Opinion

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...

Letters to the Editor, April 7, 2018

The annual Obon Festival will take place July 21 at the Watsonville Buddhist Temple. Open to the public, the event will include entertainment, a vendor’s market, childrens’ games and an array of traditional foods. The festival culminates in a dance, known as Bon-Odori, which participants practice...

The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds is a hidden gem that needs to be protected. It has been said that fairgrounds date back to Greek times where they were created to offer a place for people to buy and sell goods. Over the years fairgrounds...

To strengthen our community, we must continue to build resiliency to respond to the next disaster. The last three disaster-impacted years should not be chalked up to once-in-a-lifetime occurrences. For some, the March 11 flood in Pajaro was the fourth time in the past...

The gospel of John (one of four gospels in the New Testament) proclaims, “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16). It is the proclamation of the mystery of Incarnation. Lutheran Bishop Stephen Bouman tells of standing behind an altar in a small crypt chapel of...

I figured that it would stink but nothing really prepared me for just how bad “Transformers: The Last Knight” would be. The acting was phoned in, the script was garbage and even the million-dollar action blended into itself. The only silver lining to this

Dear Community, As I close out my term as your Mayor, I’ve been reflecting on the journey we’ve taken together this year. When I stepped into this role, I made a commitment, not to titles or recognition, but on making a real difference that families...

CALIFORNIA—Five California Congress members, including Zoe Lofgren (District 19) and Jimmy Panetta (District 20) have unveiled a House bill to provide a path to citizenship for undocumented farmworkers. In an Oct. 30 “tele-press conference,” Lofgren and Panetta said their Farm Workforce Modernization Act would provide...

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...