Guest View: Protect farmland, prevent sprawl
Social issues being faced by Watsonville are being encountered by every town and city in California and across the country. Rising real estate prices, housing needs and homelessness are not solved by paving over farmland.
Watsonville is a special and unique place and does not...
A plea for cyclists
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...
A Year of Service, Growth, and Civic Health in Watsonville
On Dec. 9, I had the profound honor of being sworn in as Mayor of Watsonville.
Standing before community leaders, public servants, and neighbors that evening, I felt a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility.
Watsonville is a city defined by service, resilience, and possibility, and...
Letters to the editor, Aug. 1–7
We want to hear from you! Visit pajaronian.com/submit-letter/
Reflections on the July 16 PVUSD Board Meeting
The July 16 PVUSD Board meeting exposed deep divisions in our community and the urgent need for respectful, reasoned civic engagement—especially concerning student safety. I spoke in strong support of...
Guest View, Ray Cancino: More must be done to prepare for disasters
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...
Alliances in turmoil
In September of 1938, Adolph Hitler issued an ultimatum to Czechoslovakia, demanding it transfers the Sudetenland, a border region, to Germany.
He threatened acquisition by force if the country did not comply. This ultimatum led to the Munich Agreement, in which Britain, France, and Italy...
On My Mind, Aug. 3: A neighborhood comes to life
My neighbor, Jan, and her son Tyler had a yard sale Saturday.
Let’s give thanks
I hope you enjoyed Halloween with your friends and family. Whether it was carving pumpkins, trick or treating or attending parties, many of us were happy to be out again enjoying the interaction with our communities. This time of year brings with it many...
The joy of Easter
All around the world this weekend, Christians are celebrating Good Friday and Easter.
Good Friday is sorrow remembered. Easter is joy experienced.
Several years ago while travelling through Israel I had a chance to go inside a first-century tomb that had been discovered when road crews...
Letter: Thank you for Porter history
I'm not a regular reader of the Pajaronian, but I am so glad to have caught the article “The Porter Family Legacy” (Pajaronian, March 10-16) and learn of the family’s link to the Chinese community in Watsonville. My father Henry G. Wong leased the...
Santa Cruz County Fair theme announced
The folks at the Santa Cruz County Fair have chosen a theme for the 2026 fair: “Apple Pies and Starry Skies!”
“This winning theme for...




















