Columns

In this final series, I speak with Jason Borgen, the Chief Technology Innovation Officer at the Santa Cruz Office of Education (SCCOE), and with two local businesses, BraLisa and The Gather Community.  In this concluding segment of our three-part series on AI in Small Town...

If you see a recurring theme in my columns about growing successfully in a shady garden, it’s because my last three houses have all had a lot of shade. You’d think I’d have so much experience by now that all my plants would bloom...

How’s your balance? Having good balance isn’t just for seniors. Stability is necessary at any age, maintaining good balance is critical for preventing falls and maintaining your independence for years to come. Falls can have serious consequences for most, but especially for older adults. For...

I have just ‘pulled’ another successful loaf of rustic sourdough bread from my oven and as soon as it cools, I’ll butter a slice while it is still warm and fragrant.    While feeding the jar of sourdough starter, I remembered a bread my Appalachian-born family...

Across the world and here in Scotts Valley, people’s paychecks are being stretched like never before. With U.S. inflation running at its highest rate in the last 40 years, virtually everything requires more money—bacon now costs what steak used to, eggs are approaching $5...

Even though my kids are all-grown-up, nothing pleases me more than hearing them tell me how much they love my cooking, and often they will comment on the food they are eating, food that tastes “just like Grandma used to make.” Grandma Anna, my mother-in-law,...

Do you set personal goals as you head into the new year? Did you know that people who set goals tend to have higher self-motivation, self-esteem, independence and confidence? Having goals gives us a sense of purpose and something to strive for—all important for...

What fun it must have been for the children raised in the 1900s at Filoli Estate. You can just imagine what a kid could do on 654 acres of orchards, fields and gardens creating a maze of places to hide and seek. As gardeners,...

It was 6 o’clock in the morning and I was putting my carry-on and a grocery bag in the United’s overhead container, when I noticed a gentleman chuckling. As I sat in my seat, this fellow leaned over and in a fairly loud voice...

2023 began with back-to-back extreme weather events that resulted in severe flooding, landslides and other impacts to our roads, neighborhoods and businesses in the mountainous Fifth District. Even as we continue addressing the damage, we are still grappling as a County with the aftermath...