While the National Football League lockout has fans and players alike wondering what to do, 49ers kicker Joe Nedney took some of his newly acquired free time to spend with a group of kids from Vine Hill Elementary School. A batch of a dozen or so kids from Vine Hill won a raffle to participate in the punt, pass and kick day with Nedney in Scotts Valley at Skypark this weekend.

I caught up with longtime valley resident John Swedlund, the San Lorenzo Valley High School shot-put record-holder and the co-owner of Scotts Valley Fitness Club.

The weather this year has agreed with my roses. It might seem like we're living in England lately, but the roses have appreciated the cool, damp spring. All the better to set lots of buds, without a sudden heat wave to ruin the show. Every rose lover I've talked to is raving about the quality, quantity and extended bloom time for their roses.

The Steelheads threw superstition to the wind, dawned brand new jerseys for the first time this season, and for the fourth year in a row, won the IOOF San Lorenzo Valley co-ed softball crown.