A key step forward for Pajaro River Project
By Congressman Jimmy Panetta and Supervisor Zach Friend
As your federal and local representatives, we take very seriously the job of ensuring our communities are safe and resilient. To this end, we have been working closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make...
Greg Becker, Aug. 31: Follow the money of rail trail supporters
The Santa Cruz Sentinel and Register-Pajaronian published an identical letter, headlined respectively “Are Koch brothers behind rail-trail opposition?” and “Big money trying to kill rail trail.” It asserted that the Greenway trail leadership has “suddenly appeared” and is playing into the hands of the Koch brothers and “Americans for Prosperity.”
Woody Rehanek: Science proves pesticide’s destructive nature
For the last 18 years, I taught a special education class in the Pajaro Valley. Many of my students were farmworker children with learning disabilities: problems paying attention, reading difficulties, hyperactivity, autism, lower IQ and struggles with self-control. I was shocked to discover that one of the most widely used pesticides in the world — chlorpyrifos — has, after over 20 years of solid research at UC Davis, Berkeley, Columbia University and elsewhere, been linked to these difficulties in learning and behavior.
Local actions matter in battle with climate change
By Felipe Hernandez, Watsonville City Councilman
We face a sobering reality. For those of us who came of age in the 20th century, the existential threat of climate change that we debated theoretically and at great length will be lived by the children being born...
You make a mess, you clean it up
There are times when we need to take a break, and consider our options. In the Bible, we call it the Sabbath, the seventh day, a day of rest and reflection; a day for God.
For someone like me, it’s a very hard thing to...
Movie Review: Craig and Co. carry 'Logan Lucky'
Daniel Craig recently signed on to return as James Bond for the 25th installment of the iconic film franchise. I love Craig as Bond — he’s without a doubt my favorite Bond — but after watching him in “Logan Lucky” that news has me a bit sad. Craig absolutely crushes it as the aptly named Joe Bang in director Steven Soderbergh’s return to the heist film genre and his performance has me itching to see him continue to branch out in different roles. I definitely want him to leave the Bond franchise on a good note — and we all know that “Spectre” was far from good — but I’d much rather see the 49-year-old chase interesting and wacky roles like Joe Bang the rest of his career.
This Week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, May 7
25 years ago on May 6, 1996
The Cinco de Mayo festivities in the Plaza keep growing, drawing 8,000 people and diverse entertainers this year. Sunday’s festival featured the Mariachi Eleazor Cortes group, the salsa band Orquestra Sabor Latino, the White Hawk Dancers, Banda Torero...
Letters to the editor: Aug. 29–Sept. 4
Children are taught inegrity
In 1972 I started teaching sixth grade at Hall District Elementary School in Las Lomas, in north Monterey County. It was my first real teaching job, and the class was not very well-behaved. So, entering my second year I made some...
Is Christian nationlaism reshaping government policy?
The Establishment Clause is the first of two religion clauses in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”
This clause forbids our government from establishing an official religion, and also prohibits government actions that unduly...
Community leaders host rally for Measure E
Dozens of community members and local leaders gathered at a rally Friday at Watsonville Community Hospital in support of Measure E, the temporary half-cent...




















