Columns

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Holidays tend to be stressful and our body feels it. Physical tension often follows emotional stress, stiff muscles, headaches or even back pain. This time of year we are moving at a faster pace with cooking, shopping, bending and lifting more than normal, so...

I’ve never had the perfect growing conditions for bulbs. I don’t get enough sun in the spring when the bulb is storing energy after blooming to ensure a good show the following year. I save last year’s bulbs and replant them hoping for the...

This month marks the end of an era in Scotts Valley. For as long as I can remember, the name Walpole has been synonymous with the Scotts Valley Police Department. Steve Walpole Sr. once led our department as chief, and in 2017 his son,...

“In the days of direct payment, a bill for a 4-day maternity and 4-day nursery stay, including $10 for the delivery room, was $52.50 in 1950 …The statement was handwritten on a half-sheet of paper.” —Dr. James Brook, “The High Price of Socialized Medicine” In...