Vote Yes on Measure V: Empowering True Representation and Building an Inclusive Watsonville
Our democracy thrives when everyone, regardless of citizenship status, has the opportunity to engage in their community. Recent years have made it clear that the notion of a universal path to citizenship is a myth, and there are intentional political efforts to keep certain...
Let’s Build a Stronger Watsonville Together – Vote YES on Measure V
Watsonville is a community built on the hard work, dreams, and diverse experiences of its residents. Every voice here matters, but right now, not every voice is given equal access to be heard in city government. Currently, only registered voters can serve on city...
Is freedom more than an illusion?
A recent visit to a very moving, emotionally taxing Japanese-American Exclusion Memorial on Bainbridge Island in Washington State's Puget Sound generated some disturbing thoughts about the concept of freedom.
The exhibition memorialized one of the darker episodes in our country's history. After the attack on...
Addressing homelessness in Watsonville: A call to action
Homelessness remains one of the most pressing social issues of our time, particularly in communities like Watsonville.
The latest 2024 Point-In-Time (PIT) count shows that Santa Cruz County has maintained gains from the previous year, recording the lowest number of people experiencing homelessness since counting...
Theo Wierdsma column: Counting the votes
Joseph Stalin famously remarked that in an election, “Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything.”
While stakeholders in our democratic system insist that our votes count, in reality, given our electoral system, which consistently features two major political parties, in...
CALIFORNIA MUST NOT BACKTRACK ON ITS BROADBAND FOR ALL PROMISE
Three years ago, California did something truly remarkable and forward-looking by approving historic legislation that allocated a record $6 billion to bring equitable and affordable high-speed broadband service to all Californians.
The multi-year investment aimed to close the digital divide by building the largest “Middle...
The future of the Rail-Trail: Montesino and McPherson share their thoughts
As long-time elected representatives for the northernmost and southernmost reaches of Santa Cruz County, we believe the community conversation over the Rail Trail should be thoughtful, respectful, and inclusive. We have sought to model those ideals both through our respective roles within county and...
Opinion: Watsonville City Council wrong on runway decision
As a pilot based at Watsonville since 1980, I am shocked at the Watsonville council’s decision to close the crosswind runway. The dissenting four council members (Montesino, Salcido, Quiroz-Carter and Orozco) voted against a compromise that would have retained the cross wind runway AND...
Opinion: Crime and Punishment
After being incarcerated on death row for 35 years, and after surviving a multiple hours-long botched lethal injection attempt 16 months earlier, on Jan. 25 Kenneth Smith became the first person in the world to be executed with nitrogen gas.
Alabama state officials described his...
Measure N is Vital for Pajaro Valley’s Economic Prosperity
Watsonville Community Hospital is vital to the economic success of the Pajaro Valley. Businesses, their employees and customers all benefit from local access to healthcare. From employees to medical providers, the hospital provides nearly 1,000 local jobs and medical care for over 100,000 people...
Watsonville kicks off Christmas season
Sierra and Derrick Rodriguez visit Santa and Mrs. Claus Saturday in East Lake Village Shopping Center during the annual Shop Small/Buy Local event. Live...