community, they will take a dude any day over a talking-head, stuffed shirt."