I had high hopes for Jeff Bezos when he bought the Washington Post in 2013. Before the days of mega corporations owning media, newspapers were owned by wealthy entrepreneurs who were members of their communities and invested in their well-being, supporting charities, and building museums.
I thought Bezos would follow those traditions and keep his newspaper following journalism’s most revered tradition of bringing light into the darkness and making truth its highest standard.
At first, it seemed that Bezos was doing that. Famed editor Martin Baron wrote a book, Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos and the Washington Post, which praised Bezos’s management and gave us reason for hope.
But things changed with Trump’s second term, Baron says. Bezos overruled his staff’s endorsement of Kamala Harris and he limited the scope of his editorial pages to focus only on “personal liberties and free markets,” quashing what was once an exchange of ideas.
“ It’s been infuriating to observe the damage he has inflicted in recent months on the reputation of a newspaper whose investigative reporting has served as a bulwark against Trump’s most transgressive impulses,” Baron wrote in The Atlantic, noting also that Bezos has offered Melania Trump $40 million for a documentary of her life.
That’s one more reason to stop those ubiquitous Amazon boxes. The others should be obvious: why give money to a rich scallawag who cares nothing about us and why not help our neighbors who own our local businesses?
Joan Hammel’s cover story shows the difficulties and benefits of shopping locally; among the benefits, the kind and knowledgeable help you get in our local stores. I hope it inspires you to drop the box and visit our great local businesses.
Our upcoming Best Of magazine, which comes out the last week of March, is a guide that will help you find our best shops and services. It’s a roadmap to thinking and shopping locally.
Let’s support our neighborhood businesses and free speech at the same time.
We’ve got two fun dog stories in this issue: One on literal hot dogs, the other on dog movie stars. That’s a barking good time.
Enjoy and thanks for reading.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
HUM BABY This hummingbird was shot at the UCSC arboretum March 8. Photograph by Jo Koumouitzes
GOOD IDEA
The Watsonville Center for the Arts (375 Main Street) presents the Eclose Art Exhibit, a solo exhibition by Jaime Sánchez. This showcase runs through May 3 and celebrates artistic transformation and cultural exchange in Watsonville. The gallery opens Mondays and Tuesdays, 3-7pm, with an artist talk March 28 at 6:30pm.
Also, Arts Council Santa Cruz County, in partnership with regional arts organizations, has been awarded a $250,000 workforce development grant as part of Uplift Central Coast’s Catalyst Funding Program. This initiative will help build career pathways for arts educators, addressing the growing demand for credentialed arts teachers.
GOOD WORK
Jennalee Dahlen, founder of Yoso Wellness Spa, has been named the 2025 Esthetician of the Year at The Skin Games, the most prestigious international esthetics competition, recognizing the industry’s top professionals from around the world. Competing against hundreds of estheticians, Dahlen secured 1st and 2nd place rankings in six case study categories before earning the ultimate honor as Esthetician of the Year.
This victory is the culmination of three years, 19 case study categories, and 15 top-three placements, showcasing Dahlen’s expertise in advanced skincare, holistic healing, and results-driven transformations.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Democracy Dies in Darkness.” —The Washington Post’s motto
