Hospital is a lifeline for Watsonville
I had an array of emotions after reading that the Watsonville Community Hospital got approved for a bond to fund much-needed repairs.
Currently, Watsonville is home to around 51,000 people, and for many, this hospital is all that they have in regards to healthcare services. What would have happened if this lifeline for many would be shut down? It would not only affect the ones looking for care but also the people providing the care. It is a detrimental situation to think about, however, knowing that the community got together to get this bond on the ballot warmed my heart.
I am someone who was born and raised in Watsonville, and for many years I was in and out of this very hospital receiving amazing care from the healthcare team. I am very blessed to say that the Watsonville Hospital healthcare team saved me on multiple occasions and I am elated to hear that they will be continuing to do that for the 51,000 people in this city.
Itzel Raya-Torres
San Jose
Light rail roulette
Transportation in Santa Cruz County is ambulatory chaos.
Residential speed bumps, designed to slow traffic congestion, are a monument to poor county planning, foresight and expanding bureaucratization.
Existing rail tracks should be used for a light rail system. A monied minority have slowed progress of a system approved by 72% of the county’s voters, to a crawl. How much longer will democracy be thwarted by a wealthy, self-serving minority?
There are few alternatives for workers and shoppers, the elderly or disabled to traverse the county beyond the excellent bus system.
For North County mountain residents, a light rail system base in Roaring Camp would provide daily transportation for workers and shoppers with the added safety of an additional escape route.
An environmental impact report that ignores the emissions of 70,000 Highway 1 vehicles, the emissions of vehicles on Mid-County’s residential streets attempting to escape gridlock, does not reflect county-wide emissions.
There is frustration with a county government consistently ignoring the needs of the many for the desires and the benefit of the monied few.
Don Redmon
Watsonville
