Opinion

According to the California Strawberry Commission, about 90% of all strawberries in the U.S. are grown in California. The fruit thrives in the state, due to its need for year-round moderate weather, which allows its roots to grow strong and stable.  On the Central Coast, consistent...

“Hard is to be born into human life, now we are living it, difficult is it to hear the teachings of the Buddha, now we hear it. If we do not cross over to the Truth in the present life, in what life shall...

25 years ago on July 10, 1996 Watsonville police captain Chuck Carter retires this month after 30 years of service, many of them involved in community projects with a social angle. “I’ve never seen a police officer as heavily involved as Chuck is with a...

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...

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...

literal new birth: This year we welcomed into the world our grandson Emmett—and two more grandchildren are due before the end of the year! I hosted Emmett’s mom, my daughter Elisabeth, on my daily video blog recently. As she pointed out, the year 2020 and...

25 years ago on July 1, 1996 Watsonville’s Spirit of Watsonville Committee organized a full schedule of fun across the Pajaro Valley leading up to the annual Grand Parade on the Fourth of July. The weekend prior had live banda music and dancing in the...

Distributing limited resources fairly and equitably in a way that best serves students, staff, families and the community is an ongoing challenge for any school board. On July 21, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will review and discuss the Elementary...

25 years ago on June 24, 1996 For the first time in its 15 years of existence, the Monterey Bay Strawberry Festival has awarded its title of Strawberry Queen to two contestants: North Monterey County High junior Nikki Gillot and Watsonville High graduate Norma Fabian....

It is so easy, ridiculously easy, to simply point at someone else and say, “He’s not in our group.”  Ever felt that way? I know I have, but I confess I’m not proud of it.  Even churches make that mistake. Arthur Herman’s book “How the...