Category: John Spevak

Today’s column is being published on April 30, the start of the 2025 Los Banos May Day Fair, also known as the Merced County Spring Fair. For me, this will be the 53rd May Day Fair since I moved to Los Banos. Over the years I’ve...

Words often change over time in meaning and in the reaction they trigger. A while back, for example, I pointed out in a column that “disrupt” once caused negative reactions, while today “disrupt” is often used positively. ...

I have been fortunate in my time in Los Banos to have known many excellent dentists. These include Bill and Steve, who are not only superb dentists, but also friendly and congenial individuals. Today I’m acknowledging a Los...

I never thought I’d be watching a major league baseball game in Sacramento, but last Wednesday I traveled to Sutter Health Park to watch the Athletics (minus the preface Sacramento) play a day game in their first home series of...

As a long-time resident of Los Banos, I am pleased to hear about the planned renovation of the Colorado Park complex. In truth, I’m pleased to hear news of any park development, because I believe parks are an important part of a...

On Monday, April 7, the State of the College presentation will take place at Merced College, as it has for more than a decade. After a luncheon, President Chris Vitelli will explain to those in attendance where Merced College is...

The start of the spring semester in high schools and colleges is a good time to ask, “What does it take for a young person to succeed in life?” Many people say it’s a college education, which most people think of as a four-year...

Some days I feel like I’m out of it — that I’m just not with it, not with what’s happening in the world today. Such was the case when I was listening to the nightly news recently and heard a story about “influencers.” The story...

The Christmas spirit gives us hope. We can find hope especially in the message of the angels to the shepherds. In Luke’s account of the Christmas story, angels appear to shepherds, lighting up the sky. Within their message is...

There is only one place I enjoy visiting more than a library, and that’s a bookstore. It’s all part of my enjoyment of reading, something I hope all my grandchildren and great grandchildren develop, if they haven’t already. One...

Now that Daylight Savings Time has ended, many of us spend more time indoors. There are few indoor activities better than reading, and there are few places better to find good books to read than our local libraries. The Westside...

Friendship is generally undervalued and underappreciated these days. Seldom does anyone write or talk about the value of friendship. That’s too bad, because a good friend is a jewel. And someone who has been a good friend for 63...