Plain Talk About Food | The Joy of Leftovers After a Holiday Meal
“Why such a huge turkey?” I was asked by my butcher. “For ‘leftovers,’” I replied. My family loves leftovers as much as they love the original dinner.
After our dinner, the kitchen becomes a busy place with Ziplock bags being filled with leftovers from each...
Mayor’s Message | Year-End Reflections
As we reach the end of the year, I’ve found myself thinking about what an extraordinary place Scotts Valley is and how much we have achieved together. Serving as your Mayor has been one of the great honors of my life, and closing out...
The Mountain Gardener | Beware of Toxic Holiday Plants This Season
To kick off this year’s holiday season, I plan to add some color to cheer up my houseplant selection. Sometimes I give friends and neighbors a holiday plant, but I need to keep in mind if they have small children or pets as some...
Finance | The AI Tsunami for Workers and Investors
“The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do.” —B.F. Skinner
Oxford’s 2013 study estimated that “47% of U.S. occupations were at high risk of automation.” Techno-Marxists fret that AI will wipe out jobs of all but geek aristocrats. “AI will be...
The Mountain Gardener | Thoughts for the Garden After Thanksgiving Day
The weekend after Thanksgiving I like to get my Christmas tree and put it outside in a bucket of water until I’m ready to bring it inside to decorate. One of my friends has the solution for the longest lasting tree with the most...
Strictly Business | Wylder Space and Community-Centered Catering
Have you ever been to one of your Chambers of Commerce ribbon-cutting events? We go as businesspeople to support our local businesses, network and learn what they do. We anticipate some snacks, since most ribbon-cutting events start at 5:30pm. We hope for good food...
TherapyWorks | Use Year-End Reflection to Strengthen Mental Health
As the year winds down, life naturally slows just enough for us to catch our breath. It’s a moment to look at the routine, the relationships and the everyday choices that shaped our year. At TherapyWorks, we see reflection not as a heavy process...
Finance | Avoiding Appalling Fees for Sound Financial Advice
Before 2000, I entered financial planning with yahoo recruiters from Primerica Financial Services who shouted “Buy Term and Invest the Difference” because whole life insurers drained family savings. Still appalled by fees in 2025, two elderly tax clients paid over $20,000 in assets under...
The Mountain Gardener | A Poem of Thanksgiving
Once upon a time when our area was under waterthere were no parks or trails or trees or gardens.I'm thankful that our mountains rose from an ancient oceanso we could enjoy this beautiful place we call home.
I'm thankful for the Big-Leaf maplesthat shower me...
Scotts Valley School Bell | Celebrating Successes and Embracing Growth
Hello Scotts Valley community! November brings shorter days and some much-needed rain, but our schools are in full swing with lots going on.
Our Scotts Valley Falcons teams have been demonstrating their prowess on many different fields:
Our cross country girls won a SCCAL team title.
Girls...
Scotts Valley graduate receives Teamsters scholarship
Violeta Dauksa of Scotts Valley has been named a recipient of a 2026 scholarship from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Scholarship Fund.
Dauksa is a...






















