Opinion

Local column by Joanne Banuelos

I’ve been living in America for 35 years now. Almost to the day. There you have it. I am either very old — or I came to this country very young — you be the judge of that. It is truly amazing how time...

“No doubt the universe will unfold as it should,” I tell my husband (sort of citing my favorite poem “Desiderata”). This was after we returned home from our neighbor’s place up the hill. Most times you go to neighboring homes and receive tomatoes or...

I’ve no idea where the term “bucket list” came from because it makes absolutely no sense. Fortunately, everyone understands what it is. Most of us of a certain age have such a thing — a checklist of sorts for our bucket — places we...

Many of you, or some of you, or heck maybe none of you will, recognize the title of today’s column as the opening lyrics of the song “The Levee’s Gonna Break” made popular by Led Zeppelin in 1971 (actually it is a re-working of...

If you live in South Monterey County, you are among more than 60 million rural Americans. American Community Survey statistics show that Maine and Vermont have the highest proportions of population living in rural areas (about 61%) while California has the lowest (4.9%).  If you’ve...

“You’re here.” I hear your whisper. It comes down on a wisp of wind from the mountains above your home. Where your shell now lies still, and your spirit is at peace. Once listless and always searching, you finally slowed your quest to live...

Some years back there was a fellow in Greenfield who owned an airplane, and as I had no qualms about flying in a small craft, there were many occasions to see the Valley and surrounding areas from aloft. Because I spent the first 19...

We have been playing online “Words with Friends” for a good while now. When she first started, I could beat her rather successfully. Nowadays, I’m lucky to win the odd game. She always was a clever-clogs. One of the great wonders of the modern...