Opinion

“Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.” - Ephesians 1:4 This is a Yiddish story of “Mr. Goldberg the Tailor.” There once lived Mr. Goldberg,...

A plea for cyclists This message is asking drivers to please consider the safety of cyclists in our communities. Think about how you feel if you hit a bike rider and maimed them for life or they died. It’s not a fair contest. Cyclists always...

Disappointed that Greenway is on ballot I was saddened to see the Greenway millionaires have succeeded in getting the signatures required for their initiative to vote on the future of clean passenger rail service for the branch rail line.  The current plan is to build the...

This week marks six months since the insurrection at the United States Capitol building, the death of five people, the attempted assassination of the Vice President and members of Congress, and the first flying of the Confederate Battle Flag in our capitol building. It...

Compiled by Steve Bankhead 25 years ago on April 23, 1996 Moreland Notre Dame sixth-grader Anoosh Moutafian won her division in the Santa Cruz County Science Fair competition at Cabrillo College. Her project centered on properties of the lowly daphnia, tiny water crustaceans that thrive in...

Memo from Pastor Rene A friend who is a local marriage and family therapist told me recently she’s booked solid with Zoom counseling sessions every day. “People are feeling so much anxiety now,” she said, “more than I’ve ever seen in my practice.” Stress from...

MEMO FROM REV. SHINSEKI “It is wrong to think that misfortunes come from the east or from the west; they originate within one’s own mind. Therefore, it is foolish to guard against misfortunes from the external world and leave the inner mind uncontrolled.” Teachings of the...

Over the past five years, we’ve learned how to navigate successive disasters in Santa Cruz County.  We fill sandbags, dig ditches, clear fallen trees, clean up debris, distribute food and help folks cover critical expenses when they are out of work due to shutdowns, floods,...

2023 was a very challenging year in Monterey County and it reminded me how crucial county government is in addressing the most pressing needs of our communities. I was honored to serve as chair of the Board of Supervisors over the last year, but...

Business at California Pajarosa Floral, one of Watsonville’s last remaining large flower growers, has altered drastically since the outbreak of Covid-19 last year. Already dealing with an evolving industry before the pandemic due to growth in offshore production, things came to a sudden halt at...