Columns

Wow… summer sure went by quickly. I hope you and your families have all had a chance to enjoy our great weather, take a vacation, celebrate July 4 and our city’s 60th birthday. Your Scotts Valley schools kicked off last week, and as you...

Enjoying a spectacular sunset on a warm evening in the summertime is one of life’s simple pleasures. Peach and orange tones bounce off the bottom of gauzy cirrus clouds as they streak across the sky. Combine these warm colors with varying shades of blue...

A year ago, I publicly recommended that investors hedge bets against stocks in fear that Trump tariffs would start devastating trade wars. The Supreme Court temporarily saved us, but now we face both tariffs and “forever war” with Iran or desperate peace which sacrifices...

Think back to when you were 10 years old. Making a friend was as simple as sharing a swing set or trading half a sandwich at lunch. Fast forward a few decades, and somehow the whole thing feels... complicated. If you’ve ever thought, “How...

My friend, Grace, visited the other day. She’s almost 7 years old now and is really getting into plants, flowers and especially the birds that visit my little garden. She spent a lot of time quietly watching and listening to all the songbirds, hummingbirds...

Sometimes the people making the biggest difference in our community aren’t the ones seeking attention. They are simply showing up every day, solving problems and helping their neighbors. That perfectly describes Mike Boffy, our downtown Felton Farmers Insurance agent. For many San Lorenzo Valley residents,...

As August approaches, Scotts Valley is preparing to celebrate 60 years since becoming a city. In September 1960, residents learned of plans to build a cemetery in the middle of Scotts Valley, not far from Santa’s Village. Residents organized a protest attending a County Planning...

Contrary to the belief that Bagels and Lox were first contrived by the Jewish people, this delicious concoction made its way to America in the early 20th century by the Scandinavian fishermen as they immigrated through New York’s Ellis Island. Homes did not have refrigerators,...

I read about a study in France a while ago that suggests that humans are quickly altering the way flowers are reproducing, and it’s happening in just 20 generations. Toxic pesticides and vanishing habitats have driven down the populations of bees and other pollinators,...

“By their own admission, Fannie executives loosened their mortgage standards to regain market share (the profit motive), as well as to meet government housing mandates (the government-policy motive).” —James Hagerty, “The Fateful History of Fannie Mae,” p.195 Housing shortages and mortgage solutions are not new;...