Opinion

Over the past year, the County has made significant investments in South Santa Cruz County. From the purchase of a new South County Service Center so residents of South County can have access to County services in a way never previously afforded, to setting...

Watsonville mayor's update, April 2018

As a news reporter, I attended Santa Cruz County Fair Board of Directors meetings for years, sometimes covering scandalous fair managers and scarce finances. What I saw recently at the Feb. 28 fair board meeting was disturbing on a level I’d never before have...

Mother’s Day tribute Among the residents of the Central Coast exists a mother whom I remain in awe of and hold deep reverence and respect for. Her capacity to “mother” far exceeds what any normal person is capable of.  Since 1989, she has tirelessly both mothered...

The Pajaro Valley has a beautiful and rich culture of visual and performing arts. From long established dance groups, murals, music, film, to the new arts presence along Main Street in downtown Watsonville, art is an essential part of our lives. As a professional artist...

Memo from Pastor Rene In my last column I wrote about how a constant focus on grim news actually changes the way your brain works, because you’re in constant threat analysis mode. Higher reasoning is diminished. You’re more prone to emotional instability.  Yet there is a...

Freedom to Uncork Corralitos On behalf of Freedom Rotary, I would like to say thank you to Alladin Nursery who was the wonderful host for the Rotary Club of Freedom’s successful sold-out inaugural Uncork Corralitos event on Oct. 22. The afternoon was filled with hundreds of...

In the days leading up to Tuesday’s Watsonville Planning Commission meeting I did several hours of background research on the proposed project at 975-1075 Main St. The more research I did, the more disappointed I became. The project is straightforward: 20,000 square feet over three commercial...

MEMO FROM REV. MATHEWS-JOHNSON It’s that time of year again. Christmas brings up wonderful memories for me. Maybe some of you can relate. But this year it just “ain’t like it used to be” on a lot of levels. Somehow, in some way, I believe we’ve...

Politics is keeping Watsonville stuck I was quite bemused when I read that the Watsonville Planning Commission denied issuing a use permit to the developers of the drive-thru establishments on N. Main Street because of air pollution from idling cars! This is such shortsighted thinking!  Sure,...