Opinion

After being incarcerated on death row for 35 years, and after surviving a multiple hours-long botched lethal injection attempt 16 months earlier, on Jan. 25 Kenneth Smith became the first person in the world to be executed with nitrogen gas.  Alabama state officials described his...

Watsonville Community Hospital is vital to the economic success of the Pajaro Valley. Businesses, their employees and customers all benefit from local access to healthcare.  From employees to medical providers, the hospital provides nearly 1,000 local jobs and medical care for over 100,000 people...

In this edition, we’ll discuss the collaborative efforts of a safer, stronger Santa Cruz County, the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Bond, seek representatives for the Measure D Taxpayer Oversight Committee and shaping the “Age Well Santa Cruz County” Master Plan. Join us in staying...

We went to see the current situation of the Murphy Crossing Bridge area on Jan. 21 after we learned that there was a possibility of flooding in that area the next morning.  We measured the height between the bottom of the river and the bottom...

Our community stands at a pivotal juncture. Access to life-saving, local healthcare for tens of thousands of residents throughout the Pajaro Valley, Santa Cruz County and North Monterey County is on the March 5, 2024 ballot.  Measure N is not just a bond; it is...

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,...

In the 2020 election, my Watsonville family was energized and held its very first voting party. Local candidates competing for the same office visited, my cousins and I offered to translate and research for our elders, and many drove together to City Hall to...

The Pajaronian has traditionally avoided endorsing candidates and most other issues during election cycles. Our reasoning is simple: a news outlet’s job, we believe, is to provide as much information as possible from all sides of issues and to let our readers make their...

2023 was a very challenging year in Monterey County and it reminded me how crucial county government is in addressing the most pressing needs of our communities. I was honored to serve as chair of the Board of Supervisors over the last year, but...

Editor’s note: This is the second installment of a two-part Supervisor’s Update. As the year draws to a close, I want to take a moment to extend my warmest Happy Holiday wishes to each and every one of you and to also wish you all...