Guest View

In the 2020 election, my Watsonville family was energized and held its very first voting party. Local candidates competing for the same office visited, my cousins and I offered to translate and research for our elders, and many drove together to City Hall to...

Once again we find ourselves at the year’s end. It is hard to believe that another year has gone by. December is a time for families to gather to celebrate the holidays. We celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Christmas and Bodhi Day, the...

Editor’s note: This is the second installment of a two-part Supervisor’s Update. As the year draws to a close, I want to take a moment to extend my warmest Happy Holiday wishes to each and every one of you and to also wish you all...

In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake significantly damaged a hospital that had served the community of Watsonville for decades. Devastated by the earthquake, the nonprofit Watsonville Community Hospital (WCH) had to be sold to a for-profit corporation. In 2022, it returned to community ownership.  Still,...

Recently, the attorney general’s office completed paperwork for an initiative that, if qualified for the 2024 ballot and approved by voters, would require California’s nearly 6 million public school students to take a course in personal finance. The proposal, by an organization called Californians for...

2023 was a very challenging year in Monterey County and it reminded me how crucial county government is in addressing the most pressing needs of our communities. I was honored to serve as chair of the Board of Supervisors over the last year, but...

The people of the Pajaro Valley have shown we are resilient as we’ve faced the impacts of a changing climate, from severe flooding to the threat of wildfire. But more—a lot more—can be done to help reduce the effects on our community from future...

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...

This week, I stood before the California State Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health not only as the CEO of Dientes Community Dental Care, but as a voice for our 18,000 patients in Santa Cruz County—who rely on Medi-Cal for essential dental care.  My message was...