Mayor’s column August 2025: In praise of the airport
When people hear “Watsonville Airport,” it often brings to mind moments of resilience and pride—whether it was serving as a crucial lifeline after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, playing a key emergency role during the 2020 CZU fires, or even welcoming a presidential visit...
In support of CASA: California’s budget decisions are failing its most vulnerable children
Difficult decisions were made to pass the California state budget this year. We understand lawmakers worked hard to protect essential programs. However, much more could have been done for foster and justice-involved youth. Among the most alarming cuts was the elimination of statewide CASA...
Gaslighting the effects of tariffs
President Donald Trump continues to “gaslight” the country about the effects of his ever shifting tariff policies.
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation designed to intentionally mislead someone. When used over a considerable amount of time, we begin to doubt ourselves, believe an...
Letters to the editor, Aug. 8-14
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Tiny home village not enough
A band aid on a missing limb is not the only answer. Westview Presbyterian Church is doing an honorable part in the helping of human suffering. But 36 rooms is not enough to help...
Watsonville Community Hospital Foundation – Making strides during challenging times
Not long ago, our community came together around a powerful shared belief: that everyone deserves access to healthcare.
That belief fueled the effort to save Watsonville Community Hospital and bring it under local control—a major victory.
But like many hospitals across the country, we continue to...
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...
Demonizing immigrants threatens core values
A foundational aspect of our national identity is the widely regarded notion that the United States is a nation of immigrants.
While the country has also seen periods of restrictive immigration policies, our history is deeply intertwined with the movement of people from other nations....
Reject Georgia Acosta for Watsonville Planning Commission
Editor’s note: This letter was written to the Watsonville City Council.
We are Pajaro Valley for Ethnic Studies and Justice (PVESJ), a local grassroots coalition that has been organizing students, teachers, and community members at PVUSD for almost two years.
In last November’s election, our group...
Reinstate Barrios Unidos at Pajaro Valley High School!
A month and a half ago, Principal Todd Wilson of Pajaro Valley High School decided against renewing a contract with Barrios Unidos, a grassroots Santa Cruz organization that has long worked with incarcerated and system-impacted people, drawing wisdom and leadership from those with lived...
What Makes Watsonville Community Hospital—and America—Great
Thirty-three years ago, while my family was preparing for a birthday party, I decided to arrive early. My mother was shopping for a cake for my sister’s second birthday in our small hometown of Cuerámaro, Guanajuato, Mexico—a rural town of at the time just...
Photo story: Two teens arrested after e-bike chase
A tow operator lifts one of two electric dirt bikes onto a flatbed truck after being stopped by Watsonville Police on Bridge Street Tuesday...
















