Parks and recreation update
By Rebecca J. Garcia, Watsonville Mayor
All my grandchildren learned to swim through the Watsonville summer aquatics program. They went underwater, they floated, they played and they swam. So much fun. However, there will be no summer aquatics program this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic....
Movie Review: ‘Coco’ is a masterful love letter to Mexican culture
No other movie has quite captured the “family-comes-first” Mexican culture — both the good and the bad that comes with it — that is engrained in who I am. “Coco” is like a love letter to the culture, those who grew up in it and those who appreciate it. There is hardly any pandering here. All references and cameos — there are some great ones that I won’t spoil — range from well-done to perfect.
Tackling testing
The long-awaited return to in-person instruction for all Pajaro Valley Unified School District students begins on April 5. As we build our “new normal,” our commitment is to make the most of our instructional time. For this reason, at our Feb. 24 Board meeting,...
It’s time for Watsonville to denounce white supremacy
By Frances Salgado-Chavez
Racism didn’t end with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I have a dream’ speech in 1963. Further, his critiques of the United States government as the ‘greatest purveyor of violence in the world’ led to his assassination. Racism is alive and the...
From the editor's desk: Palm trees represent ‘baby step’ for downtown
Last week, crews planted palm trees in the recently-constructed medians along Main Street in downtown Watsonville. Immediately, people took to Facebook to express their disapproval.
This week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, March 5
Compiled by Steve Bankhead
25 years ago on March 4, 1996
Watsonville High teacher Kathy Anderson was named Santa Cruz County’s Teacher of the Year for her work in the Interactive Mathematics Program. She sought help from the Packard Foundation and received a $150,000 grant to...
Movie review: 'Power Rangers' tries, fails to be one-size-fits-all
There are some moments that are similar to “Chronicle,” Josh Trank’s 2012 film about three teenagers that stumble upon super powers, but there are also moments when director Dean Israelite’s “Power Rangers” feels like a Saturday cartoon.
How Farmworkers Outlawed ‘El Cortito’ 50 Years Ago
For decades in the Salinas Valley, the short-handle hoe, known as “El Cortito,” was used for weeding and thinning rows of crops that kept farmworkers stooped over for long hours each day. Workers were only able to stand and stretch when they reached the...
The importance of the youth vote in 2020 | Letters to the Editor
The importance of the youth vote in 2020
Attention young people: Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964) and Millenials (ages 18-35) both represent nearly one-third of the potential voting populace apiece. In 2016, people 65 years and older voted at a 71 percent rate. Millennials voted...
Supervisor’s Update: Embracing progress and community
As July unfolds, District 4 is bustling with activity, showcasing multiple ongoing projects, both within city limits and the unincorporated. From road clearing and road resurfacing to infrastructure improvements and community initiatives, District 4 is experiencing positive transformations. Amidst the activity, we strive to...
Padilla, Schiff secure $54M for Pajaro River Levee
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla announced Tuesday that he and Sen. Adam Schiff secured $54 million in federal funding for the Pajaro River Flood Risk...




















