Opinion

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...

Last evening I walked out to my mailbox to check and see if I had any mail. I didn’t, but something better was given to me. My neighbor was playing some music while he played with his children. It was really cool listening to...

East Greenfield is not an official designation, but it serves my purpose as definition because I can remember a time when the whole of the area east of Third Street was just about the extent of residential property; and most of that was on...

The vast majority of American politicians are in the business of kicking the can down the road, with one notable exception: Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. I know “kicking the can down the road” is an old cliché used to reference the arms race, federal budget, childcare,...

“It’s OK for the young people,” she said. “They have all the time in the world. Us oldies don’t have a year to waste sitting around the house and waiting to start up life again…” Initially I felt sad for this older lady and...

Big day today! It’s my favorite mother-in-law’s birthday. Nelda has reached a milestone and my favorite bride has, along with some favorite friends, taken her over to the Peninsula to slam down a couple of milkshakes to celebrate the fact that she can still...

It took me forever to get a college degree. Really. It was nearly 30 years and over 330 miles apart — from September of 1970 when I enrolled as a drama major at Hartnell in Salinas until March of 2000 before I got an...

It was 2020 and, like a champ, I had the flu and the pneumonia vaccination in one foul swoop. It was recommended for us folks of a certain age. We weathered mild side effects from both shots, and I didn’t get either virus. Result…...

To the Editor: Dear residents, your support is crucial for our city’s future. Measure T is a vital sales tax measure designed to continue the progress we’ve made in enhancing our infrastructure, expanding recreational opportunities and improving our safety. By voting yes on Measure T, you’ll help...

To the Editor: Last week’s paper contained a letter detailing one way in which government agencies have failed (“No Happy Ending for Bridge Plaque,” March 23). I’d like to share a story that balances that experience with this letter about how they are succeeding. Last Thursday...