From our Archives: Groundbreaker
These folks gather for a groundbreaking ceremony on July 20, 1954, for the Westview Presbyterian Church in Watsonville.
A touch of Old Dutch | Travel
Windmills and museums cap off European adventure
Note: This is the final part in a series about England, Germany and the Netherlands.
October is a hit-or-miss time to travel to Europe. Crowd levels are lower, and flights can be cheaper—but the weather is unpredictable.
By the third...
Paso Robles Lavender Festival returns
Far more than just a pretty face, lavender — with its tiny purple blooms and distinctive perfume — has become one of the most popular plants all across the county. To celebrate its many purposes, the Central Coast Lavender Growers Association and Paso Rob
Rivas named Assembly Ag Committee Chair
CALIFORNIA—Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) has been named Chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee by Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood). Raised in farmworker housing, Rivas represents the 30th Assembly District, which includes the agriculture-rich Salinas and Pajaro valleys on the Central Coast.
“My district is known as...
From our archives: In Tune
These senior classmates deliver a tune during an open house at Watsonville Union High School on April 27, 1955. (Sam Vestal/Pajaronian file)
Man arrested for DUI after crash, one injured
A Watsonville man was arrested on suspicion of DUI Monday afternoon after a two-vehicle crash.
Watsonville Police officer Bobby Rodriguez said the suspect was driving a red Chevy Silverado pickup westbound on Martinelli Street around 4:30pm. Witnesses told police that the driver ran a stop...
Part 2: Through a storm and into the calm of the desert
On day two of our two-week road trip, my wife Sarah and I said goodbye to Bakersfield and drove southeast on Hwy 58 toward the Mohave Desert.
We were greeted with fierce rain as we climbed Tehachapi Pass on Highway 58. Our interest in taking...
Auction raises $2.1M at Salinas Valley Fair
With the theme “Cowboy Up and Wind Down,” the 2017 Salinas Valley Fair brought thousands of visitors to South County and featured the annual Junior Livestock Auction, which raked in $2.1 million from the sale of 950 animals.
A different view: our short train trip to Oakland
For a different take on the road trips my wife Sarah and I have taken over the last few years, we recently took a train to Oakland for the day in December.
We parked at the San Jose Diridon Station, an historic landmark built in...
Elkhorn Slough, other natural areas, receive $71M grant for climate resilience
Elkhorn Slough, the vast natural area south of Watsonville that serves as a transition zone between land and sea and is home to myriad species of birds—as well as water and land animals—got a boost last week with a $6 million award.
The money from...
Watsonville oversized vehicle ordinance takes effect
A new city ordinance restricting where oversized vehicles and trailers can park took effect on March 13.
The ordinance prohibits oversized vehicles and all types...






















