New ag center breaks ground
The Rancho Cielo Youth Campus was the site of a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ted Taylor Agricultural Center on April 8, with speakers including Bruce Taylor and John Phillips, founder of Rancho Cielo.
Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy makes first full return since pandemic
Michael Rozen said Aug. 1 he would rather be playing sports with his friends than attending the weeklong Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy offered by Graniterock.
While Michael stopped short of admitting an affinity for math, the 13-year-old admits the experience will prepare him for...
Wrapping up my tenure as Mayor
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...
On My Mind, Aug. 31: All that stuff
I’m feeling trapped by all my stuff. It’s everywhere — my garage, closets, drawers. And I know this much: Most of it I don’t even need — that’s the sad fact that’s been lurking around in my skull lately and I don’t like it.
Letters to the Editor, Oct. 12, 2023
Power poles are visual blight
I had the opportunity to drive on an improved and repaved Freedom Boulevard recently.
Traversing it nice, however, I wish the powers that be had the foresight to include in the budget, PG&E undergrounding of those unsightly poles, electrical transmission wires...
Serving the nation
Serving the nation
The United States Postal Service is committed to delivering your mail and packages throughout the current pandemic. We are proud of our role in providing an essential service to every community. The one constant throughout this crisis has been our commitment to...
Land Trust plans Rocks Ranch conservation
AROMAS—The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County plans to protect nearly all of the 2,640-acre Rocks Ranch in Aromas from development, the organization announced Feb. 11.
The ranch has been in the spotlight recently following the San Benito County Supervisors’ intent to rezone a portion...
Photo Story: Coffee with a Cop
MEET AND GREET - Watsonville Police officer Sergio Bañuelos converses with Micaela Henson, David Hernadez and their chill Melissa Friday outside the Police Department during the first Coffee With a Cop. The free, informal gathering serves as an arena for the community to engage...
Salvation Army shutters its shelter
On Saturday morning, 48-year-old Gerardo Gutierrez was one of about a dozen men sitting in the day room at Salvation Army’s Watsonville location, quietly watching an old Vicente Fernández film playing silently on a television mounted to the ceiling.
The men—most of them homeless—had stayed...
Letters to the Editor, Jan. 23–29
Passenger rail price estimates too high
One can never convince me that restoring the Santa Cruz Branch rail line for passenger rail would cost an...






















