Opinion

By John Gallagher, Grand Jury Supervising Judge  We need the Grand Jury and the Grand Jury needs you. In this time of political polarization at all levels of government, the need for a neutral Grand Jury to investigate, report on government performance and offer solutions...

WATSONVILLE—About two dozen farmworkers settled in on picnic tables at a Lakeside Organic Gardens field Wednesday for a fresh, healthy lunch featuring the very crops they harvest.  The meal was prepared by Charlie Hong Kong, a Santa Cruz Asian fusion restaurant that was Lakeside’s first...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville-based organization Farm Discovery at Live Earth announced that it raised $87,800 at its annual benefit dinner on Sept. 24. “Mesa: Farm Discovery Fall Feast in the Fields” was held at Live Earth Farm in Watsonville, and drew attendance from across the region. Guests were...

Most big-budget superhero movies that try to ground their lore or story in the real world never work, because it quickly devolves into a pandering fest. This film does not feel that way in the slightest. Instead, it feels like Coogler is taking us through a fever dream he had as a youth growing up in the East Bay, and only now does he have the tools to depict it correctly.

We really have a bigger problem as a society when youth are turning to “harder” drugs like fentanyl, heroin and cocaine to try to deal with depression and anxiety.  Empower Watsonville is a youth-led group that focuses on expanding youth advocacy to implement more equitable...

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...

“Blockers” is a sometimes raunchy, overly slapstick comedy in the vain of “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” “Superbad” and “American Pie.” And like those classic comedies, director Kay Cannon’s coming-of-age story not only has plenty of a laughs, but it also oozes heart and asks several interesting questions, including an extremely timely challenge to the double standard placed on women. It’s fun and funny — yes, they are different things — while also not being too preachy.

As your County Clerk, one of my most important responsibilities is to ensure that the votes cast in Santa Cruz County are secure and accurate. Despite claims that voter fraud is rampant nationally, court challenges have failed to produce evidence that voter fraud is anything more than an occasional clerical error or bad data matching.

Under no circumstances should the Watsonville Municipal Airport be the sacrificial lamb for low income housing or other types of development!   Watsonville Mayor Eduardo Montesino states: “A playground for rich people to have an airplane.” Not only is this a reckless, erroneous comment, it also...