Don Miller
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Santa Cruz Sentinel Editor Don Miller, on Santa Cruz and beyond
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Articles by Don Miller
Commentary | Travels and travails at Yosemite National Park
Don Miller For the Fourth of July, at least we stayed home to enjoy (cower before?) the close thunder of illegal fireworks at nearby beaches. We didn't make that same cogent decision over Memorial Day, however. We made the somewhat insane decision, in retrospect, to head into Yosemite Valley that weekend.
Commentary | Travels and travails at Yosemite National Park
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... For the Fourth of July, at least we stayed home to enjoy (cower before?) the close thunder of illegal fireworks at nearby beaches. We didn’t make that same cogent decision over Memorial Day, however. We made the somewhat insane decision, in retrospect, to head into Yosemite Valley that weekend.
Carrots, eggs and coffee
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each pot on a high fire. Soon, the pots came to a boil. kAmx? E96 7:CDE[ D96 A=2465 D@>6 42CC@ED[ :? E96 D64@?5[ D96 A=2465 D@>6 688D[ 2?5 :?
Trust and obey, stop waiting
"Faith, by itself, if it is not accompanied by actions, is dead." (James 2:17) Jesus stands ready to help us, but His help is contingent on our absolute obedience to His Word, whether or not we agree with or understand it. In the same way, God requires more than our intellectual faith -- He requires our total trust as demonstrated by our obedience to His Word in order to release the miracle. kAmy6DFD 82G6 D:89E E@ 2 >2? 3@C?
Don Miller | Not of this world: Passover, Good Friday — kings
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... As often occurs, Holy Week for Christians that culminates Sunday with Easter coincides with Passover for Jews, which started April 1, and lasts until April 9. Although Christianity split off from Judaism nearly 2,000 years ago, with Passover and Good Friday the two faiths remain linked.
To the editor: Trump speech is vision we need
Last week’s State of the Union was one of those moments that reminds you why you love this country. Seeing the U.S. men’s hockey team standing proudly in the chamber, recognized for their Olympic gold, was simply awesome. It was even better watching the overwhelming majority of the joint session rise to applaud them. In a time when politics can feel divided, that moment cut through everything. It reminded us that when Americans compete, sacrifice, and work together — we win.
Don Miller | Why Maui is even more complicated, and divided, than Santa Cruz
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... I just got a ride in a time machine. Along the way I encountered “aliens” — but they were our traveling group on a just-completed journey to New Zealand and Australia where the local folks surely thought we were strange visitors from another country, with our flat American accent and expressions. G’day mate.
Don Miller | Unraveling the mysteries of the Black Dahlia and Zodiac
"Everybody counts or nobody counts." - Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly's fictional LAPD detective. On Oct. 30, 1966, an 18-year-old high school classmate of mine, Cheri Jo Bates, was murdered near Riverside Community College. Her killer was never identified. I can still hear her voice, picture her, from those long-ago times and the shock when I heard she had been brutally killed on a quiet evening after she left a college library.
Don Miller | Unraveling the mysteries of the Black Dahlia and Zodiac
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... “Everybody counts or nobody counts.” — Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly’s fictional LAPD detective. On Oct. 30, 1966, an 18-year-old high school classmate of mine, Cheri Jo Bates, was murdered near Riverside Community College. Her killer was never identified. I can still hear her voice, picture her, from those long-ago times and the shock when I heard she had been brutally killed on a quiet evening after she left a college library.
Don Miller | What you wrote about; what we write
Heading into 2026, I thought readers might enjoy an update on contributors, a list of our Editorial Board members, a review of top topics submitted by readers in guest commentaries, and a look forward in 2026 with a few predictions. First, contributors: We've added two local columnists to our schedule: Dan Haifley and Susan Brutschy. Haifley, who's first two Ocean Currents columns were published earlier this month, will write bi-weekly.
Don Miller | What you wrote about; what we write
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Heading into 2026, I thought readers might enjoy an update on contributors, a list of our Editorial Board members, a review of top topics submitted by readers in guest commentaries, and a look forward in 2026 with a few predictions. First, contributors: We’ve added two local columnists to our schedule: Dan Haifley and Susan Brutschy. Haifley, who’s first two Ocean Currents columns were published earlier this month, will write bi-weekly.
Don Miller | Christmas 2025: What child is this?
I am the light of the world – John 8:12 There are two types of light in the world. When we are born into this world, we perceive physical light; without it we would have no life. But there also is another light, which Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate today, spoke about as being the light of his truth, and the light of eternal life.
Don Miller | Christmas 2025: What child is this?
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... I am the light of the world – John 8:12 There are two types of light in the world. When we are born into this world, we perceive physical light; without it we would have no life. But there also is another light, which Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate today, spoke about as being the light of his truth, and the light of eternal life.
Don Miller | A journal of gratitudes
For a few years, on this day, I've written about the benefits of gratitude, how being grateful, even in difficult or impossible circumstances can make a huge difference in our mental and spiritual health. And certainly, "counting one's blessings" when things seem to be going right has a way of taking the focus off of me and putting that attention to beneficial use.
Don Miller | A journal of gratitudes
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... For a few years, on this day, I’ve written about the benefits of gratitude, how being grateful, even in difficult or impossible circumstances can make a huge difference in our mental and spiritual health. And certainly, “counting one’s blessings” when things seem to be going right has a way of taking the focus off of me and putting that attention to beneficial use.
Don Miller | The Charlie Kirk memorial: Forgiveness and … Donald Trump
The murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk continues to provoke an often divisive debate over free speech, violence and retribution and America’s gun culture. I disagreed with much of what Kirk professed, even as his appeal to many young conservatives on college campuses had a meaningful impact. His work on behalf of the 2024 election of President Donald Trump has elevated him in the MAGA world as a symbol of what many see as the overthrow of the elite ruling class.
3 High-Yields at 52-Week Lows: Buy, Sell, or Hold Original
Key Points Quality dividend stocks trading at 52-week lows offer value and yield but come with unique risks. Among the questions to be answered are the yield reliability and whether the stock price can fall any further. UPS, DEO, and OKE are trading near lows and on track for rebounds that could begin this year. High-quality dividend stocks trading at 52-week lows offer opportunities for investors that include value and yield.
Don Miller | Bike lane bollards actually do provide safety on Soquel Drive
Yes, I’m yet another old guy riding an e-bike. Since I’m not a kid, I’m not flying across intersections, or riding with no helmet, or taking along passengers on the rear fender. And hopefully I won’t have to attend any school meetings about e-bike safety — or be subject to yet more new laws and regulations. But as a bike rider for well more than half a century, I’ve had my shares of falls and close calls.
Don Miller | The troubling history of the isolated island of Moloka’i Original
A few days before the grim two-year anniversary of the Aug. 8, 2023, Lahaina fires, my wife and I traveled from our sometime home in Maui, some 10 miles across the Pailolo Channel to the island of Moloka’i. And as Moloka’i locals are quick to respond, close as it is, their island is not Maui, not even.
Don Miller | Maui moves to ban vacation rentals two years after Lahaina fires
LAHAINA, MAUI — On Thursday, the Maui County Council gave first approval to an ordinance that would ban 7,000 short term vacation rentals by 2030. The ostensible purpose is to provide housing for permanent island residents who are priced out of a rental market that rivals Santa Cruz County in both cost and scarcity. The vote, taken after nearly a year of debate and several heated hearings with testimony from various interests, came about two weeks shy of the second anniversary of the Aug.
You need never feel alone
You may remember as a youth reading the story of Robinson Crusoe. He was stranded on a deserted island and as time passed, he began to feel desperately lonely. Have you ever felt that kind of loneliness – that awful, nagging feeling that you are all alone in the world, even when you are standing in a crowded room? kAm(6==[ @?6 52J #@3:?D@? rCFD@6 H2D H2=<:?8 24C@DD E96 :D=2?5 2?5 96 DA@EE65 2 7@@EAC:?E] x>>65:2E6=J[ 96 C62=:K65 E92E :E H2D 2 9F>2?
Don Miller | Easter 2025: Rising from this world of broken dreams Original
I’m taking the liberty this Easter, as I have in previous years, to proclaim the message of hope. I’m fully aware many readers will either choose to move along or wonder why it’s even allowed in a secular publication.
How can we prepare for the events of 2025?
I love books. I have more books than I have a lifetime to read them. I am a Friend of the Library, I have worked the sales but also buy books there. The Library book sale is a wonderful opportunity to those who appreciate reading. At the last library sale I picked up an old looking book. It was not until I got home that I realized this book is titled, “The National Preacher Village Pulpit.” It is a collection of sermons from 1862. The Reverend George Prentiss preached a sermon on February 5, 1862.
Don Miller | From you, Bethlehem, the light enters
"When we are born into this world, we perceive physical light, and without it we would have no physical life on this earth," writes Sentinel Opinion Editor Don Miller. But there also is another light, which Jesus Christ spoke about as being the light of his truth, and the light of eternal life." Originally Published: December 24, 2024 at 12:52 PM PST
Don Miller | Sentinel seeking new Editorial Board member
With the rancorous election out of the way and a month or so of breathing room before the next president takes office (and two years before the next election cycle), I’d like to extend an invitation. If you want to get more deeply involved in local issues and news trends, and meet just a few attributes or qualifications, consider applying to join our Editorial Board.
Don Miller | Making a choice to be thankful, amid our struggles
By Don Miller I’ve written a column for many Thanksgivings encouraging readers to express gratitude, even among difficult, sometimes mystifying circumstances. Such as right now. Each year brings its own challenges. The pandemic. Now, an incoming change in political leadership and direction and a nation divided. It’s climate change and taxes, the cost of housing. Crime. Gun violence. The Middle East. The pervasive influence of social media and the invasive threat of artificial intelligence.
Living an abundant life
John 10:10 must be one of my favorite verses. Jesus said, I have come to give you eternal life but also abundant life here on earth. I have found myself using that verse in several sermons lately. Either as the primary verse or as an illustration verse. When I pray I try to remember to thank God for eternal life but also for abundant life. Jesus gave us eternal life when He walked away from that cold, dark grave and was resurrected from the dead.
Don Miller | Dispatches from Maui: On miracles, rebirth and enduring loss
"I’m winding up an extended stay in West Maui and ready, sort of, to confront cooler temperatures and a much colder ocean upon returning to our home in coastal Mid-Santa Cruz County. In that fading light, I thought I’d offer a few updates on economic/social/emotional conditions on the island," writes Sentinel Opinion Editor Don Miller. Originally Published: October 16, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
Don Miller | Dispatches from Maui: Lahaina Strong and the post-fire drive to reclaim an island
LAHAINA, MAUI — With much of Lahaina town destroyed in the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires that killed at least 102 people and left more than 7,000 people homeless, the tragedy and the history of this former Hawaiian capital have given voice to dreams and resentments that date back many generations. And to memories from just over a year ago when Lahaina was pulsing with island life — and visitor spending. But the jobs many locals held are gone.
Don Miller | Maui one year after the Aug. 8, 2023, fires that mostly destroyed Lahaina
Wednesday marks one year since the town of Lahaina, Maui, was mostly destroyed by a raging wildfire. The day will be marked by memorials, a paddleout, and uniquely Hawaiian cultural observances to mark the sorrowful day that historic Lahaina, the former capital of the Hawaiian kingdom that existed long before the United States government took control of the Islands, was lost.
Dan Walters: Democrats score big win as state Supreme Court blocks anti-tax ballot measure
By Dan Walters The century-long and often tortured history of California making law through ballot measures took a new turn Thursday when the state Supreme Court blocked an initiative that would have made it much more difficult to raise state and local taxes. Unanimously, the court agreed with Gov.
Don Miller | The battle over short-term vacation rentals comes to Maui
Santa Cruz city and county, for the most part, have been able to manage short-term vacation rentals with caps on how many are allowed in popular areas. Has this helped provide more rental housing for local residents? No. Awaiting new construction projects, aided and abetted by state mandates, rental housing here continues to be expensive and in short supply. It’s much the same with rental availability in Maui County, Hawaii, but there’s a big difference.
Don Miller | Maui fire dispatches: Reports show familiar warnings were sounded
It’s been a few months since I’ve reported on the aftermath of the Aug. 8, 2023, fires in Maui. So time for an update, since many Santa Cruz County residents have expressed an affinity for the island and/or identify with the struggles residents there continue to go through.
Taiwan Semiconductor Earnings: AI Dominance and Future Outlook
Key Points Surging AI-related chip demand is a positive for TSMC, offsetting weaker consumer markets. Revenue grew but declined from the previous quarter, reflecting broader industry trends. TSMC maintained impressive margins, demonstrating operational efficiency and its power to command premium pricing.
Here are the Pros and Cons of Using Options Put Credit Spreads
Key Points A put credit spread is an options strategy that can be implemented when you expect a stock to rise. The maximum profit and maximum loss are capped, and you receive the maximum gain upfront in the form of a credit. A put credit spread comprises 2 legs or trades: a short put followed by a long put at a lower strike price, with both contracts having the same expiration. 5 stocks we like better than Intel In last week’s stock options article, we reviewed the pros and cons of debit spreads.
Can Netflix Stock Continue Into All-Time Highs After Earnings?
Key Points Netflix's latest earnings show its fundamentals are more vital than ever, riding on recent price action momentum. Wall Street analysts see the competitive advantage in Netflix today, placing double-digit upside from today. The brand's penetration puts Netflix above streaming competitors. 5 stocks we like better than Walt Disney After having one of the best two-year performances in the technology sector, shares of Netflix Inc. NASDAQ: NFLX are at an inflection point.
Kraft Heinz Stock Comprehensive Analysis for 2024
Upgrade Now This premium article is available to MarketBeat All Access subscribers only. Log in to your account or sign up below. → My biggest AI fear (From Paradigm Press) (Ad) Should you invest $1,000 in Kraft Heinz right now? Before you consider Kraft Heinz, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis.
NVIDIA Stock Analysis: Insights and Predictions for Investors
Key Points NVIDIA boasts a massive market capitalization, reflecting its dominant position within the tech industry. The company's recent earnings report demonstrates impressive revenue growth, high profitability, and strong EPS figures. NVIDIA's commitment to innovation and growth in AI and data centers suggests potential for continued success. 5 stocks we like better than NVIDIA Upgrade Now This premium article is available to MarketBeat All Access subscribers only.
Blackrock vs. State Street: Earnings in a Volatile Market
Key Points Blackrock demonstrated strong Q1 2024 performance, exceeding analyst expectations on EPS and achieving significant AUM growth, signaling investor confidence. State Street, while showing positive AUM growth, slightly missed EPS expectations, suggesting potential challenges but continued focus on stability and innovation.
Breakout Alert: Coinbase's Consolidation Is About To End
Key Points Coinbase shares have been consolidating their gains for the past month. But with Bitcoin on the verge of breaking out, expectations are increasing for Coinbase to do the same. The stock isn’t without its risks, however, and there are some reasons to be cautious. 5 stocks we like better than Coinbase Global There's no denying that equities are a strong market right now.
2 Stocks to Buy on The Dip: One a Value, the Other High-Yielding
Key Points Furniture companies are attractive investments for their cash flow and capital returns. The Lovesac Company is still in its growth phase but on track for substantial capital return over time. Hooker Furnishings is a high-yield in the furniture industry on track to pivot back to growth this fiscal year.
Taiwan Semiconductor Stock Analysis: Investment Insights
Key Points Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing stock has one of the strongest semiconductor industry positions today. Industry tailwinds are accelerating the pace at which TSMC may grow its financials and valuation. TSMC, is calling for the support of the U.S. government and leading the way in lithography technology, seeing a double-digit upside ahead.
Penny Stock Quantum-Si Incorporated Readies For Lift-Off
Key Points Quantum-Si is entering hyper-growth and is expected to sustain triple-digit growth through 2025. Analysts see substantial upside for the market, and the chart reflects the potential. The next visible catalyst is in May when the FQ1 results are released. 5 stocks we like better than Quantum-Si It doesn’t sound like much, but Platinum is a revolutionary new protein sequencer important for its size and cost.
The Top 5 Analysts Ranked by Marketbeat and Stocks They Cover
Key Points Analysts' sentiment significantly influences market direction, but it isn't always right. Marketbeat.com tracks data pertinent to analyst sentiment and the reliability of ratings. This is a look at five of the highest-rated analysts according to data tracked by Marketbeat.com 5 stocks we like better than Dycom Industries Marketbeat's many investor tools include analysts' rankings and sentiment trackers.
What is a Bull Market? Key Information about Bull Markets
Key Points What is a bull market in stocks exactly, and how should investors react to these new highs? Investor sentiment tends to flow similarly during bull runs, starting with institutional investors Bull markets share specific characteristics, but different factors drive each one. Stock market bulls are back in control as major US indices have soared to new all-time highs to start 2024.
6 Mortgage REITS: How Badly Could Rising Rates Hurt Them?
Key Points Rising interest rates can significantly impact mREIT profitability by squeezing profit margins and decreasing the value of mortgage holdings. Not all mREITs are equally vulnerable to rising rates. Factors like debt exposure, types of mortgages held, and management strategies play a crucial role in determining their resilience.
2 Data Storage Device Stocks Thriving From the AI Boom
Key Points Western Digital supplies hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs) to data centers and retail customers with plans to split the two divisions into separate companies. Western Digital has seen AI accelerate the recovery in the storage device industry as it reraised its fiscal Q3 2024 EPS guidance.
Green Gold Rush: Here's What's Driving Cannabis Stocks Higher
Key Points Several cannabis stocks surged dramatically over the previous month, igniting the sector as gains reached double- to even triple-digits in some cases. Vice President Kamala Harris supports federal marijuana legalization and urged the DEA to reschedule the drug. Germany passed a law fully legalizing marijuana, effective April 1, including possession, home growing, and distribution among social clubs.
DexCom Stock Gains from GLP-1 Diabetic Users
Key Points DexCom is a leading maker of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems initially serving Type 1 diabetics, which are around 5% of the diabetes population, with Type 2 being 95%. Diabetes is a growing epidemic expected to reach 780 million people worldwide by 2045. DexCom is expected to launch Stelo, its CGM system for Type 2 diabetics that doesn't require finger sticks, competing directly with Abbott Lab's Freestyle Libre. 5 stocks we like better than DexCom DexCom Inc.
Michael Burry Picked a Winner With GEN Restaurant Group
Key Points GEN Restaurant Group is investing in growth and widening margin. Insiders are buying the stock and helping it to rebound following mixed results. Famous short-seller Michael Burry bought GENK in Q4 2024, and it is a winner for Scion Asset Management. 5 stocks we like better than GEN Restaurant Group GEN Restaurant Group NASDAQ: GENK hit the Marketbeat.com radar when insider buying spiked in Q1.
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