Opinion

There are various opportunities for community engagement and multiple projects starting this month—from arts to roads to housing. There are also multiple projects starting this summer. My hopes are that these capital investment projects will improve the lives of everyone. I will be having open...

When my wife Laurie and I teach at marriage retreats we often refer to the work of Dr. John Gottman. In his famous “glass house” at the University of Washington, Gottman has studied thousands of married couples over decades of research to see what...

In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake significantly damaged a hospital that had served the community of Watsonville for decades. Devastated by the earthquake, the nonprofit Watsonville Community Hospital (WCH) had to be sold to a for-profit corporation. In 2022, it returned to community ownership.  Still,...

About 2,500 years ago the young prince Siddartha Gautama became what is known as the Buddha. Soon after his Enlightenment the Buddha shared with his fellow seekers what is known as the Four Noble Truths. The first of these truths is “Life is Dukkha.”...

Recently, we learned of a hunger strike in the Santa Cruz County main jail. Due to intolerable conditions, nine men awaiting trial started a hunger strike on Nov. 8. Five remained on hunger strike for nearly a month. Their demands?  • That jail staff treat...

Watsonville mayor's update, August 2017

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,...

Barricades were recently taken down where Atkinson Lane meets Freedom Boulevard during construction of the new Tabasas Gardens homes (shown here). The lane had been closed to allow for construction for more than a year.

A foundational aspect of our national identity is the widely regarded notion that the United States is a nation of immigrants.  While the country has also seen periods of restrictive immigration policies, our history is deeply intertwined with the movement of people from other nations....