Opinion

The first step toward a California housing recovery has been taken, in the form of the mid-February legal settlement between 49 states and the five large banks that were the leading culprits in the years of mortgage fraud that created a price bubble and convinced many thousands of homeowners to take on high-value mortgages.

Morgan Hill Police Chief David Swing initiated an internal investigation shortly after it was brought to his attention that an officer posted “intimate photographs” from a suspect’s mobile phone to her Facebook account while she was detained. That was last July. But it took until early February before word got out that two officers were disciplined in the matter.

It is not uncommon to hear people say something like: “I don’t need to go to church. I can worship God in nature on a sandy seashore or even a golf course.” Well, a group of Bay Area Christians have formed an organization that combines worship of God and appreciation of nature.

If you want to laugh, if you want your senses to be drowned in spectacular color and sound, and most all, if you want to feel good, go see “Beauty and the Beast” with or without the kids. This production is more than the telling of the old fairy tale: It is an artistic conception that challenges the imagination and opens doors to ultimate creativity.

Cruciferous is a designation that comprises the Brassica members of the cabbage family, including cavolo nero, mustard and turnip greens, along with cauliflower and collards, plus radishes, horseradish and arugula. The name derives from the flower common to these plants, the four petals of which spread to form a cross. Hence, “crucifer”-ous.

The library at Hollister’s Sunnyslope Elementary School was packed with second-graders that rainy afternoon recess period. In all the racket and ruckus, I found a quiet corner to peruse a book I’d discovered on the shelves. It featured a funny little orange fellow with an oversized walrus mustache – a creature dreamed up by author Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Upon finishing my first reading of “The Lorax,” a simple tale teaching the importance of good stewardship of our planet’s natural resources, my child’s mind had learned some  environmental truths: All life is valuable. All life is fragile. All life is connected in a great tapestry of creation.

Big news, but will it make a big difference? On Feb. 9, the Justice Department announced it had struck a settlement approaching $26 billion with the major U.S. mortgage servicers.

Have you noticed the growing number of shoppers who are bringing their own bags to the store? They seem to be coming in many different colors, shapes and sizes. I’ve seen the retro canvas bags that were common in the ‘90s, slick bags with store logos, designer bags purchased on Melrose Boulevard, and even pocket bags that fold up into small pouches. There’s no escaping it – bringing your own bag is now “in.” What does your bag say about you?