Opinion

The tragic deaths of seven farmworkers in Half Moon Bay in January revealed an ugly, persistent truth: there are parts of our state where our essential, agricultural workers still live in deplorable conditions. There are no permits, no inspections and conditions are substandard. But...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The annual Open Farm Tours will return this weekend—albeit in a different capacity. Pre-registration is now required for small, socially-distanced outdoor tours at the following farms: Thomas Farm and Luz Del Valle Farm in Aptos, and GroundSwell Farm in Santa Cruz. Additional participating...

Nearly 10 years ago I took the advice of former Pajaronian Sports Editor Glenn Cravens to apply for his position as he was leaving for another regional publication. At the time, I was three years removed from my Watsonville High School graduation, and still...

One of the basic teachings of the Buddha is the truth of change. This is an undeniable reality that we are all aware of. However, we resist change and cling to the illusion that we are always in control of our lives. When life...

Letters to the Editor, Dec. 23, 2017

Sandy Lydon’s recent articles on the Cabrillo College name change were informative and represented the voice of a majority of Santa Cruz County residents.  The Trustees mean well, but wow, $400,000 to $600,000 to change Cabrillo’s name when they have only raised $2,500 at this...

As your County Clerk, one of my most important responsibilities is to ensure that the votes cast in Santa Cruz County are secure and accurate. Despite claims that voter fraud is rampant nationally, court challenges have failed to produce evidence that voter fraud is anything more than an occasional clerical error or bad data matching.

The long-awaited return to in-person instruction for all Pajaro Valley Unified School District students begins on April 5. As we build our “new normal,” our commitment is to make the most of our instructional time. For this reason, at our Feb. 24 Board meeting,...

Nearly 300 people marched the streets of downtown Santa Cruz May 18 to help end homelessness.  The second-annual gathering, organized by Housing Matters, reigned in a coalition of local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public supporters in the March to End Homelessness. The event began outside Santa...

By Dennis Osmer, former Watsonville Mayor Hardly anybody likes to work with somebody looking over their shoulder. And of those, nobody likes getting advice from somebody outside the circle. But for City Council and the City Manager, that’s the job they sought and got. According...