I’ve recently had a personal experience that punctuated the importance of background checks and that I thought worthy enough to share. The event occurred in June — the same month the now-infamous Bernie Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison. The timing is fitting.

Saturday, Aug. 15

Bees have been getting a lot of press lately.

In the United States, we label our wines according to varietal.

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related emergency-room visits for those older than 65. The risk of falling increases with age and is greater for women than men. Falls are also the leading cause of death from injury among the elderly. Almost 10,000 deaths in older Americans are associated with falls every year.

Mountain Community Theater, based out of Park Hall in Ben Lomond, will perform a preview of their upcoming show, Duets of Broadway III, at the Scotts Valley Art and Wine Festival this weekend.