Guest View

Every teacher in California wants their students to be able to read. But too often, we’re not given the tools to provide effective reading instruction.  While serving as an English language arts/English language development teacher on Special Assignment for Gilroy Unified School District, our Las...

More than any other time in recent history, this election in San Benito County is a referendum on growth.

There comes a time when each of us comes to terms with aspects of life that can change our views and challenge long held beliefs. For me it is the present issue of police in schools (school resource officers).

For our tribe, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Betabel is much, much more than a vacant lot conveniently located by a Highway 101 offramp. Positioned at the confluence of the San Benito and Pajaro Rivers, where earthquake faults also meet, the Betabel area is a place of power where, for countless generations, our people came together for healing and renewal.

May is Water Awareness Month. It’s also the start of our irrigation season when water use starts to go up dramatically. Over 60% of residential water use is for landscape purposes in the summer.   This is especially important since we are in the grips of...

California’s drought is not over despite a bounty of snowfall and rain over the past month: California’s snowpack—a critical source of water—is 150% of average for early January. But it’s not enough to bring an end to the severe drought and water shortages. California still needs about another...

While 2023 was an eventful year for San Benito County, I am particularly excited about three endeavors coming in 2024 that will undoubtedly improve the quality of life in our community.  Those efforts include the county hitting its stride with $28 million in unincorporated road...

The agricultural stretch of California’s Central Coast along the Salinas Valley is often called the “Salad Bowl of the World,” and for good reason. It supplies more than 60% of the nation’s lettuce and substantial portions of strawberries, spinach and broccoli.  But beyond the fertile...

Benjamin Franklin said there were two things certain in life: Death and taxes! When it comes to special interests’ involvement in influencing our government, I can add two more certainties: Bad policies and more taxes to cover the costs of those policies. To be clear,...

With sincere gratitude, I reflect on the truly historic “topping off” ceremony that took place on Jan. 17, 2024. The significance of this day marked a symbolic milestone in the construction of Gavilan College’s San Benito campus, as the last steel beam was placed....