Opinion

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...

Naloxone can save lives A billboard will be unveiled in Watsonville presenting how Naloxone can easily save and reverse an opioid overdose.  True convenience arrives as soon as anyone views the value and significance of this tool. It has the power to save a life. Why...

Railbanking is the answer Who, what, why, where, when and how? These are the questions that need to be considered in any public transportation project. According to the RTC's planning documents, a $1.3 billion train would primarily serve a projected 300 Watsonville commuters, making an insignificant impact...

I often start this monthly column with a true story about my experiences as a parent. Writing about my own parenting challenges is like giving myself free therapy. I relive memories of difficult situations, work through my emotions in a safe environment (my office,...

My long-time friend Don White has died. If the name escapes you, he was the friendly man whose photo I ran in the R-P each year for the past 10-plus years tending his vast collection of bonsai trees in the back yard of his Carmel Street home.

The California State Senate has recognized May as Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month with the passage of Senate Resolution 34, which I was proud to have authored. This designation will help bring attention to this life debilitating disease.

By Denise Elerick, of the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County Substance use disorder is now widely recognized in the medical community as a chronic illness which responds to treatment. Similar to other chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease, remission and recurrence...

To some, George Washington represents patriarchy and oppression. To Lloyd Alaga, the person who commissioned the bust of George Washington for Watsonville’s Plaza, Washington represented the opportunity in America for immigrants who have come, and continue to come, to this country. Lloyd Alaga’s uncle was...

It is so easy, ridiculously easy, to simply point at someone else and say, “He’s not in our group.”  Ever felt that way? I know I have, but I confess I’m not proud of it.  Even churches make that mistake. Arthur Herman’s book “How the...