Are the inmates running the asylum?
If there was any doubt that the inmates are running the asylum in our administration right now, the group chat on the Signal messaging app about the attack on Yemen should have erased it for all but the most diehard MAGA supporters.
The conversation intended...
Memo from Rev. Shinseki: Drop it!
One day as the Buddha was resting between his visits and talks, a young man came to him with a bouquet of flowers. The young man admired the Buddha and wanted to present him with the flowers in thanks for his teachings. Filled with...
The timeless message of the Messiah
Every year around this time, choirs perform Handel’s Messiah (including in my own congregation). What is it about a piece of music written 260 years ago that still captures hearts today––in fact, especially today, as we endure our long, strange journey through the pandemic...
Gaslighting the effects of tariffs
President Donald Trump continues to “gaslight” the country about the effects of his ever shifting tariff policies.
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation designed to intentionally mislead someone. When used over a considerable amount of time, we begin to doubt ourselves, believe an...
Johanna Miller: Fireworks irresponsible in summer heat
Last week, Watsonville experienced one of its hottest weekends on record. Temperatures reached 110 degrees at one point — practically unheard of for our region’s normally mild summer days. When things began to cool down slightly on Sunday, it seemed like most of us were breathing a collective sigh of relief.
Fireworks in the sky are not always a celebration
Each year we hear and see an increase in fireworks throughout our community. This can be distressing to so many people and their pets. These bombs in the sky can trigger unthinkable feelings in people who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), anxiety...
Letters to the Editor, Jan. 6
Appreciate outgoing councilmembers
Thank you Watsonville Councilmembers Rebecca Garcia and Lowell Hurst for your longtime dedication to the Watsonville City Council. Please know that the Watsonville community is forever thankful for your leadership.
—Daryl Wise, Watsonville
Ancestral guilt
As an amateur genealogist, I would like to add my...
Residents endorse candidates, measures | Letters to the Editor
Re-elect Supervisor Zach Friend
As a long-time Second District voter, I write in strong support of Zach Friend’s re-election as our Santa Cruz County Supervisor in the March 3 election. He was originally elected in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016. A graduate of UC...
Watsonville Farmers’ Market thrives in winter months
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Certified Farmers’ Market continues to offer an array of fresh fruits and vegetables, and gives back to the community every Friday in downtown Watsonville.
While many shoppers stop by for a bag of kettle corn, fresh flowers, eggs, hot prepared foods or a...
County Supervisors approve draft BESS ordinance
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday moved forward with proposed rules aimed at regulating large-scale battery energy storage systems, which if...






















