Columns

Remember when you started your own business? That quiet question that lingers in the background: Will I succeed … and what was I thinking? Most of my articles focus on one local business at a time. This one is a double take. Two women, two...

“Life…some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic, but I’ve had a good life all the way.” —Jimmy Buffett I was scrolling through the Nextdoor website, when I came across a woman looking for a bakery that was known for its Banana Cream Pies. I...

On Saturday, March 28, millions of Americans will assert their constitutional rights of free speech and peaceful assembly by participating in the third No Kings Day—a national day of nonviolent protest rallies in support of American democracy and the rule of law.  No Kings is...

On Friday, March 20, at 7:46am, the day and night will be almost equal. That’s why it’s called the Spring or Vernal Equinox. Some years it falls on March 19. It would occur on the same day every year if the Earth took exactly...

When it comes to strength, you generally hear people talk about legs, biceps, chest, glutes, the common and visibly noticeable areas, but no one really talks about strength in your grip. Grip strength is also just as important. Grip strength is a measure of how...

Tax involves words more than numbers, and CPAs and CFPs evade math beyond Algebra I. Yes, readers can flip taxable investments into 2026 IRAs with higher $7,500 limits and $1,000 catchup provisions with deductibility lost at $129-149K MFJ. 401(k) limits increased to $24,500 for...

Wearing something green on St. Patrick’s Day has been a tradition since immigrants, particularly in the United States, transformed the holiday into a largely secular event celebrating all things Irish. Cities with large numbers of Irish immigrants staged parades going back to 1737 in...

This month, I want to start by congratulating our Scotts Valley High Lady Falcons varsity basketball team! For the first time ever, they advanced into the third round of the CIF NorCal Finals. This is the farthest the team has ever advanced, which is...

The City of Scotts Valley has long been recognized as one of the safest cities in the state. That reputation did not happen by accident. From our earliest days, Chief Gerald Pittenger and later Chief Steve Walpole Sr. embraced what we now call community...

Always on the look out for potential problems in my garden, I can use all the help I can get. Solutions are out there. One of my go-to websites that I use to diagnose those problems is UC Integrated Pest Management or ipm.ucanr.edu. You...