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Watsonville
January 11, 2025

Holiday hopes, gratitude from Mayor Jimmy Dutra

Jimmy Dutra
By Jimmy Dutra, Watsonville Mayor The holidays are typically the happiest time of the year. However, this has not been a typical year. Our businesses have taken a financial hit. Food insecurity is at an all-time high. Stimulus checks are not cutting it. Restless nights...

A journey through the lights

When I first heard that the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds would be hosting its first-ever drive-thru Christmas lights event, I was both excited and surprised.  Considering the limited budget and resources the Fairgrounds is currently dealing with after not being able to hold its premiere...

A response to Geraldine Ridgway

By Mercedes Garcia These are the messages I received from Geraldine Ridgway’s op-ed published in Nov. 20 edition of the Pajaronian: “Why can’t you Mexicans be like all the other ethnic groups that were mistreated in the past? Why don’t you just grin and bear it...

Wrapping up my tenure as Mayor

Rebecca Garcia
By Rebecca J. Garcia The role of a Mayor is to provide leadership in the adoption of policy. Policy is a law, regulation or procedure that provides direction to better serve the community. I was excited to provide leadership as Mayor of Watsonville. I identified...

Honoring those who sacrificed

letter to the editor pajaronian
POW—prisoner of war. What happened to them? Where did they go? From the time civilization first began so began the mystery of the POW/MIA. Many have fought for truth, justice and freedom. Men and women sacrificing their lives for us. As I remember my childhood, I...

Thanksgiving 2020: The commonplace, remarkable & lunatics

Rev. Robin Mathews-Johnson
Memo from Rev. Mathews-Johnson I’ve read that Mark Twain once categorized people into three groups: commonplace, remarkable and lunatics. I don’t know about you, but I can think of people who belong in all three groups. Of course, that’s a put-down, so three compliments are in...

Celebrating holidays with our elders

letter to the editor pajaronian
Reaching out to an older friend, a parent or a grandparent is never more meaningful than during the holiday season. It warms us, them, and bestows all with human connection, which is an essential component of health and happiness. Covid-19 has made keeping in touch...

It’s time for Watsonville to denounce white supremacy

letter to the editor pajaronian
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...

Commission decision is a ‘disgrace’

letters to the editor
I was absolutely shocked to read that the Watsonville Parks and Recreation Commission recommended the removal of the George Washington bust from the City Plaza. George Washington was the first president of the United States. He made many personal and financial sacrifices, as well...

We must persist

letters to the editor
In light of the alarming spread of the novel coronavirus that is hammering our beloved nation, we must do our part to keep this invisible yet hellish enemy, this silent Godzilla, from doing even more harm to our fellow Americans. All of us are...
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Watsonville names Patrick Rodriguez, 37, new softball head coach

Watsonville High this week announced it promoted Patrick Rodriguez as the newest head coach for the softball team. The 37-year-old Watsonville native will take the...