Opinion

Well, this is a fine kerfuffle. I had already decided what and whom I would write about this week. I try to do that every week but occasionally I have to call or email and beg Ryan, our esteemed editor of all things printed,...

To the Editor: February is Black History Month, and the following are three African-Americans who had the character and courage to push ahead and made our country a better place for our families. Bass Reeves (1838-1910) was born a slave. When he turned 26, he became...

The holiday season brings excitement, but it can also disrupt our routines and make it easy to let healthy habits slip. With travel, parties and shopping, it’s common for our usual health practices to take a backseat. One of the biggest challenges in December is...

For one who enjoys words and how when used properly can elicit a gamut of human response from joy to anger, from antipathy to action. But I don’t always warm up to new usages of old words that spring from who knows where. Journalists...

They say you can’t go home again. It’s my experience that sometimes you can, though it is certainly not for everyone. I was recently fortunate enough to be able to spend a week not only in my hometown, but in my home cottage where...

I am sure you who read this column have no doubt noticed recently I’ve been a day late and a dollar short, to torture a metaphor. A couple weeks ago I mentioned Maddie and Tae, a singing duo advertised at the Fairgrounds, and as...

It is 3 a.m., this column will run Feb. 1, one week from this morning. According to statistics from 2020, by that date 868 people in the United States will have died from gun violence. Now that you see where this is heading, you...

I am fortunate enough to have access to a vehicle when one is required, and so I was recently able to make it to two events, one as participant and the other as attendee. These two events were miles and cultures apart; not uncommon...

As I begin this weekly addition to the greatest periodical in South Monterey County, I should warn you that some words might need explanation. OK, I can hear the mumbling. “What is this wanna-be Hemingway talking about this week?” That’s a fair question, so...

Last week, PBS’s news program “Frontline” aired an episode about Covid-19’s devastating impact on the lives and health of farmworkers in Monterey County and meat packers in Kings County. The stories, voices and fears of our farmworkers are certainly important and must be heard by all...