Opinion

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...

Re: County leaders show support, Free Lance 6/27/25 Never before has this decision by our sheriff, Eric Taylor, in union with our neighboring counties been importantly decisive.  “The direction to my staff is that hardworking migrants …must be left alone.” Because law is about being human; that...

Bruce John Bannister, a local pastor who had a major impact on hundreds of lives, died June 9, at the age of 73 surrounded by family after a lengthy battle with cancer, his wife Dori told us.Bruce was born in San Jose on May...

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...

Re: Hundreds protest on No Kings Day, Free Lance, June 20, 2025 Never before have I seen such enthusiasm before carrying out a protest or rally. People arrived with a mission to accomplish. Many arrived before noon and remained well into the late afternoon celebrating...

I was sorry to read the article, “Locals celebrate highway opening” in the latest Free Lance (June 13 edition), as well as the letter calling the California High-Speed Rail a “boondoggle.” Supervisor Kosmicki is correct in saying Highway 156 will “drastically” improve our quality of...

Agreement on a new fire protection contract last week means local residents can rest assured they will continue to have high-level safety services into the future. This was a monumental win for our community.  This agreement marked the end of a collective process to extend...

Lately, it can feel like the world is weighed down with stress—global conflicts, economic uncertainty and the fast pace of everyday life. It’s easy to get caught up in the heaviness of it all. But right here in our own community, there are still...

Mattie Scariot, Director of the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, said she was thrilled to announce the appointment of Jon Fitzgerald and Tasja Kirkwood to the PJIFF Board of Directors during a milestone year—its 20th anniversary. Their appointments bring an exciting blend of industry...

As the U.S. Senate debates the sweeping legislation known as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” it’s worth asking a critical question: who really pays the price for political ambition? For rural communities like ours in San Benito County, the answer may hit closer to home...