Opinion

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration and togetherness. However, it can also be a period of stress and overwhelm, especially when it comes to managing expectations and obligations. Setting boundaries is crucial to maintaining a healthy balance and ensuring a positive...

I lived with my aunt and uncle during my early years, who, to this day, I am not sure they believed in the existence of the Almighty. However, every Saturday night I had a bath, whether I thought I needed it or not, and every...

To kick off this year’s holiday season, I plan to add some color to cheer up my houseplant selection. Sometimes I give friends and neighbors a holiday plant, but I need to keep in mind if they have small children or pets as some...

Health and wellness have become more important than ever before. The wellness industry has grown fast after the pandemic. Increased health consciousness has fueled the wellness industry, it’s becoming a stronger and fitter industry. There is a large growth and emphasis on wellness and the...

Once upon a time when our area was under waterthere were no parks or trails or trees or gardens.I'm thankful that our mountains rose from an ancient oceanso we could enjoy this beautiful place we call home.  I'm thankful for the Big-Leaf maplesthat shower me...

I had been tweaking an apple cake recipe for several years and just couldn’t seem to get “it” quite right, until my last effort, and bingo, I finally succeeded when I added sweetened shredded coconut to its batter. Closing my eyes, I took my first...

Warm days, short days, cold days and hopefully rainy days—all in the fall of the year here in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It’s part of what makes our area so special to us. We are inspired by Mother Nature and our mountains. We feel...

The City of Scotts Valley is lucky to have many generous individuals and organizations supporting the City so that more services and amenities are available to the community. This article highlights a few of the wonderful actions recently taken by local residents to make...

In November, we are focused on two issues that are often in the forefront of people’s minds throughout Santa Cruz County and especially in District 5—water and roads. Let’s start with water. My office has spent a great deal of time on shaping a better...

It happened last Sunday morning at 2am. That’s when daylight saving time ended and clocks went back an hour. Sure I got an extra hour sleep, but the end of daylight saving time signals to me that autumn is really here in our mild...