You make a mess, you clean it up
There are times when we need to take a break, and consider our options. In the Bible, we call it the Sabbath, the seventh day, a day of rest and reflection; a day for God.
For someone like me, it’s a very hard thing to...
Stand up for health equity
By Jason Johnston
We know that the suffering and death of Covid-19 has been far more severe in our local communities of color, particularly the Latinx communities in South County. And we would like to believe that we live in a community with progressive values,...
Let them eat cake
President Donald Trump appears to have the time of his life.
He made clear that the legacy he wants to leave for the White House should be one of renovation, while his presidential legacy would primarily focus on personal glory, a permanent conservative influence on...
Guest View: Hurt people, hurt people
For seven years in the 1970s I taught elementary school at Hall District School in Las Lomas. My students were virtually identical to those massacred in Uvalde, Texas. Apparently, “my” children watched for almost an hour while their teachers and friends were being blown...
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...
How Farmworkers Outlawed ‘El Cortito’ 50 Years Ago
For decades in the Salinas Valley, the short-handle hoe, known as “El Cortito,” was used for weeding and thinning rows of crops that kept farmworkers stooped over for long hours each day. Workers were only able to stand and stretch when they reached the...
Mayor’s message: A Year of Progress, Partnership, and Impact
Dear Community, As I close out my term as your Mayor, I’ve been reflecting on the journey we’ve taken together this year.
When I stepped into this role, I made a commitment, not to titles or recognition, but on making a real difference that families...
From the editor's desk, Nov. 28: Judge’s decision a win for Watsonville
Watsonville scored a big win at the hands of a federal judge last week.
Concerned residents say ‘no’ to pesticide sprays
On Aug. 24, four of five Santa Cruz County Supervisors, except Greg Caput, from Pajaro Valley’s District 4, rejected the County Civil Grand Jury’s recommendation that they support an online pilot program to provide the public with advance notice of hazardous pesticides being applied...
Police chiefs, Feb. 24: Everyone must do their part to prevent gun violence
As law enforcement executives in Santa Cruz County, each of us individually may have different views of how best to reduce gun violence, but we all committed to providing leadership to prevent and reduce gun violence and to keep our children and teachers safe in our schools.
City Council to consider utility rate increases
The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday will consider a series of utility rate increases over the next five years to fund infrastructure upgrades they...



















