Movie Review: 'Battle of the Sexes' misses mark
Emma Stone is a terrific actress but there’s something off about her performance as Billie Jean King in “Battle of the Sexes.” Stone (“The Help,” “La La Land”) never blends into the role of the tennis superstar turned women’s rights activist. The look is off and, more importantly, the attitude never feels like classic King. I don’t think this is Stone’s fault — not completely — but because of this “Battle of the Sexes,” co-directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, ends up feeling like cosplay.
A lesson from the temptation of Jesus
The 40 days of Lent observed in Christianity begins with the story of Jesus who fasted for 40 days in the wilderness immediately following his baptism. It is as if before Jesus began his ministry, he needed to go through a spiritual boot camp...
Guest View: Measure D opens a vital corridor
The following is Trail Now Executive Director Brian Peoples’ rebuttal to the column by Felipe Hernandez and Greg Caput, originally published on the Pajaronian website on May 27 and in this week’s print edition.
Measure D benefits our community by reducing tax dollars spent and...
First Noble Truth
About 2,500 years ago the young prince Siddartha Gautama became what is known as the Buddha. Soon after his Enlightenment the Buddha shared with his fellow seekers what is known as the Four Noble Truths. The first of these truths is “Life is Dukkha.”...
On my mind, Aug. 26: Three big losses
It is with great sadness that I write about the passing of three important friends, who I believe played a huge role in shaping the fabric of Watsonville: Jim Rector, master home builder, Peggy Avalos, site manager at the Watsonville Senior Center through Community Bridges, and Lorraine Stucki, community activist and former Couch Distributing worker.
Guest View: Unfinished business continues into the New Year
2023 was a very challenging year in Monterey County and it reminded me how crucial county government is in addressing the most pressing needs of our communities. I was honored to serve as chair of the Board of Supervisors over the last year, but...
Lasting impressions
I feel fortunate to have the upbringing I had. Growing up in Washington D.C. with a bunch of wonderful kids in my neighborhood – kids from Greek and Jewish families, Catholics, Russians, Italians, Yugoslavians — how lucky was I to have been thrown into su
Guest View: Towards shared prosperity
When everyone has what they need to thrive, we all benefit. That core belief is part of what our group, Rise Together, an initiative of Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, is all about. Our intercultural, multi-generational Rise Together coalition has built bridges and trust...
Opinion: Why Christians must support common sense gun law
I'm sick to my stomach as I watch helplessly the common recurrence of mass shootings and with the paralysis of our nation to do anything about it. I feel assaulted and traumatized by the sheer volume of violence I witness on television and mass...
County unveils “transformative” youth crisis center
For years, Santa Cruz County lacked a youth crisis center, meaning that young people experiencing a mental health crisis were taken to overloaded emergency...