Watsonville residents share priorities for local leaders: ‘Everything is so expensive’

A listening session at Raíces y Cariño in July connected Noticias Watsonville with residents, who shared their concerns about the soaring cost of living. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local) Editor s note: Erandi García is the lead reporter for Noticias Watsonville. She covers issues and decisions made by elected officials that shape life in the Pajaro Valley and across Santa Cruz County. Her stories appear in Spanish and English, on WhatsApp, Instagram and on Santa Cruz Local. This story was written in first person, documenting Erandi’s experience conducting listening sessions throughout South Santa Cruz County in July and August. WATSONVILLE This summer, I went out into the community with my Noticias Watsonville colleagues Catalina Jaramillo and Nik Alterberg to hold listening sessions in preparation for curating the Nov. 3 election guide we published Oct. 5. Because I had only been reporting at Santa Cruz Local/Noticias Watsonville for a couple of weeks, I initially felt nervous, b