This Week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, April 23
Compiled by Steve Bankhead
25 years ago on April 23, 1996
Moreland Notre Dame sixth-grader Anoosh Moutafian won her division in the Santa Cruz County Science Fair competition at Cabrillo College. Her project centered on properties of the lowly daphnia, tiny water crustaceans that thrive in...
Letters to the Editor Jan. 9-15
Addressing boisterous, long PVUSD meetings
What occurred at the PVUSD board meeting last month should never have happened. Trustee Joy Flynn’s response to a shout from the crowd about “blood on your hands” posed no threat, and was likely a reference to a belief that...
Watsonville is again a safe community | Letters to the Editor
Vote Yes on Measure Y
My family has lived and farmed in Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley since the 1900s. Forty-five years ago I started our first farm growing green beans in Watsonville. I have converted that to be organic and we now are the...
Giving everyone access to health coverage is a priority for Monterey Bay hospitals
With all the political instability in Washington D.C., it’s difficult to know what our health care system will look like in the future. Despite the recent failure of efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the White House appears to b
Guest View: Prop. 28 boosts schools
Proposition 28 is an initiative on the Nov. 8 ballot that funds school-based arts and music education throughout the state. It's estimated to provide an annual $900 million across California PK-12 public schools without raising taxes. For kids, this means more joy, opportunities to...
Letters to the Editor Dec. 5-11
Suggestions for PVUSD
My recommendations regarding the Recommended Realignments of PVUSD:
1. Regarding school closure, I have advocated for an idea to sell the District Office Building and move it to a school—which should be considered for closing—since 2024. I also would like to advocate for...
Giving thanks
There is a unique term in Japanese that is used by Buddhists as they sit down to partake of a meal. The term in itadakimasu 頂きます. Before someone begins to eat they place their palms together and say the words itadakimasu. In a simple...
Letters to the Editor Dec. 12-26
Praise for Watsonville Fire Chief Lopez
In 1996, I took my New School students to the Watsonville Fire Department on Second Street for an educational tour. There I met fireman Rudy Lopez, who took an interest in my "second chance" high school students. I met...
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...
The Pajaronian’s Female Athlete of the Year: Olivia Contreras
There’s a lot of work that goes into being a student-athlete nowadays.
Most have to juggle between practice, workouts (sometimes twice a day), school work...
















