Plus Letters To the Editor

My Polish mother was the maven of our suburban Chicago home and enjoyed taking care of it. (And keeping it clean!) That may be an understatement. The dear woman also had many to-do lists around—everything from cleaning out the gutters and mowing the lawns to replacing all of the windows and re-painting all of the walls. It was hard to keep up. It can take me months to get over a mood swing. I simply did not know how this incredible creature mustered up the willpower to, say, wash the floors at 8 a.m.—on a Saturday morning! (If only that trait had been passed down to me from my Polish immigrant family.) Needless to say, I always think of my ever-resourceful clan—a group of people who fought hard to actually establish a home in America—whenever our Spring Home & Garden issue publishes.

Plus Letters To the Editor

Stocks are up and economic outlooks look brighter to some people. For others, brows are still furrowed. One writer explores whether the United States is really moving forward or whether it has stalled when it comes to growth—of all kinds. Turn to page 12 and read Ted Rall’s compelling essay. Send us your thoughts to letters@gtweekly.co[email protected]

Plus Letters To the Editor

As Santa Cruz County continues to find its emotional footing after the tragic deaths of Sergeant Loran “Butch” Baker and Det. Elizabeth Butler, the best course of action may be twofold: Turn to one another for support when needed, and keep the conversation about crime alive. The more the community dialogues about the issue, the better chance many people have of not only moving through the seemingly daunting task of recovery, but also strengthening ties that could produce a powerful ripple effect down the road. Here’s to that.