Opinion

In the heart of Santa Cruz County, our community is rallying around a powerful commitment to equity.  Our recent equity statement reflects a transformative spirit, embracing every individual with support, dignity and compassion. Together, we're striving for systemic changes to address historical underfunding, language barriers,...

There is a unique term in Japanese that is used by Buddhists as they sit down to partake of a meal. The term in itadakimasu 頂きます. Before someone begins to eat they place their palms together and say the words itadakimasu. In a simple...

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...

There are various opportunities for community engagement and multiple projects starting this month—from arts to roads to housing. There are also multiple projects starting this summer. My hopes are that these capital investment projects will improve the lives of everyone. I will be having open...

Exactly 25 years ago this Sunday, the Watsonville community was shocked after the tragic shootings of 9-year old Jessica Cortez and her 16-year old brother, Jorge Cortez at El Nopal Bakery in Pajaro.

25 years ago on Aug. 12, 1996 Thousands of farm workers and their families marched through Watsonville, waving flags and banners to protest the United Farm Workers organizing efforts. In March, the UFW announced plans to organize the 15,000 berry workers in the Pajaro and...

I recently heard an interview with Hebrew Bible scholar, Dr. Walter Brueggemann. When asked about the atonement—a much discussed and much argued Christian theological concept—Brueggemann replied, “I’m much more interested in the economy than I am in atonement.” He went on to explain that...

On Aug. 24, four of five Santa Cruz County Supervisors, except Greg Caput, from Pajaro Valley’s District 4, rejected the County Civil Grand Jury’s recommendation that they support an online pilot program to provide the public with advance notice of hazardous pesticides being applied...

There are always two sides to every story, and Trustee Georgia Acosta and the three other trustees who voted to terminate Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez need to tell us why they took that drastic action. Unfortunately, they cannot do so...