Columns

How often are you getting in cardio and core training? Let’s start off talking about cardio. When we think of cardio, what comes to mind? Running, walking and swimming are generally the most common thought of, but there are so many more options when...

Well, it’s come to this—my 900th column. Starting way back in October of 2005, my first column appeared in the newly combined San Lorenzo Valley Press and the Scotts Valley Banner, which was re-named the Press Banner. This is how it all got started. My...

One intersection with traffic lights. No high school. No movie theater. No transit center. One big shopping center. That was Scotts Valley when I arrived as a reporter for what is now the Press Banner 50 years ago. But Scotts Valley was not a one-horse...

Vacations are meant to be filled with adventure, curiosity and pure enjoyment. We all have ideas of how to spend our holiday time, but there’s something special about strolling along the main streets of downtown areas anywhere in the world. It’s a chance to...

Growing up in the 1940s, every household in my family included a chicken coop in the backyard. And when families came together for holidays there was always talk about the price of “scratch,” which was their name for chicken feed and the price per...

With our gardens coming to life at this time of year we are hopeful that each plant will achieve its full during this growing season. But that doesn’t always turn out to be the case and sometimes it’s hard to figure out what exactly...

June is Professional Wellness Month. The goal of Professional Wellness month is to shine a light on the important role the workplace plays in creating a holistic environment for employees and how organizations can support the mental and physical wellbeing of their employees. Why Is...

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...

It's always a breathtaking experience taking a walk at this time of year. You might see the cobalt blue flowers of ceanothus or a stand of dicentra formosa with their dainty pink bell-shaped flowers backlit in the spring sunlight. Coral bells are in full...

In Santa Cruz County there are seven separate water agencies that serve our community, each with different sources of water, customer demographics and infrastructure ages. As a result, each agency has different needs and approaches to operations and, until recently, operated largely independently of...