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Ah, Super Bowl weekend. Let the parties begin! More importantly, let those television commercials begin! Last year, a pug with a passion for Doritos made the top 10 list for commercial success, along with a group of dogs throwing a party and serving Bud Light. This year, we'll have rottweilers and Doritos, and a chorus of dogs with Volkswagens. All designed to make us laugh while we go out and buy their brand.

ALAMEDA, Calif. - If all goes according to plan, the Raiders won't be holding another news conference to announce the hiring of a head coach for at least a few years.

The public has little understanding of the complex CalPERS retirement system, yet it is one of local government’s largest expenses with annual estimated costs of more than $10 million a year, 30 percent of payroll, for Hollister and San Benito County combined. Some of the highest costs are side deals where public agencies pay all or a portion of the employees’ premiums. This problem belongs to local politicians who know it does not show up in the salary tables and therefore avoids public scrutiny. The upshot is that many members contribute little or nothing to their CalPERS retirement. CalPERS is really two systems, one for most “Miscellaneous Employees” and one for “Public Safety Employees.” Both offer a “full retirement” at a young average age, but at extremely different levels.

After six years of cycling, and spending the past few years as a professional rider in Europe, Shelley Olds is five months away from fulfilling her longtime dream of riding in the Olympics.

Pinnacles National Monument, nestled in the Gabilan Mountains an hour south of Hollister, boasts a fistful of marquis attractions. I recently joined a group of friends to hike to a feature that many people don't even know is part of the park.

A plethora of winter races await the athlete. What better way to shed unwanted holiday pounds than to run? One of my favorite mid-chilly season athletic competitions is the Rotary Mission 10 held during the last week of January in San Juan Bautista.

Two programs funded in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are available to help local homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes.