Mayor For The Day returns
Being the mayor of a city carries with it a lot of responsibilities and can be quite demanding. It can also be rewarding and gratifying. Many of us get elected with a vision for our community. I was green, but had the fire in my stomach to...
Is there no balm in Gilead … or anywhere?
Looking over the suffering of his people, the prophet Jeremiah cries out in grief and dismay, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?” (Jeremiah 8:22) That is, is there no comfort for the suffering? Is there no relief for the...
The timeless message of the Messiah
Every year around this time, choirs perform Handel’s Messiah (including in my own congregation). What is it about a piece of music written 260 years ago that still captures hearts today––in fact, especially today, as we endure our long, strange journey through the pandemic...
Stubborn as a Stone
“Hard is stone, soft is water; water will wear away stone. If one has plumbed the mind, the Enlightenment of Bodhi is certain.” If true entrusting is at a distance, intensive listening to the Buddha Dharma ends in entrusting due to the Buddha’s compassionate...
Fighting the pandemic of contempt
When my wife Laurie and I teach at marriage retreats we often refer to the work of Dr. John Gottman. In his famous “glass house” at the University of Washington, Gottman has studied thousands of married couples over decades of research to see what...
Embrace yourself
“Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind,
had settled on us as the focus of his love,
to be made whole and holy by his love.”
- Ephesians 1:4
This is a Yiddish story of “Mr. Goldberg the Tailor.”
There once lived Mr. Goldberg,...
Harvesting a home
The Meyer Farm Worker Housing held its grand opening on April 20, and in the coming weeks will house 216 workers in the space on north First Street and Broadway.
Auction raises $2.1M at Salinas Valley Fair
With the theme “Cowboy Up and Wind Down,” the 2017 Salinas Valley Fair brought thousands of visitors to South County and featured the annual Junior Livestock Auction, which raked in $2.1 million from the sale of 950 animals.
Embracing a new approach to wildlife control
When an animal is spotted by humans in the wild, it is often an exciting and awe-inspiring moment. Many of us are intrigued by wild animals — from grazing deer to stealthy mountain lions. If taught right, we know how to interact with them, keeping our distance and respecting their behavior.
Male Athlete of the Year: St. Francis’ Nash Horton dominates after...
St. Francis graduate Nash Horton suffered a devastating and potential career-ending injury after he tore his right shoulder labrum at the beginning of the...
