Deconstructing the ‘skinny’ about food reports
Are you finding it harder to eat these days? For example:
And the Winner is …
Last week we featured candidates for the South Valley's Most Adorable Dog. We got phone calls and e-mails from as far away as Southern California from people casting their votes for their favorite pooch.
Teen boys and Axe: A terrible combination
Somewhere around middle school something horrible happens to our sons. Yes, they discover … Axe Body Spray.
2012: The year to restore Prop 13
Jon Coupal likes to say his hard-fighting organization, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, exists to beat back constant attacks on Proposition 13, the landmark 1978 initiative that limits property taxes in California.
Player of the Week leads to MVP, and plenty of grace
When oldest daughter Shannon came into the world, many moons ago, I was a young whippersnapper sports editor at the Atascadero News, owned by the three gracious Porter brothers, Judd, Jim and Jack. The brothers three allowed me to name Shannon "The Player of the Week" that September, despite it being in the middle of another championship football season for the formidable Atascadero Greyhounds. I followed the format, typed in my baby girl's height and weight, added a picture of the latest "Team Derry" member, waxed the finished product up (we don't do that anymore, it's all electronic and digital) and pasted it onto the sports page. Fast forward – and life sure does go fast – to this week and that Player of the Week has given birth to an MVP, who has had to fight through a crummy infection right out of the gate. But the newest addition is doing well after a few spooky days, and so is mom. The MVP's first name is down to two choices, but her middle name, appropriately, is 99% likely to be Grace. She came into the world exactly on her due date, Sunday, Oct. 30, and weighed in at 7 pounds nine ounces stretching out 21 inches long. For Halloween, my daughter says, "Cupcake" wanted to be an astronaut, thus the oxygen bubble which is now, thankfully, history. I'm just thrilled that in a few Halloweens, I'll be able to find her an astronaut costume and hold her hand while we're trick-or-treating. That's grace and I'm a grateful "Papa" for many reasons.
Beagle and Schnitzel: They’re here to save the day
Beagle and Schnitzel; two little brown rescues that run our lives. We rescued Beagle from a shelter in Santa Cruz five years ago and nursed him through Parvo. A 12-pound little dachshund/Chihuahua mix originally named Wasabi, which we changed due to our love for the breed of beagle. He is quite regal, like an eagle, our Beagle. We loved him so much, he was the ring bearer at our wedding.

















