Opinion

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The 2020 Crop Report for the County of Santa Cruz has been released, detailing the region’s agricultural commodities during one of the most challenging years on record. The Crop Report is presented each year by Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo through the Department of...

By Erica Padilla-Chavez, Cindy Larive and Susan True Shelly and Marty Hernandez go big on their annual Holiday Open House. Shelly, who has a passion for cooking, starts prepping weeks ahead. Over the years, the Hernandez open house has raised tens of thousands of meals...

Enforce the laws We have endured another onslaught of pyrotechnics in Watsonville. While I appreciate efforts to discourage their use, such as bilingual ads in the newspaper and electronic message boards placed around the city, I wonder: why enact ordinances and laws if they apparently...

Soccer field puts smile on my face A huge “Thank You” to whoever is responsible for the development and maintenance of the soccer field on San Miguel Canyon Road just east of the Vega Road intersection. Not too long ago this was an area that was...

By Congressman Jimmy Panetta and Supervisor Zach Friend As your federal and local representatives, we take very seriously the job of ensuring our communities are safe and resilient. To this end, we have been working closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make...

Incidents of convenience Please realize that there are more guns in our country than there are people. That came to light again in one of the latest senseless shootings in Santa Clarita. The shooter’s late father had six guns. While reports aren’t clear on the impact...

From the first day his administration assumed office this January, President Trump broke all records issuing executive orders.  He generated 26 on his first day alone. These presidential directives covered a wide swath of topics, from sweeping changes in how the federal government works to...

Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed! Every year on Easter Sunday, Christians begin the service with this proclamation. Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ who on the third day rose from the dead.  When I was attending seminary, the New Testament professor was teaching the...

Watsonville is making meaningful investments in our streets, sidewalks, and neighborhoods this year—improvements that reflect both our infrastructure priorities and our shared commitment to safety and accessibility. We’re starting with a major reconstruction of Green Valley Road and Bridge Street, which includes replacing aging pavement...

This Monday, at 11 a.m., Santa Cruz Police and the Santa Cruz chapter of the NAACP will march shoulder-to-shoulder as we honor Dr. King — the man who inspired that Selma march and ignited a transformation of American society.