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...

National Public Works Week is from May 21 to 27, so let’s take a look at what Public Works does here in Scotts Valley. We have around 20 staff members in Public Works who take care of wastewater, streets, parks, engineering and recreation services. Wastewater Did...

If you have never buried your face in a pillowcase or pulled sheets over your head at night that have been drying in the morning sunshine, you have missed one of life’s greatest gifts. And to sit under a clothesline while drinking that first...

Having been raised by an order of nuns from France, eating lentils was as commonplace as eating potatoes for me, both as a child and as an adult today. I have no recollection of anyone I know that cooks with lentils, nor have I ever...

Scotts Valley became a city 57 years ago on Aug. 2, 1966. Scotts Valley is still a young city and still evolving. The city’s population has grown from approximately 3,600 in 1970 to about 12,000 residents living in some 4,600 homes today. Forming a new...

In today’s news and on social media, you've probably heard the phrase, “The Genie is out of the Bottle,” referring to Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a “new” technology. But let’s take a step back in time. AI research dates back to the 1950s and...

Looking at your yard and thinking “This year I’m finally going to make some changes and enjoy my garden more”? Take my advice: go on a garden tour for inspiration. Even a visit to a neighbor’s beautiful garden will work to get your creative...

When the huge numbers of California Tortoiseshell butterflies showed up around here on June 10, I learned a lot about the different species of ceanothus and how dependent we are on this plant. Because most of us live near or in a Wildland Urban...

School is officially back in session. A new school year can also bring new stressors. New teachers, new classmates, new routines. Change can be hard. We all want our children to succeed in school, and there are some specific things parents can do to...

As a small child and living with my elderly uncle and aunt, I gave little thought to my absent father until it was time to celebrate Father’s Day at our small school in Aberdeen, Wash. Crayons of various colors were given out and most of...