Opinion

Many of us live under oaks or are surrounded by redwoods. We know the value of trees in the landscape. Trees shade us in the summer. We anticipate their showy blossoms in the spring and enjoy their beautiful colorful foliage in the fall. You...

“The weeds of socialism are better than the crops of capitalism.” —Chairman Mao Zedong Bernie Sanders won Santa Cruz County primaries twice and now Ocasio-Cortez, Mandami, El-Sayed and Flanagan gain power. DSA friendly candidates threaten moderate Democrats and independent votes enough to give MAGA a...

Take your workout in the water. Training in the gym or on land isn’t the only way to get in better shape. You can burn calories, fat and build muscle with aquatic fitness just as you do on land. Aquatic fitness isn’t just for the...

My neighbor’s dog, Winston, is dealing with the heat of the summer during his walk and visit to my place. He can hardly wait for a drink of water and a flop on the cool hardwood floor. Even the plants outside aren’t happy when...

“And going places I’ve never been. Time turns the pages and oh, life goes so fast, Lord, I wish I was eighteen again.” —George Burns, 1980 In Aberdeen, Wash., Uncle and Aunt’s old two-story and eight-bedroom boarding house sat on the edge of a slough;...

USPS Plans Single Daily Pickup Regarding David Erickson’s letter in the Aug. 7 Press Banner (“Scotts Valley PO Mail Delays Draw Concern”): USPS is in the process of implementing a plan to eliminate all but one daily pickup (Monday through Saturday) from all post offices that...

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...

Scotts Valley PO Mail Delays Draw Concern I am writing concerning service degradation at the Scotts Valley Post Office. We recently mailed two Priority Mail packages at the Post Office: May 26 and July 20, 2026. Each of these packages was scanned into the system at...