From the editor's desk, Sept. 26: Mexico disasters a sobering reminder
With a 7.1 magnitude earthquake killing more than 300 people in Mexico last week, and an 8.1 magnitude quake striking the southern end of the country earlier in the month, killing nearly 100, a sense of dread is rising throughout California.
Building an equitable future
By Jimmy Dutra, Watsonville Mayor
I stopped using the word equality some years back in graduate school. In my opinion it did not put everyone on an equal playing field. Instead, I am an advocate for equity. With equity I believe we will find true...
It’s time for Watsonville to denounce white supremacy
By Frances Salgado-Chavez
Racism didn’t end with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I have a dream’ speech in 1963. Further, his critiques of the United States government as the ‘greatest purveyor of violence in the world’ led to his assassination. Racism is alive and the...
We deserve better communication skills
President Donald Trump's recent struggle to pronounce the word “acetaminophen” during a press conference in which he advised pregnant women against using Tylenol, elicited mockery across social media.
Acetaminophen is the primary ingredient in Tylenol, widely used for pain relief, which the administration alleges is...
The timeless message of the Messiah
Every year around this time, choirs perform Handel’s Messiah (including in my own congregation). What is it about a piece of music written 260 years ago that still captures hearts today––in fact, especially today, as we endure our long, strange journey through the pandemic...
Watsonville’s Firefighters and Their Lifesaving Mission
When a call comes in for a medical emergency, every second counts.
While an ambulance may be on its way from other parts of the county, it is often the Watsonville Fire Department that arrives first. What many people may not know is that every...
Letters to the Editor, Oct. 31: Tommy Gugale’s family thanks community
Letters to the Editor, Oct. 31, 2017
Anti-Asian violence on the rise
With great sadness and anger, I am reading in the news about a surge in violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) around the U.S.
From the man that opened fire in Georgia on March 16, killing eight people, including six women of Asian...
Manny Contreras out as Watsonville High’s head football coach
In a stunning turn of events, Manny Contreras will not return as Watsonville High’s head football coach for the upcoming 2026 fall season.
Contreras received...




















