Opinion

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...

As so many of us are continuing to be affected by the recent storms, whatever comes our way, our community is in this together. The wetlands, creeks, and Pajaro River and the history of flooding in this valley have been fundamental to shaping the...

Orin Martin says his favorite thing about the Alan Chadwick Garden at UC Santa Cruz is its diversity.

Santa Cruz County steps up environmental and community support This month, Santa Cruz County is enhancing safety, cleanliness, and access to essential services. The County has also secured state funding to sustain homelessness prevention efforts, and initiatives are underway to ensure all youth have access...

I’ve thought a lot about my New Year’s resolutions this year. Somehow it seems there’s more at stake than usual. The way you and I approach 2021 will impact not only our own experience, but also the lives of those around us, at a...

Helping to feed the community It felt so good to read the article about the San Jose nonprofit organization called Martha’s Kitchen that is now offering free food distribution to the Pajaro Valley, as reported on, in the Pajaro Valley magazine. They will be handing...

An eager group of fifth graders filed through fresh beds of dirt at Whisky Hill Farm (WHF) in Watsonville Sept. 13, ready to plant their very own seedlings.  Laura Arnow’s fifth grade class from Calabasas Elementary School were there to finally transplant crops they had...

25 years ago on May 23, 1996 Nobody knows Watsonville High School like Mas Hashimoto. Born at home just two blocks from the campus, he’s spent two-thirds of his life there; first as a student, then as a teacher of history and geography. He knows...

By Rebecca J. Garcia, Watsonville Mayor We are experiencing a crisis with the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic. We also are in a crisis with climate change. It is anticipated we have 10 years left to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. In 2015 the City...

Letters to the Editor, May 18, 2018