Guest Column | The Impact of Medicare on the Health and Wellbeing of Rural Americans
In rural America, hospitals are more than healthcare providers ā they are pillars of their communities. They deliver essential medical services, create jobs and support the overall wellbeing of thousands of residents who might otherwise face insurmountable barriers to care.
As the CEO of Mee...
Adventure Abounds Column: A house divided
America may have a great multitude of blemishes on our record, but our existence stands as a testament that diverse groups united can accomplish greatness. Which is why itās so strange to watch the developing national news about how weāre coming apart with a...
Funny Papers Again Column | The Good, the (Not) Bad and the Ugly
I began this column at 4 a.m. last Thursday and expect to finish sometime in the next 84 hours or so, at which time my goal is to give a brief recitation of this past weekend. But first I want to talk about asphalt....
Funny Papers Again Column | A Time of Music, Dance and Old Friends
The Pops! are coming, the Pops! are coming! In fact, by the time you read this, they may already be in town. Iām talking about the Monterey County Pops! Symphony Orchestra (and those are not typos, the name includes the exclamation point after Pops;...
Window on the World Column | Traveling With a Cold
I couldnāt help it, I had to cough. My throat became the most horrendous tickle fest. It was coming; everyone was looking at me. Noooo! Then, once I started, I couldnāt stop. The lady near me swung around in her chair with her latte...
Worthy to Print Column | Happy Trails, Rene!
This past week started off in good shape. I got a lot of stuff done that I have had on my to-do list. Still working on my truck, but now I just need some more parts. Then, the bottom of the week dropped out.
We...
Funny Papers Again Column | If I Were King
We donāt have kings in the United States of America; yet how many of us have at one time or other wished we had ultimate authoritarian power? Remember, even the Cowardly Lion wanted to be āNot queen, not duke, not princeā but āKing of...
Guest Column | 5 Things for September from Monterey County Free Libraries
1. September is Library Card sign-up month. Your library is a place that welcomes all and provides programs and services all year round to help community members learn, grow, play or relax. Make sure you visit your library to get a library card! It...
Guest Column | Tackling the Commercial Property Crime Epidemic
As the once-owner of Salinas Valley Ford Truck Center in Salinas, I find myself grappling with a profound sense of loss and frustration. For more than three decades, our family business provided excellent service to the local community and government agencies. Then, in the blink of...
Window on the World Column | Life-Saving Measures
I knew she had been unwell for some time. When I say āsometime,ā I mean years. It was quite shocking when I saw her the last time. The liver disease was really taking its toll on her, and she told me that she was...




















