Reflections: We Are, All of Us, Bound to Each Other
"The Uprising" (2026) Photo by Betina La Plante © 2026 Focus Features In The Uprising, a film written and directed by Paul Greengrass, Andrew Garfield stars as the leader of…
Reflections: Don’t Hurt the Horses—OR David Niven
You would think that since Casablanca is my favorite film, I would give its director, the Hungarian expatriate Michael Curtiz, the praise he deserves. Nope. That’s because I watched The…
A Lenten Lesson: Who Is My Neighbor?
Photo by John B. Ashbaugh “Why did they crucify Jesus?” The question came from a boy, probably nine years old, one of the fourth grade students in the group…
Reflections: Visiting a Literary Landmark in Paris
Photo courtesy Shakespeare and Company In preparing for a recent trip to Paris, my first ever, I had my “to do” list pretty well mapped out. Drink Champagne at…
Reflections: 1939 Was a Watershed Year for Films
These are my parents, Robert Wilson Gregory and Patricia Margaret Keefe Gregory. They lived then in Taft, where I was born. But I remember that painting of the Monterey cypress…
Reflections: A Still Relevance
Photo by Efe Kekikciler There are mornings when I wake and notice the light before I move—steady, ordinary light, unchanged, but for the way I see it. I am…
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
My longstanding love-hate relationship with tribute bands and nostalgia acts is certainly no secret to loyal readers and friends alike. But there’s a new, somewhat unlikely thing that evokes strong…
A Local Theatre Kid Visits Broadway
The entire audience rises to applaud as the cast members take their final bow of the night. Behind me, I hear two girls quietly weeping with amazement, as I feel…
Reflections: “American Nations”
I love that Arroyo Grande—especially Branch Street Arroyo Grande—has an independent bookstore. My ego is happy because Monarch Books carries my books. We were waiting for a table to open…
Writer’s Conference Offers Teen Program
A program priced at just $75 for teens interesting in writing is scheduled Friday, September 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. on the first day of the 2025 Central Coast…