2013 Columns Archive Stories

I don't know why he caught my attention; the area is replete with folks on bicycles. Perhaps it was the fact that he had a rather large adult tricycle laden with a full cart on the back. His pace was slow and steady even as the heavy winds fought him along the way. I noticed the following day he was down the road a stretch of maybe some

Another invitation arrived today. That makes six this year. Everybody but you, it seems, is having a baby, therefore, a baby shower. Consequently, you've bought enough receiving blankets to cover your city and wrapped enough tiny outfits to outfit an infantry of infants. You're good with babies. Everybody says so, but for whateve

Dear Mary: What do you think about settling a debt with a creditor? I recently agreed to one for a credit card, and the bank did notify me that the forgiven debt will be considered income by the IRS. I will have to file taxes on this amount using form 1099C. The bank will report the zero balance to the credit agencies, my credit r

Q: Is it legal for motorcyclists to ride between vehicles that are waiting at stop lights? A: Yes, the practice sometimes referred to as "lane splitting" or "lane sharing" is allowed in California, in a "safe and prudent manner," the California Highway Patrol says. It's probably a good time to discuss a motorcycle issue; this bei

As I get older, it seems like I am naturally drawn to people who have some obvious issues in their lives. You know — character defects that can be easily see or identified. As a Christian, I love people, but it seems like I love the imperfect ones more. I know from the Bible that there no perfect people, only those who think they a

The package was wrapped so nicely. The paper was festive, the colors zesty with frou-frou ribbon and a shiny bow on top. Surely, if it was possible for someone to make a career out of wrapping gifts, it was such a person who wrapped this one. Too bad it was a gift you never wanted. Yes, we've all had them: odd presents, a

Dear Savvy Senior: What can you tell me about the new Obamacare health insurance exchanges that begin next year? I am interested in retiring early at age 61 but need to find some affordable health care until my Medicare benefits begin at 65. — Ready to Retire Dear Ready: The new health insurance exchanges &mdas

Dear Mary: Please give me some pointers about bouncing back from bankruptcy. Will this have any effect on future employment opportunities? — Henry, email Dear Henry: Live on cash. Have only one credit card, and if you use it, pay it in full every month. Refuse all other offers of credit, and take on no unsecure

Q: Were criminal charges ever filed against the teenager who was involved in the crash last January that killed that 4-year-old Plumas Lake boy? A: Yes, the Yuba County District Attorney's Office filed a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge on March 5 against the driver, Jessie Campos. Campos, 19, of Wheatland, pleaded not g

This week (May 14) in 1948, at the direction of President Harry Truman, the United States recognized the existence of the newly formed nation of Israel, which had declared independence earlier that day. It was, Truman later stated, among the most important decisions of his presidency. It was certainly among the most controversial, having

It was a moment in history that went by in a flash. You may have missed it. Here's your chance to relive the moment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly compilation of metropolitan area employment and unemployment. And in the fourth paragraph was this stunning revelation: "Yuba City, Calif., had the largest over-t

II Corinthians 3:15-17 talks about the heart of man. Jesus taught about heart sins. His main point was in the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh, then He states where your treasure is, is where the heart will be. Many people have their hearts on going to heaven and believe that Jesus died on the cross, and by that act, they are f

Q: My husband had gastric bypass surgery, and his Type 2 diabetes has been gone for four years now. Will it stay gone for the rest of his life? — Marianne Z., Little Falls, NY A: In one bariatric surgery study at Dr. Mike's Cleveland Clinic, about 50 percent of the patients saw complete remission of Type 2 diab

Dear Mary: My husband and I were excited to start our rapid debt-repayment plan and did well the first month. Now we have fallen off the wagon and are behind on payments again. We haven't used our credit cards, but we feel discouraged. Now what? — Teresa, California Dear Teresa: Want to know how many times I fe

Q: Is the criminal bail schedule in Yuba County in compliance with state law? A: No, it's not. Yuba County Superior Court officials acknowledged late last week that the court's bail schedule is out of compliance with state law, but a panel of judges is working on the problem. Judges have not reviewed bail am

Time for my annual spring cleaning column, in which I address reader issues and answer frequently asked questions. Issue No. 1: My one reader issue this year is still the same. I appreciate the volume of reader mail I get and I pride myself on answering every one, good or bad, agree or disagree, in awe of my range of knowledge or in d

Now that the fluoride debate is over in Olivehurst, it's time to get some real facts, albeit too late. The Congressional Research Service issued a report last month about fluoride, noting the pros and cons. "The fluoridation of drinking water often generates both strong support and opposition within communities. This practice is

"I'm passionate about drama because it's magic," said Paul DeMeritt, director of the FCS Players and senior class English teacher at Faith Christian High School. "It's one of the great places where we can walk in another man's shoes for a while. When we bring the audience in and turn down the lights, they can suspend their disbelief and enter th

There is so much we need to teach our children, and the time allotted to execute this task is brief. Of all the tools we hope to instill in our children, those that are most important are often the most difficult: being honest in understanding who we are; having the courage to step outside of ourselves and evaluate if we've really done our best

May is an exciting month for high school seniors. By now, most of us have chosen our path, whether it be attending a four-year university, community college or technical school, joining the military or simply entering the workforce. The future, however, can be frightening without the proper guidance. Fortunately, we don't have to do this

A teacher was teaching a class of teenagers when one of them said, "I don't like cops." The teacher said, "They're called police or peace officers." The teacher surmised the boys didn't live in a very peaceful environment, which was confirmed by their unruly behavior. One might say they didn't obey the rules. All of us obey rules —

You'll try anything once. You're daring when it comes to a new restaurant, new clubs, new fashion, pretty much anything. Something different for your plate? Bring it on. An activity you've never done before? You head the line. New technology? They call you first-adopter. Being open to new adventures keeps life fresh and exciting.

When I served this amazingly easy and tasty Asian style pork loin at a recent catering, many people offered their compliments and asked me to share the recipe. AMAZINGLY EASY ASIAN STYLE PORK TENDERLOIN Ingredients 2 pounds pork tenderloin For marinade: 1⁄2 cup low sodium soy sau

Greek Easter will be celebrated this coming Sunday. The seven weeks of Lent, in the Greek Orthodox Church tradition, are the preparation to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. During this period, followers traditionally abstain from consuming any animal products, such as meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese. On Holy Saturd

Juicy pink salmon is topped with a sweet and spicy pear and red pepper salsa for a meal that takes only minutes to make. The salsa gives just the right sparkle to the rich salmon. Picking a ripe pear, or one that will ripen, can be tricky. Here are some hints. Always ripen pears in a bowl at room temperature. This will take four to six d