Hanamatsuri–The Flower Festival
This month Buddhist throughout the world are celebrating the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha with the celebration called Hanamatsuri the Flower Festival. The name comes from the legend of Shakyamuni’s birth in Lumbini’s Garden and the many flowers that were in bloom that day in...
Letters to the Editor, April 15
Vote no on D
We need to look at all the benefits of preserving and restoring the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, and not be swayed and misled by the anti-rail groups regarding Measure D.
The train, whether it be a light rail vehicle, electric tram...
Addressing crime from all angles
I didn’t know Feliciano Martinez Perea but his story is not foreign to me. It’s a story that many Watsonville residents know. It’s the immigrant’s story. Martinez Perea hailed from the small town of San Martín Peras, Oaxaca, Mexico. He came to Watsonville to...
Easter: From Locked to Unleashed
“On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear…” (Gospel of John 20:19a)
The time: Passover week.
The place: Jerusalem.
The scene: An upper room. Locked doors. The stale air is thick with uncertainty about the...
Watching war crimes as we prepare for Easter
As I write this, images of atrocities in the city of Bucha, a suburb of Kiev, Ukraine, are crossing our screens. Executed civilians, hands bound, lying prostrate on the road. Neighborhoods targeted and destroyed, leaving innocent Ukrainians in the wake. A cyclist, seemingly shot...
Letters to the Editor, April 8
Measure D will waste taxpayer money
Supporters of Measure D always promise us that we can railbank our county rail and eventually reinstall rail at a later date. They cite Denton County, Texas as an example of this happening.
Since I lived in Denton years ago,...
Letters to the Editor, April 1
A fresh look at the Pajaronian
After years of visiting the Pajaro Valley, I made a conscious decision to relocate here. I moved from Southern California and have been delighted.
I subscribe to your newspaper and I look forward to reading it weekly. What a wonderful...
Balancing the Pajaronian and the PV Health Care District
On Tuesday, I was appointed to the inaugural board of directors of the Pajaro Valley Health Care District.
I’m honored that the selection committee of supervisors Greg Caput and Zach Friend, County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios, Health Services Agency Director Mónica Morales and Salud Para...
Letters to the Editor, March 25
Possible delays for Freedom project are concerning
I am concerned after reading the March 17 article about the upcoming pipework that the City of Watsonville plans to conduct on Freedom Boulevard. The plan has already been delayed due to supply shortage, what happens if there...
A lesson from the temptation of Jesus
The 40 days of Lent observed in Christianity begins with the story of Jesus who fasted for 40 days in the wilderness immediately following his baptism. It is as if before Jesus began his ministry, he needed to go through a spiritual boot camp...
Female Athlete of the Year: Aptos’ Izzy Graff brought excellence to...
Aptos graduate Izzy Graff was on the verge of joining the cross country team going into her junior year in 2023 so she could...