Rewriting America’s history
George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984” contains the famous slogan: “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
This quote from Orwell’s book is intended to mean that those in power manipulate historical records to shape public perception, justify current...
An open letter to the Pajaro Valley Health Trust Board of Directors
We would like to begin by stating that as Watsonville City Council Members and as citizens of Watsonville, we were extremely concerned when we learned on June 6, 2019, of the intended sale of Watsonville Community Hospital (WCH) to yet another for-profit entity. Our concerns, like many other elected officials and community members, were even intensified because of the long history of our hospital under 21 years of outside, corporate and for-profit ownership by first Community Health Systems (CHS), and then their spin-off, Quorum Health Corporation (QHC).
This Week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, June 18
25 years ago on June 18, 1996
Today is the 4th annual celebration of the apparition of the Virgin Mary on one of the trees at Pinto Lake County Park. The image was first sighted by Anita Contreras Mendoza as she walked through the park....
How to improve public transit
By Frank Anderson
Most everyone agrees that Santa Cruz County needs to improve its transportation. We’ve all observed large, virtually empty buses, the lack of a safe bike network, and a rail corridor that has sat unused for decades. All the while, thousands of cars...
Chaos as a political strategy
Donald Trump’s approach to governance is frequently analyzed through chaos theory, where calculated unpredictability, disruption, and rapid, impulsive shifts are used as strategic tools to manage, dominate, or reshape political environments.
This tactic aims to keep opponents off balance, control the agenda and overturn established...
Mayor’s column August 2025: In praise of the airport
When people hear “Watsonville Airport,” it often brings to mind moments of resilience and pride—whether it was serving as a crucial lifeline after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, playing a key emergency role during the 2020 CZU fires, or even welcoming a presidential visit...
Countryside arts festival starts up
A countywide celebration of visual and performing arts kicked off Thursday and will run through April 26.
The Ripple Effect Santa Cruz County Arts Festival...





















