This article was originally published in the August 14-20, 2004 edition. Allyn Hunt is a former editor of this newspaper.

Nacho Hernandez sat on his muddy horse staring across his milpa at the salto of dark red runoff slashing through a carefully planted field of corn. He snorted and swore.

This column was first published June 21, 1997.

Spending time in Mexico means learning Spanish — if you want that time to have much significance.

This column was first published in the April 9, 1988 edition of this newspaper.

Just behind the high ochre ridge that slices the northern horizon at the west end of Lake Chapala lie two small villages, the remnants of a once vast hacienda.

We got there early. In the corral behind Eustacio Ortiz’s tarpaper jacal, we stacked gunny sacks of chayote, wild camote, jicama, oranges, limones, peanuts, sugared candies.

Allyn Hunt, a former editor and owner of this newspaper and South of North columnist for more than 45 years, has retired from writing his weekly column. The Reporter will occasionally publish previously run columns of his in this space. This column was first published in May, 1988.

(A version of this column was first published in the July 1, 1989 edition of this newspaper)

The United States Supreme Court decision concerning the case of Gregory Johnson, arrested for burning the U.S. flag during a protest demonstration at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas, came just as that nation entered its most patriotic season, celebrating its independence from England. Perhaps that’s what stirred up so much opposition to the Court’s ruling, which stated that flag burning is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as a form of political protest.