Opinion

Local column by Joanne Banuelos

When I was a young man — oh, about 12 — I wondered why we even had to go to school. I got along with all my classmates and even liked my teacher, but on a day when the sun was out and the...

The masks are coming off people; and what is apparent is what is underneath isn’t always that pretty. No one has been to the dentist in forever, beards are growing on the women and, even sadder, people have been hiding behind their masks for...

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’d like to start this piece with a quote: “In 2023, we must come together again in partnership for the planet. Businesses, governments and civil society are equally responsible for taking action against the climate crisis and lighting the spark to accelerate change towards...

When I was a very young man, I rode around with my dad as he went from field to field down in Santa Maria. It was just about my favorite thing to do. My dad was the foreman of a company that grew flowers...

I ventured up to Greenfield the other day with the intent of doing a quick scan of Oak Avenue and El Camino Real where sits, on the northwest corner, the old Ioppini Building, or the Beyer Building, or The Economy Market — old-timers take...

I spent most of the day on Saturday cleaning out my garage, and I don’t know if I will finish before the weekend is over. Funny how I keep watching the detritus get taller and taller. I keep telling myself that I will be...

During your wedding vows, in less than good health and in slightly better health and all that jazz, you are so caught up in the romanticism of the prospect of — hopefully — being together forever, you don’t really think about the sickness part...

I wish more people read books. I’ve said that many times in my life since the Internet has become near everything in people’s lives and books were placed on the back shelf, as it were, where they have become very dusty. Occasionally I’ll get...