By LOWELL HURST, Watsonville Mayor
Welcome to a New Year in Watsonville: I will be your mayor for 2018 and I am excited to have the opportunity to lead the Council for a third time in this demanding position. I pledge to work hard in creating clarity, openness and access to good governmental processes that serve all the residents of our city. I am looking forward to a year of progress, improvements, cooperation and teamwork to make Watsonville even a better place to live, work and play. I hope you feel the same and will do what you can to also assist us. Working together we can achieve more and improve the quality of life throughout the community.
Watsonville Sesquicentennial Website: There is a great deal of enthusiasm and excitement around the celebration of the city’s 150th. As part of this milestone celebration, we have created a commemorative website (www.Watsonville150.org) to feature historical photos, stories and videos. You can help us by sharing your photos, stories and experiences on what it was like growing up in Watsonville. If you have photos or stories you would like to share, please email them to wa************@ci***************.org.
RISE Community Art Classes: Registration for the RISE Community Art Classes is now open and will be open until Jan. 22. Classes are available for youth and adults from 11-22 years old and are $40 for eight-week sessions. The classes will be held at Muzzio Park Community Center. Here is a list of the classes available: Acoustic Guitar; Expressive Painting; Community Theater; Hip Hop Dance; and African Drumming. Please call 768-3240 for more information.
Celebrate Engineers Week: Join us to celebrate Engineers Week by participating in the 15th Annual Egg Drop on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 4 p.m. The event will take place between the alley of the Civic Plaza Building and the Post Office. For information, call 768-3117.
Watsonville Nature Center: Come learn about the conservation and rebate programs available to all City of Watsonville water customers at the Watsonville Nature Center. They are located at 30 Harkins Slough Road and are open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Nature Center also offers free nature and birding walks on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. For information, please call 768-1622.
16th Annual Cesar E. Chavez Community Awards: The annual Cesar E. Chavez awards recognize seven members for their dedicated community work and activism that promotes the values of community involvement, volunteerism and non-violent conflict. To nominate an individual for recognition, submit a nomination form and a photo of the nominee by Friday, Feb. 23. Please call 768-3240 to request an application or stop by and pick one up at the Parks & Community Services office located at 231 Union St.
Wild World of Wetlands — Native Planting Day: Join us and show your appreciation of our wetlands by participating in our native planting celebration on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Watsonville Nature Center located at 30 Harkins Slough Road. All activities are free. Snacks, beverages and tools will be provided. Bring your whole family! For information, please contact the Nature Center at 768-1622.
Get Signed Up for Emergency Notifications: Sign up to receive emergency notifications and keep you and your family safe and informed. Download the CodeRed app from the Apple App or Google Play Store. The CodeRED notification system sends important messages to residents within Santa Cruz and San Benito counties in the event of emergency situations. You can also sign-up for Nixle to stay informed and receive text messages about local emergencies. To sign up for Nixle Alerts, text your zip code to 888777.
I love to hear from our community, so please feel free to email me directly at lo**********@ci***************.org.
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Lowell Hurst is the mayor of Watsonville. His opinions are his own and not necessarily those of the Pajaronian.
