Shawn Smith of Santa Cruz has carried shrapnel in his brain since April 13, 2004 when he led his squadron of Marines in the battle of Fallujah. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sgt. Smith and his men located and retrieved classified material and coalition weapons from a U.S. helicopter that had been shot down in Fallujah, Iraq.

It is time to get the gas burners and large pots out for boiling crabs! I am so excited for crab season. I have come to enjoy the change of seasons and how they affect my menu at home.

The Scotts Valley High School doubles team of senior Nicole LaPorte and sophomore Desi Rakela took second in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League after making a surprise push into the finals.

In a battle between the top two teams in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League,

Orin Martin of the Alan Chadwick Garden on the University of California, Santa Cruz campus is widely admired for his incredible knowledge and skills as a master orchardist, horticulturalist and teacher. I was lucky when, a couple of years ago, he visited a group of fellow designers and brought his favorite russet apples. Another time, he brought a dozen different kinds of potatoes that we roasted, critiqued and thoroughly enjoyed.