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Watsonville
December 2, 2025

Celebrating holidays with our elders

letter to the editor pajaronian
Reaching out to an older friend, a parent or a grandparent is never more meaningful than during the holiday season. It warms us, them, and bestows all with human connection, which is an essential component of health and happiness. Covid-19 has made keeping in touch...

From the editor's desk: Step forward and report crimes

I am relieved to say that we finally got through a Monday without reports of child abuse popping up from somewhere in Santa Cruz County.

Letters to the Editor, Oct. 12, 2023

letter to the editor pajaronian
Power poles are visual blight I had the opportunity to drive on an improved and repaved Freedom Boulevard recently.   Traversing it nice, however, I wish the powers that be had the foresight to include in the budget, PG&E undergrounding of those unsightly poles, electrical transmission wires...

‘Missing’

Rev. Robin Mathews-Johnson
Memo from Rev. Mathews-Johnson I don’t know about you, but there’ve been times in my life when I thought something was missing. You know what I mean. Like when you’re young and single and things are going along fine, except you long for something else,...

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...

Firework sales should be brought to the public

The Pajaronian
By Dennis Osmer, former Watsonville Mayor Hardly anybody likes to work with somebody looking over their shoulder. And of those, nobody likes getting advice from somebody outside the circle. But for City Council and the City Manager, that’s the job they sought and got. According...

County agriculture copes with heat, fires

The worst wildfires in California’s history have burned more than 3 million acres, about 3 percent of the state’s total acreage, and included Santa Cruz County vineyards, orchards and tree farms. The fires scorched fields, destroyed barns, melted irrigation lines and disrupted power, water...

Loving past the division

Memo from Pastor Rene Schlaepfer
Memo from Pastor Rene: There they were, side by side, helping to feed evacuees in our church parking lot last week: A true red-state conservative and a deep blue Democrat. I knew this about the two men from previous conversations, but as I watched them...

Wrapping up my tenure as Mayor

Rebecca Garcia
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...

This Week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, May 14

pajaro valley's past
25 years ago on May 14, 1996 The program “Home Independent Study” is open in the PV School District at Alianza Elementary School. The 90-plus students enrolled in it are free to explore their own learning styles, interests and ideas while keeping within state and...
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K9 officer helps find loaded handgun; man arrested

A man was arrested late last month on multiple felony charges after he ditched a loaded gun and ran from Capitola Police. The incident began...