Opinion

In the days leading up to Tuesday’s Watsonville Planning Commission meeting I did several hours of background research on the proposed project at 975-1075 Main St. The more research I did, the more disappointed I became. The project is straightforward: 20,000 square feet over three commercial...

Thirty-three years ago, while my family was preparing for a birthday party, I decided to arrive early. My mother was shopping for a cake for my sister’s second birthday in our small hometown of Cuerámaro, Guanajuato, Mexico—a rural town of at the time just...

Watsonville Mayor's Update, October 2017

On March 7, 2020, I sat with friends and colleagues around a table at the fairgrounds’ Crosetti building for the annual crab feed. As we laughed and ate way too much, I never imagined the next time I’d be at the fairgrounds would be...

Looking over the suffering of his people, the prophet Jeremiah cries out in grief and dismay, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?” (Jeremiah 8:22) That is, is there no comfort for the suffering? Is there no relief for the...

For most elected bodies, the new year brings newly appointed Presidents and Vice-Presidents—or board chairs and vice-chairs. This seldom controversial move is a way to end the year and begin with new leadership. The first meeting of the new year is usually the first time...

Now, let’s say the levees that protect your home from flooding are old and deficient. They could fail during the next big storm, causing a major flood. The federal and state government offer to pay $400 million for new and improved levees. The only...

Santa Cruz County residents are no stranger to powerful and dangerous natural disasters, including winter storms with lasting impacts on our community.   The Santa Cruz County Department of Community Development & Infrastructure (CDI) knows that even as we continue to pick ourselves up after last...