Opinion

Have you read any good books lately? I have given up rating films as someone always has a different opinion. However, books are another thing. I’m always looking for good books. “To Kill a Mocking Bird” or “The Yearling” are a couple of books...

“You’re too damn cynical!” That was the total critique of a speech I gave back in high school in 1970, the critic a friend we called Pepper. I took that criticism to heart and in the decades since have tried to temper my cynicism...

I recall so clearly the simplicity of the holidays when we were young. We would show up and be fed and presented with presents, as it were. (Occasionally I would help Mum with the wrapping, but that was about the extent of my responsibilities.)...

So I’m sitting in my favorite chair lacing up my tennis shoes when the phone rings. I’m only a little concerned because Lorraine pays all the bills and she has not advised me that we are in trouble. I look at the phone only...

Today is a day when my dad would greet everyone he met with the most common phrase in the farmers lexicon. “Hot enough for you?” Actually, he didn’t say that very often. When you wake up over in the San Joaquin Valley, summer is...

Fifteen years is a long time; but is it? Time compresses and expands like an accordion, often catching you off guard. A memory popped up, as they do in the infinite world of social media memory. It made me stop and examine that face....

Happy February! In February, we have Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and so many things to celebrate. 1. February is one of our favorite months because it is also Library Lover’s Month! Do you love your library? There are many ways to show your library love....

To the Editor: As we enter the fall season, I would like to remind our community of the importance of protecting yourself, your loved ones and your neighbors by getting a flu shot. At Mee Memorial Healthcare System, our mission has always been to keep our...

Providing quality healthcare in the modern world requires effective teamwork — a strategy that can immediately and positively affect both patient safety and outcome. Due to the increasingly complex specialization of care, it’s rare to find a lone medical professional able to solely deliver...

To the Editor: On Cesar Chavez Day, March 31, during National Farmworker Awareness Week, I pause to appreciate his commitment and historical accomplishments. Meanwhile, many questions remain.  Why are there no mandates regarding public notification of intent to use toxic pesticides, fungicides and fumigants? Why can’t...