New charter school is hurting our community
Navigator Schools, which runs Watsonville Prep on the grounds of E.A. Hall Middle School—and will soon expand to Ann Soldo Elementary School—should find its own space as soon as possible. In the meantime, the organization should immediately pay back the hundreds of thousands of...
Celebrating Women’s Equality Day
“The tribe is like an eagle
and the eagle will only fly true and high
when the wings are equal.”
—South American Indian Proverb
In 1973, the U.S. Congress designated Aug. 26 as “Women's Equality Day.” The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th...
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...
Guest View: Measure N is vital to hospital’s success
In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake significantly damaged a hospital that had served the community of Watsonville for decades. Devastated by the earthquake, the nonprofit Watsonville Community Hospital (WCH) had to be sold to a for-profit corporation. In 2022, it returned to community ownership.
Still,...
Fausto Romero Gomez
Fausto Romero Gomez died peacefully at his Watsonville residence, surrounded by his family on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018. He was 71.
Letter: Pitching the valley
I’m here today to give you a pitch,
A burning desire,
It’s more than an itch,
Underscoring the fact
that this valley’s so rich
Painting a picture
imagine this course
Make a reality
Our place mighty force.
The nature, the earth, the sea, and the sloughs
The farms, and the people,
so good and so...
Movie Review: McAvoy shines in so-so ‘Split’
If there’s any doubt that James McAvoy is one of the best actors working in Hollywood today, “Split” serves as a testament to his overwhelming talent and devotion to every role he takes.
Guest View: Make the Pajaro River work for us
The Pajaro River flood is a world problem. This flood has been written up in the New York Times and the UK Guardian.
The Pajaro River levee was built in 1949. The river begins at San Felipe Lake and travels 30 miles through Watsonville to...
Letters to the Editor, Sept. 4
First Lady was sincere, dazzling
I felt that First Lady Melania Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention was completely sincere and her words were bursting with dazzling light. She strikes me as being a person who truly and deeply cares about the wellbeing of...
Students learn the power of the vote at Civics Summit
On Friday, about 150 high school juniors from across Santa Cruz County cast their first ballots on three issues that, if passed, would dramatically...



















