Independence Sunday
Memo from Rev. Mathews-Johnson
While I was growing up, whenever we moved—which was often in those days because my dad was a Navy officer—my mother would find a job at the local United Methodist Church in our new town playing the organ and piano. As...
Movie Review: ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’ more of the same, in a good way
Is the sequel, “John Wick: Chapter 2,” better than the first? No. But it is nonetheless a whimsical and unpredictable dose of high-octane action that will leave you with your mouth open time and again.
Resolutions and ripple effects
I’ve thought a lot about my New Year’s resolutions this year. Somehow it seems there’s more at stake than usual. The way you and I approach 2021 will impact not only our own experience, but also the lives of those around us, at a...
Letters to the Editor, Nov. 16: Bike- and pedestrian-safe streets need to be a priority
Letters to the Editor, Nov. 16, 2017
This week in Pajaro Valley’s Past, Feb. 26
Compiled by Steve Bankhead
25 years ago on Feb. 23, 1996
A 13-member delegation from Watsonville’s sister city Kawakami, Japan began a whirlwind tour here of our lettuce industry. The lettuce industry began in Japan during the U.S. occupation after World War II when a mess...
Support California’s essential workers
Safety nets for California farmworkers
Like health care workers on the front lines of coronavirus battle, California farmworkers are on the front lines of our state’s $54 billion food supply chain, yet have few safety nets and protections. Governor Newsom has rightly designated them as...
Letter: Don’t sacrifice airport for development
Under no circumstances should the Watsonville Municipal Airport be the sacrificial lamb for low income housing or other types of development!
Watsonville Mayor Eduardo Montesino states: “A playground for rich people to have an airplane.” Not only is this a reckless, erroneous comment, it also...
Modeling accountability: Relational, cultural and restorative safety
The Pajaro Valley community recently learned about the tragic death of an Aptos High School teen on the school’s campus. This has led to outrage, grief and racialized commentary. During this critical time, trauma-fueled responses, reactionary behavior and near-sighted solutions can lead to collateral...
Rewriting America’s history
George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984” contains the famous slogan: “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
This quote from Orwell’s book is intended to mean that those in power manipulate historical records to shape public perception, justify current...
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...



















