Opinion

Just 15 months following the end of World War II, a small yet passionate group of musicians and fans of classical music gathered for tea at the Carmel home of Grace Howden. Less than a year later (April 28, 1947), the Monterey Symphony gave its...

I have always been a reader. Back in the Paper Age people had a set of books in their homes which was known as an encyclopedia; comprised of two Greek words meaning “complete education.” They were a very comprehensive resource used by millions for...

How do you kickstart a quality healthcare system in a small agricultural town during one of the worst economic slumps in American history? Philanthropy and volunteerism, that’s how. King City opened the area’s first full-fledged hospital in 1941, with 22 beds in a single-story building...

Crossing Nevada is similar to my memory of crossing Texas. It goes on forever. And just when you think it has to end, it carries on. Acres of mining, solar panels and corrections. Electricity poles line the freeway for miles, as if there were...

To the Editor: Today (Jan. 11) I received a letter from Waste Management in the mail. It threatened to fine me if I didn’t recycle properly. There was a picture of some waste that was not recognizable. I wanted an explanation, so I tried to called them....

You know I like to start off with a nice story about someone local or something good that has happened here in Gonzales or South County. I can’t do that this week because of some reprobates that don’t understand that firecrackers and cherry bombs...

Greetings on the last day of 2025. And what a year it has been. As I look back on this year, I think about what those of us in our senior years, that being anyone 70 years old and up, have seen happen in...

I went to a holiday party the other night. I’ll tell you more about that in another column. The reason I brought it up is because I awoke this morning after a dream that could have been caused by memories of past parties. I...

Alas, Dear Reader! Here is hope that your waning days of the dog days of August are filled with light and laughter. As for me and my dependents, the sun doesn’t shine as bright as I would have hoped. I had spent long hours...

For members of previous generations, a “wakeup call” meant having a hotel employee ring their room at a certain time to rouse them from bed. Today the term is used when we’ve been doing something self destructive for some time (perhaps without realizing it)...