Opinion

The day wasn’t turning out to be one of the “best” in my life…I had forgotten to marinate my skirt steak hours before, and the dinner I was preparing had a lack-luster appearance to it, and as my hubby Norm walked by, I cried...

Every spring when the dogwoods, lilac and wisteria bloom I get excited. Not having room myself for these beauties, I visit friends’ gardens often. Seems everything is flowering now—lavender, salvia, protea, ceanothus, lily-of-the-valley shrub, bleeding hearts, coral bells, grevillea, camellia, abutilon and more. Here...

Our Santa Cruz County court will soon begin our process of interviewing and selecting our 2024-25 Civil Grand Jury, and we hope you will consider applying. Serving on the grand jury is a tremendous opportunity to support our local community and to contribute to the...

The sun’s out, the weather is getting warmer, so let’s step outside more. Natural sunlight can provide you with vitamin D, an essential vitamin for healthy bones and a strong immune system. Outdoor training tends to help boost your motivation and can offer a nice...

If the partial eclipse had fallen on Earth Day, it would have been the perfect trifecta as Jupiter and Venus were also visible that day. Still it was fun to watch the moon cover part of the sun and reflect on our planet and...

I believe that envy is one of the seven deadly sins and any decent person should avoid that sentiment at all costs. But when I look at and experience the downtowns of all the other cities in the county, a little bit of jealousy...

I love the kind neighbors and towering cathedrals of redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains and will never willingly leave. The planner in me admits people can work here and then stretch retirement dollars further with cheaper houses in another state or country—but good...

I have always been in awe over the way the elderly citizens of Japan are taken care of by their families as mothers and fathers become grandmas and grandpas, their faces no longer smooth and supple, but because of age, wrinkles have become the...

“The spoil is made of butterfly wings, dinosaur teeth, pumpkin sees, lizard skins and fallen leaves. Put your hands in the soil and touch yesterday and all that will be left of tomorrow shall return so that new life can celebrate this day.” —Betty...

A quiet revolution is underway in Santa Cruz Mountains’ lush valleys amidst the towering redwoods and winding creeks. It’s a tale of resilience, community and the enduring power of connections—the resurgence of networking in the San Lorenzo Valley (SLV). As we gathered together after the...