Commentary

Apathy among voters is troubling

BETWEEN THE LINES

After the column I wrote last week calling into question how Mariposa County could have such an unexpected deficit, I must say I have received a lot of responses. I’ve concluded either people regularly read my column and normally just don’t comment or that this one really hit home. I’m hoping it’s the former. The basic question which has resulted […]

Happy to be in this gig together

KELLIE’S CORNER

I blinked again and it’s been four years since I started at the Gazette. If anyone can explain the increasingly rapid passage of time, please email me. It’s a job I didn’t see coming but one I feel has suited me well. I’m proud of the work we’ve done, particularly when it comes to preserving some of the history in […]

Getting by with a little help from their ‘Friends’

CHECK IT OUT

In the early Roman calendar, March was the first month of the year. And as it also heralded the arrival of spring with the vernal equinox, it was a time of new beginnings. The New Year isn’t the only time for resolutions: the start of spring can be a great time to adopt a new happy habit or decide to […]

Do affirmations really work?

SECOND HALF

I feel like we could all use a bit of extra support these days. I can definitely say I’m ready for the warmer, sun-filled days of summer. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like there’s so much emphasis on affirmations in the world lately. But do they work? I think the best definition I’ve found for what an affirmation […]

Reaching a consensus is a big challenge

KEEPING THE FAITH

Editor’s note: This is the seventh in a nine-part series that will appear monthly. Everything we’ve discussed in this series of articles points clearly for action to solve today’s various challenges, and science is obviously important to inform that action. Bahá’u’lláh speaks often about science: “The source of crafts, sciences and arts is the power of reflection. Make ye every […]

Giant sequoias namesake park really deserves a visit

ROOM TO ROAM

Grand as they are, it’s easy to overlook giant sequoias, even for those who visit the Sierra Nevada range often. Tahoe skiers and Yosemite climbers don’t even pass close to the biggest clusters of the world’s largest trees in Sequoia National Park. At least once in a while, they should. Giant sequoias rate among the world’s tallest, oldest and prettiest […]

JUST SAY KNOW

PRACTICING PUBLIC HEALTH

If you indulge in social media, or even just talk with other people, you’ll know that there’s a new weight-loss drug out there. It’s merely the latest in a long string of drugs that people gobble up in order to not gobble up other things. I’ve seen it my entire career. There’s also a substance that’s been sold from Florida […]

Throwing stones into the pond of life

BALANCE POINT

The start of the year was rough for me, no two ways around it. Heading down Miller Road, planning to run two simple errands after a long weekend of being sick and finally feeling better, I could feel it coming on. “Not now …,” I thought. “I just want to pick up drinks and go through the pharmacy.” My mind […]

Keeping an eye on the county budget

BETWEEN THE LINES

As I sat down to talk to Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese last week, I really wasn’t sure how the interview was going to go. As usual, it went well because Briese is generally open to any questions I have and does his best to answer those questions. Sometimes, I forget how difficult it must be to be on the […]

Most people are in the middle on issues

GUEST OPINION

In response to my letter recapping the national Democratic Party priorities as well as a general call to vote, Michael and Linda O’Connor decided to anoint California as the poster child for the party and use rather dubious methods to shine a negative light. It would make about as much sense as someone choosing Alabama to represent all red states, […]


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