EDITOR,

EDITOR,

Former Santa Cruz area songbird Lacy J. Dalton says she’s always had a fond place in her heart for Santa Cruz and San Lorenzo Valley, where she grew her folk-country-Americana sound in the hippie era of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The recent passage of the state budget resulted in the loss of Medi-Cal “optional benefits” effective July 1, a $129.4 million spending cut designed to reduce California’s budget deficit.

About five years ago. I was checking my credit card account when I noticed a purchase in Albany, New York, with a vendor I didn’t recognize. Since I haven’t been to Albany in about 40 years, I had a sneaky suspicion something was awry. It turned out to be a purchase at an adult bookstore.

You know that growing your own fruit and vegetables can supply your family with fresh-tasting and nutritious food. But what if you don’t have much space for a big garden or an orchard of fruit trees? Nowadays there are many dwarf and compact varieties available for smaller yards and containers. Here are some good ones to try.

The weathered sign that points to the hidden park stands unnoticed by the traffic moving up the mountain. In the small, dusty parking lot, tan oaks and poison oak surround the few cars.

EDITOR,

EDITOR,