Opinion

As the once-owner of Salinas Valley Ford Truck Center in Salinas, I find myself grappling with a profound sense of loss and frustration. For more than three decades, our family business provided excellent service to the local community and government agencies. Then, in the blink of...

Many times, over the past five decades I drove between Southern California and the Salinas Valley on El Camino Real, aka the 101, and so am very acquainted with the stretch of asphalt from Santa Barbara to SoMoCo. Now, like motorists everywhere finding a...

Boy oh boy! How many times did I say that as a youth? I was third of four boys. It seemed that my Dad always favored the older two boys in almost every area as a youth. My oldest brother would get a new...

Goodwill has celebrated the power of work since it formed in Boston back in 1919. The nonprofit’s founder Rev. Edgar J. Helms had a simple idea — fight poverty not with charity, but with trade skills — and provide a chance for the poor...

I am a fan of words. I like the sound of words. I like how writers use words and I like to use them myself. I was not aware of writers as a child reader. My family had an encyclopedia set, which came with...

Good day! If you are a regular reader of my scribbles, then you know that a few weeks ago we lost the very best dog that has ever lived. Dirt was what a dog is supposed to be. As you might imagine, if you...

Ever since my sister passed, my daughter and I have been wont to follow her lead and give each other experiences instead of merchandise for special occasions. I was so delighted when the kid gave me concert tickets for Christmas. I love concerts, I...

I believe it is time to take a few days off and take a trip. I can’t even tell you the last time I went to town, much less a trip of more than one day. I go downtown to Gonzales just about every...

My friend and I have been writing the story of our shared childhood. I say “my friend” meaning my oldest friend in the whole world. The story goes that she fell into the boating pond in my hometown (all of 2 feet deep) when...

“Come on, Honey, I promise you will like it. You know how you love swimming.” Her tones were soft and inviting. I had been listening to her try and get me out of the house by going to the city swimming pool. It seems that the...