Opinion

I don’t believe I am alone in thinking the last two Funny Papers Again columns were just not necessary. While like most citizens, I have personal positions regarding the present political atmosphere in America, but that does not mean I should use space in...

I don’t get to say that very often; OK, maybe once a year. However, this year I get to say it more than most people. There’s a reason for that — this time of year I want to make sure there isn’t coal in...

It was almost exactly one o’clock in the afternoon on the first day of April when the window blinds in the studio began to move and that was the first indication that the Valley winds have once again arrived for their annual blow. It...

To the Editor: PG&E is hearing from customers that energy bills are higher than normal. We understand increases are challenging. We’re taking action and helping customers.  Natural gas prices have risen significantly, about 90% higher than last winter in PG&E’s service area and nationwide. PG&E passes...

By my reckoning 140 years, give or take, of my family’s timeline was spent in prisons; the years accumulated by my parents, a brother and his wife, a niece and myself. And it seems the family occupation within the California Department of Corrections (CDC;...

An end of the year, month-by-month chronicling of stand-out events of the past year is an age-old newspaper tradition, and as I have never attempted such a column, I thought this year I’d give it a go. In beginning this, don’t know what events...

This week’s scribbling is dedicated to Commander Roger Baez, who was just finishing up two years as commander of Gonzales Post 81 of the American Legion. He was a lot more than that though. He worked every day to increase membership, enhance the Post...

Is it over yet? Can we come out of hiding? You would think that the winners and losers are not put into the same sentence. However, this election seems to have been going on since the last one. I’m not very old, so I...

Local column by Joanne Banuelos

Liar, liar, pants on fire! Have you ever heard those biting words as a child? Maybe it was just a schoolyard taunt by someone you didn’t get along with. Perhaps it was a case of “The dog ate my homework.” And your teacher was...