Opinion

Gearing up every morning for a job built on danger just comes with being a firefighter. Yet for thousands who hold this job in the Bay Area, the greatest risk may come not from flames or collapsing walls, but from the gear meant to...

For two years, I’ve organized blood drives, transforming St. Luke’s Church in Los Gatos into a hub of hope, in partnership with the American Red Cross and our dedicated Rotary Clubs.  What began as a logistical dance of appointments and volunteers has become a visceral...

With anti-American sentiment rising in some places, it’s worth reviewing the US Department of State (DoS) Travel Advisory Levels when planning a trip abroad. Each country is rated at one of four levels (China is at Level 2; North Korea is Level 4). There are...

Each week, when members of the Rotary Club of Los Gatos rise to say the Pledge of Allegiance, we reaffirm our commitment to the country and our community. It is a meaningful ritual, but I believe we have room—indeed, a responsibility—for something more. After...

During the past several years, the Community Health and Senior Services Commission has made significant strides in helping to improve senior services in Los Gatos.  Although our focus on senior services is essential, I believe we must also attend to our community’s mental health. Given...

In times of division and frustration, it’s essential to remember that peaceful protest is one of the most powerful tools we have to create change. The right to gather, speak and demand accountability is at the very heart of democracy. Throughout history—whether in the...

I’m still reading the biography of Mark Twain by Ron Chernow. The book is more than 1,000 pages long, so cut me some slack. My last column channeled Twain’s propensity to write fake news stories when he was a journalist. Prior to picking up Chernow’s...

My dad was an all-around handyperson. He had a well-equipped work room in our basement and the knack to take on and complete difficult home improvement projects, such as installing a central air conditioning system, vents and all, to cool our entire house.  Sadly, I...

Happiness is something we all pursue, but sometimes we take it too seriously. Some people treat happiness as a goal to be achieved, while others treat happiness as if it is a key business performance indicator. But in doing so, we miss the things...

They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. We hope that won’t be the case for the West Valley of Santa Clara County, where many of us who rely on private insurance don’t realize how much the County’s hospital system does...