letter to the editor pajaronian

Time for Watsonville to work together

The passage of Measure Q by voters shows that Watsonville citizens want to see the city grow in an orderly manner, which does not involve willy-nilly searching around for nice flat pieces of farmland, to put up a Costco or Walmart for city revenues, or to build out a nice big subdivision with “single-family homes” that some City Council members think will be so good for our population.

Let’s all work together on growth issues that can be addressed as we embark on the 2050 General Plan. City Council members knew since 2018 that some people in the community were talking about Measure U expiring and what that would mean. We reached out to the city, with meetings with the city manager and council members, but they stonewalled us, when they could have initiated the “community process” that they accused us of ignoring.

Now there is a real opportunity for a community process. With a new city manager and new city council, we can move forward on these important growth issues: get started on implementing the Downtown Specific Plan; get community committees working on the 2050 General Plan; look at the industrial area along Walker Street for mixed use potential; take another review of existing vacant and under-utilized sites throughout the city.

People on all sides of the recent vote to renew our Urban Limit Line have a lot in common in their visions for Watsonville in the future.

The future is now: let’s work together and move forward.

Sam Earnshaw, Watsonville

Cabrillo’s name change is on the right side of history

Most changes in the U.S. in which a social justice matter is at stake have been met with wide resistance—i.e., desegregation, voters’ rights, marriage equality, etc. However, time has proven that these social changes were on the right side of history. 

I applaud Cabrillo’s Board of Trustees for voting in favor of a name change. Nov. 14’s 6-1 decision was a vote for social justice, anti-racism and decolonization. As a community, we can and will come up with a better name, one that is not associated with a Spanish explorer who brutalized Native peoples. 

Although some have expressed discontent with the Board’s decision, I trust that, in time, we, as a community, will adapt and evolve and put the name “Cabrillo” behind us. I look forward to working at an institution whose name I can be proud of.

Dr. Victoria Bañales, English Professor, Cabrillo College

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14 COMMENTS

  1. Maybe its time to start a recall on the Cabrillo board? Going against the wishes of the people and thinking you five know better than the majority is so unAmerican. This is something the Taliban or Putin would do. Look at the Ukraine War. Very unpopular to the majority in Russia but…push forward because he (putin) thinks its right. Same applies here. Name change is very unpopular but …..push forward because 5 on the board think its right. Geesh!

  2. thank you Dr. Banales. I appreciate your support. i would remind the poster below of Mark Twain’s quote: “There is NEVER a wrong time to do the RIGHT thing.”
    Just as Cabrillo invaded CA and tried to permanently cancel them and their culture, Putin is doing the same to Ukaine. Cabrillo invaded CA with its Ohlone residents as the victims. Putin did the same in Ukraine. this is what should happen to tyrants like Cabrillo and Putin. they deserve the dustbin of history.

      • all the more reason NOT to name the college after him. HE did nothing to help this school get started in 1959. he does not deserve his name on our great community college. thank you for illustrating my point so well.
        so, you do not believe that I am on the board? look at our website. we are all there. I know you do not believe in free elections, but your fellow citizens DO.
        I think you would be happier living in Russia. take your own advice, “LET’S GO!”

    • Putin invaded Ukraine because HE thought it was the RIGHT thing to do. The PEOPLE spoke but HE didn’t listen. Same applies here. The PEOPLE don’t want the name change but you 6 do what you want. Sound familiar? It’s the same kind of thought. That is scary!

      • Putin invaded Ukraine to CANCEL THEIR CULTURE. HE DID THE INVADING, not the Ukrainians. typical GOP talking point. celebrate the villains, like Putin , and Cabrillo, and demonize the victims, such as the Ukrainians and the Ohlone.

  3. Sandy Lydon delivered an in-depth discussion in the form of a lecture to all students , staff and interested public many months ago. but he did NOT defend the name of the college, or the person who was Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo . i am thankful to his knowledge and his work.

  4. Dear fellow community members, I urge you not to become embroiled in a ridiculous shouting match from Steve. It adds traffic to the website which equates to money for the company.
    Please boycott any conversation in which Steve tries to egg on a response from the community. I’m starting to think he I in cahoots with the paper to drive up interest in the site in increase revenues

    Thank you for understanding and preventing this entity from not reporting the truth.

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