Opinion

For those of us who are now in our seventh decade, and those of decades more, there are certain times in history that may influence us in often-profound ways. It stands to reason, then, that any news story which gobbled up precious air time...

To the Editor: Today I read about an upcoming ceremony for veterans who served in Vietnam. Unlike other military members in previous wars, they were not given a hero’s welcome upon their return. Now, 50 years after their homecoming, the Vietnam War Commemoration is honoring veterans with...

To the Editor: Thank you Rustler columnist Steve Wilson for using your platform to examine the pressing issues facing us in real time. Your words of March 27, in the middle of what Christians across the world celebrate as Holy Week, remind us that all...

Sometimes it is a hard old universe to still be in old-style media, as opposed to social media that most people are familiar with in this modern world. I’ve been in, on or around newspapers most of my adult life and I still love...

Getting an oddball pet can be a great motivator, especially when it provides food for you as well as bug control and an endless supply of fertilizer for the garden. I never thought I’d be one to raise a flock of fowl ever again in...

In California’s Monterey Bay region, residents face overlapping challenges that are crucial to creating an inclusive, prosperous community. Good jobs, health, education, broadband, affordable housing, accessible transportation, and climate resilience are interconnected needs that must be addressed with urgency and purpose. In the wake of...

Each holiday season comes with high expectations for happy, carefree gatherings. It’s all too true, however, that once the calendar turns to November, feelings of sadness or anxiety can sometimes take hold. Beyond major depression or severe anxiety disorders (which require professional help), it’s common...

I couldn’t 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 couldn’t stop. The lady near me swung around in her chair with her latte...

Local column by Joanne Banuelos

For decades in the Salinas Valley, the short-handle hoe, known as “El Cortito,” was used for weeding and thinning rows of crops that kept farmworkers stooped over for long hours each day. Workers were only able to stand and stretch when they reached the...