Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s school closure advisory committee is expected to present recommendations in December, but members say they need more time. The district has yet to clarify when the governing board will vote or how much money school closures could save.
Corralitos / Freedom
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Watsonville Community Hospital board votes to close maternity services, NICU despite pushback from community members
The Pajaro Valley Health Care District board of directors voted 3-2 to close Watsonville Community Hospital’s maternity services, which includes labor and delivery, and its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The decision does not mean an immediate closure, and the board could rescind its decision if funding becomes available.
Posted inLatest News
‘An inspiration to many’: Dolores Huerta’s legacy lives on in Santa Cruz County activists she inspired
Dolores Huerta, the pioneering labor leader and co-founder of United Farm Workers, inspired generations of activists across Santa Cruz County. Local leaders from Watsonville to Santa Cruz remember her as a champion for farmworkers, women’s rights and community activism.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Give Measure E a chance before closing Watsonville’s maternity unit – a physician’s perspective
Watsonville Community Hospital is considering closing its maternity and newborn care units, raising concerns among doctors and nurses about the risks to mothers and babies. Dr. Madhu Raghavan, a pediatrician who has practiced in Watsonville for 39 years, says longer travel times could put families at risk. She urges the hospital board to give Measure E a chance to bring in new county funding before making a final decision. Raghavan also calls for exploring other funding sources to keep these essential services open.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Watsonville Community Hospital’s maternity care is a regional responsibility – we can’t let it close
Watsonville Community Hospital loses about $27,000 a day providing labor and delivery services, raising questions about whether it can sustain the unit without jeopardizing its finances. Closing it would force families to travel farther for care and shift pressure to other hospitals, write Gail Newel, David Ghilarducci and Dori Rose Inda, all of whom have held healthcare leadership roles in Santa Cruz County. The authors call on regional healthcare providers, insurers and public agencies to share the costs of preserving maternity care, arguing that Watsonville cannot wait for a statewide solution. The Pajaro Valley Health Care District board is slated to vote Wednesday afternoon on the fate of the services.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville farmworker families find food, clothing and support at monthly donation drive
A monthly donation drive in Watsonville gives farmworker families access to food, clothing, diapers, toys and Halloween costumes as they navigate rising housing costs and other economic hardships. Volunteers say the effort is about more than material goods: It’s also a way to show families that their community cares.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Familias de trabajadores agrícolas de Watsonville encuentran alimentos, ropa y apoyo en una jornada mensual de donaciones
Una jornada mensual de donaciones en Watsonville ofrece a las familias de trabajadores agrícolas acceso a alimentos, ropa, pañales, juguetes y disfraces de Halloween, mientras enfrentan el aumento de los costos de vivienda y otras dificultades económicas. Los voluntarios dicen que la iniciativa va más allá de los bienes materiales: también es una forma de demostrarles a las familias que su comunidad se preocupa por ellas.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Watsonville Community Hospital board to consider closing maternity services, NICU at Wednesday meeting
Watsonville Community Hospital’s board is scheduled to decide whether to shutter the facility’s labor and delivery services and neonatal intensive care unit as the financially struggling hospital faces mounting losses. Nurses, doctors and community members are urging leaders to find alternatives, warning that closures could limit access to critical care for mothers and newborns across the region.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
La junta directiva del Hospital Comunitario de Watsonville considerará el miércoles el cierre de los servicios de maternidad y de la unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales
La junta directiva del Hospital Comunitario de Watsonville tiene previsto decidir si cerrará los servicios de trabajo de parto y parto, así como la unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales (UCIN), mientras el hospital, que atraviesa dificultades financieras, enfrenta pérdidas cada vez mayores. Enfermeras, médicos y miembros de la comunidad están instando a los directivos a encontrar alternativas y advierten que los cierres podrían limitar el acceso a atención médica esencial para madres y recién nacidos en toda la región.
Posted inInside Lookout
Lookout’s fall election forums connect voters with candidates across the county
One of my favorite parts of working at Lookout Santa Cruz is getting out into the community and connecting with people face-to-face. We spend a lot of time reporting on the decisions that affect our lives, but there’s something special about bringing people together in the same room to ask questions, hear different perspectives and learn from one another. That’s exactly what we’ve been doing this election season.
