A Year of Service, Growth, and Civic Health in Watsonville
On Dec. 9, I had the profound honor of being sworn in as Mayor of Watsonville.
Standing before community leaders, public servants, and neighbors that evening, I felt a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility.
Watsonville is a city defined by service, resilience, and possibility, and...
Movie Review: Schumer, Hawn combo saves so-so 'Snatched'
Directed by Jonathan Levine (“Warm Bodies,” “50/50”) and written by Katie Dippold (“Ghostbusters”), “Snatched” does absolutely nothing new or special — or better than good, for that matter — but it does what a comedy should: make you laugh.
Sandy Lydon: The legacy of the county boundary in the river
Back in three successive Pajaronian columns (July 1, Aug. 5 and Sept. 2), I laid out the convoluted story of how a group of Yankee (white) residents in and around Santa Cruz seceded from Monterey County and the two were born side-by-side in 1850.
Monterey...
This Week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, May 14
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...
Returning to class
By Jennifer Holm & Jennifer Schacher, PVUSD Board President & Vice-President
Like so many others in education, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District community has had a rough year. We are approaching the one-year mark of schools closing to in-person instruction. That feels significant. In...
This week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, March 5
Compiled by Steve Bankhead
25 years ago on March 4, 1996
Watsonville High teacher Kathy Anderson was named Santa Cruz County’s Teacher of the Year for her work in the Interactive Mathematics Program. She sought help from the Packard Foundation and received a $150,000 grant to...
This Week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, Aug. 6
25 years ago on Aug. 5, 1996
A crowd of 200 parents, children and friends gathered for the third annual “Watsonville Peace and Unity Day 96,” a call for peace and to remember those who have fallen to violence. “We just want to stop the...
Letters to the Editor, Nov. 16, 2023
Questions surrounding PVUSD ethnic studies decision
As a former member of the Ethnic Studies Community Cooperative Committee, I read and presented the following open letter to Ms. Jennifer Holm during the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 8.
I have some...
Letters to the Editor, Feb. 25
Thank you, John Laird
The Democratic Women’s Club (DWC) of Santa Cruz County thanks State Senator John Laird for his swift action on introducing legislation to save the Watsonville Community Hospital, recently purchased by the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project, a consortium of government agencies and...
Letter: Speak out on fair manager’s firing
Next Tuesday, Feb. 7, the Fair Board will be meeting at 1:30pm at the Fine Arts Building. The first item under Correspondence is “Performance Audit with Dave Kegebein Response.” The Board and the state have been unresponsive to requests to schedule meetings at times...
Cabrillo football coach Justin Hansen to take leave of absence
Cabrillo College announced Monday that head football coach Justin Hansen will take a formal family medical leave of absence effective immediately.
Hansen is expected to...


















