New leadership, shared priorities: Investing in the future of public safety
As we begin a new year, I want to reflect on the direction of public safety in Watsonville and the leadership helping guide that work forward.
Our Police and Fire Departments are entering this next chapter with experienced leaders who bring strong values, proven track...
December Update: 2025 A Year of Delivering Results
As we close out the year, I want to provide District 4 with a clear update on the work we’ve advanced together. My priorities have remained steady: deliver improvements, protect our families, and bring long-overdue investment to South County. This year was defined by...
Letters to the Editor, Nov. 24
Bus-Trail is the best option
Bus-Trail allows the present unused Santa Cruz County Corridor to be totally Trail-Only, totally Bus-Only or anything in-between at any time.
Those who liked the recent TIG “wannabe bus” demonstration when it was standing still or ramping up to the full...
Letter to the Editor, Oct. 14: Safeguarding the election processes in America
Letter to the Editor, Oct. 14, 2017
Stand with older adults to improve access to dental care
Grandpa wants to eat an apple.
This is a simple act. Yet, one in five people over the age of 65 living in the U.S. have lost all their teeth according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To make matters worse, Medicare—the...
Luis Alejo | A 25-year movement for peace and unity
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.
Guest View: The Republican party may not last
George Washington, our first President, warned against political parties. The English had already seen by the 18th century that there was bad feeling between the Conservative and Liberal parties in Parliament. The two parties survived to serve two factions of the public educated enough...
Supervisor’s Update: Equity: From commitment to action
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,...
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.
RTC looks to federal, state government to fill rail funding gap
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will seek funding from the state and federal government to support construction planning for a passenger...



















