Opinion

City leaders have every right to be proud of Watsonville’s dropping crime rate, capped off by no homicides in 2016.

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,...

It is time for us voters in the City of Watsonville to decide on Measure Q and Measure S. I read several articles related to the measures including “City Council places competing initiative against Measure U renewal” by Tony Nuñez in the Pajaronian on...

As you might imagine, I’ve met a lot of people on this job — bankers, drifters, teachers, painters, priests, janitors, surgeons, pilots and other reporters.

Looking over the suffering of his people, the prophet Jeremiah cries out in grief and dismay, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?” (Jeremiah 8:22) That is, is there no comfort for the suffering? Is there no relief for the...

When a call comes in for a medical emergency, every second counts.  While an ambulance may be on its way from other parts of the county, it is often the Watsonville Fire Department that arrives first. What many people may not know is that every...

Watsonville Mayor's update, June 2017

The first half of “Wonder Woman” is excellent. The characters are deep, the acting is believable, the set pieces are excellent and the comedy is well written — Pine kills every scene he’s in with his perfect delivery. But the second half devolves into a C

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...

It is widely accepted that our dependency on automobiles is a potent contributor to the climate crisis. What is not so well understood is how auto dependency initiated a new phenomenon: transportation poverty.  Prior to the automobile revolution, walking was how both rich and poor...