When I first moved to Santa Cruz in 1971, it was one of those places described as home to the newly wed and the nearly dead. That's because the cost of living was (incredibly, as viewed in 2012) far less than other places in California. It's different ... »
By TOM HONIG CAPITOLA -- Science writer Gary Taubes questions the medical community’s conventional wisdom about why Americans get fat, and he’s bringing his message to Santa Cruz County. The author of the best-selling book “Why We Get Fat,” Taubes take... »
By TOM HONIG The Sentinel has published an excellent q-and-a about a proposal to move a Warriors-affiliated D-League basketball team to Santa Cruz. The q-and-a was provided by the Golden State Warriors. It'll be fascinating to watch next week when the ... »
EDITOR'S NOTE: Is the word "compromise" in the local activist's dictionary? Apparently not, judging from this post by Robert Singleton of Santa Cruz, who attended the recent City Council hearing on a multi-use trail through Pogonip. This fight -- envir... »
By TOM HONIG The Panetta Institute Lecture Series starts up on Monday night in Monterey, with Middle East experts Dennis Ross and Fran Townsend. It's with a sense of relief that the lecture series begins. As the chattering classes continue sticking to ... »
By TOM HONIG You have to feel some sympathy for anyone trying to follow the debate over a proposed desalination plant in Santa Cruz. It's like trying to watch a sports event in which one team is playing hockey and the other is playing basketball. City ... »
Second in a series By TOM HONIG Last week the Chamber of Commerce presented data about the local retail economy. The night before, the County Office of Education presented its first Regional Occupational Program Advisory Night -- an opportunity for bus... »
First in a series By TOM HONIG At a Chamber of Commerce meeting this week, an old statistic came rising out of the data pile -- still as shocking as the day it was reported several months ago: some 85 percent of potential retail dollars are being spent... »
By TOM HONIG A singer I met several years ago told me that she had grown tired of her voice and even her interpretation of music that she sang. She decided to take a couple years off and just listen to the sounds of others. Only the shampoo bottle in... »
By TOM HONIG Pundits from Shel Silverstein to Thomas Carlyle have inveighed about the passage of time. Silverstein: "They're tearing down buildings that I watched them build..." Carlyle: "The illimitable, silent, never-resting thing called Time, rollin... »
EDITOR'S NOTE: Recent posts have focused on growth at UCSC and the attitudes of some longtime residents. The following piece is written by a current student at the university -- a self-described environmentalist who has a unique and worthwhile take on ... »
SECOND IN A SERIES By TOM HONIG There are a lot of harsh words for UC Santa Cruz and its plan to expand city services to a portion of campus. What gets under the skin of some critics is that the university doesn't legally need the permission of local a... »
FIRST IN A SERIES It doesn't make sense on the face of it: some are protesting the idea of a desalination plant in Santa Cruz because there's enough water here if people just conserve. But some of the same people are fighting any future expansion at UC... »
THIRD IN A SERIES By TOM HONIG Santa Cruz's singular economy is one where a lot of people have to leave the county in order to afford living here.. Is that sustainable? Is that what local people want? Some say that it's just what you get. Local Larry D... »
Word got around today that Bruce McPherson is re-entering the world of elective politics. He's going to run for -- not Congress, not state office -- but for a local office -- Fifth District County Supervisor. See the breaking news story on the Sentinel... »
