Words matter: From stigma and apathy to empathy and action
By Denise Elerick, of the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County
Substance use disorder is now widely recognized in the medical community as a chronic illness which responds to treatment. Similar to other chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease, remission and recurrence...
Key environmental legislation passes assembly
CALIFORNIA—As California recovers from a historic heatwave, the State Assembly last week passed three bills by Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) to help fight the climate crisis, incentivize sustainable agriculture, and advance environmental justice for all.
“California has ambitious environmental goals, and the advancement of my...
Movie Review: Risk-taking 'Get Out' is a masterpiece
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut is a masterpiece that doesn’t rely on crappy special effects, funhouse jump scares or cheap and dated plot twists
Letters to the Editor, March 12
Standing up for Asian Americans
The Watsonville-Santa Cruz chapter of the National Japanese American Citizens League (W-SC JACL) is sincerely grateful for the support expressed in Theo Wierdsma’s column entitled, “Xenophobia erupting,” and to the Pajaronian for publishing it on Feb. 26.
We thank Theo Wierdsma...
This Week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, May 14
25 years ago on May 14, 1996
The program “Home Independent Study” is open in the PV School District at Alianza Elementary School. The 90-plus students enrolled in it are free to explore their own learning styles, interests and ideas while keeping within state and...
Premiere Raspberries closing, laying off hundreds
WATSONVILLE—While some will be celebrating the birthday of activist and labor leader Cesar Chavez on March 31, a major raspberry grower in Watsonville will close its doors, and hundreds of employees will be laid off.
A representative at Premiere Raspberries, LLC confirmed the closure Thursday...
Movie Review: 'The Last Jedi' feels bloated, empty at same time
Truth is, “The Last Jedi” feels more like a filler television episode than the grand galactic opera the series is known for. There is no doubt that this film is beautiful and it definitely has the whimsical DNA that has kept the franchise trucking forward for 40 years. But the eighth installment in this storyline feels a bit empty, has some weird tonal problems and sticks around longer than it should.
Juan Carlos Pozo: Plant a seed for others to harvest
This is an open letter to the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board, and an invitation to the community to support educators at the next board meeting, Sept. 13.
Question of the Week
Do you like to shopping in downtown Watsonville?
Yes: 134 | No: 415
Public comment
Neera Bhatnagar: Parking is tricky and/or not safe. The shops are not generally meeting my needs. I try to go to the discount mall for my growing kid’s needs but quality and...
You make a mess, you clean it up
There are times when we need to take a break, and consider our options. In the Bible, we call it the Sabbath, the seventh day, a day of rest and reflection; a day for God.
For someone like me, it’s a very hard thing to...
Letters to the Editor Dec. 12-26
Praise for Watsonville Fire Chief Lopez
In 1996, I took my New School students to the Watsonville Fire Department on Second Street for an educational...

















