Giant local beer distributor has small beginnings
George Couch was an ambitious 25-year-old when he came to Watsonville in 1973 and negotiated a deal to purchase a small Anheuser-Busch distributorship. It would not stay small for long.
His company Couch Distributing, which he runs with his brother Geoff, has since 1973 delivered...
Watsonville High School Drama’s ‘The Outsiders’ opens Nov. 14
Female-dominated cast puts fresh twist on classic story
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High School drama instructor David Scott believes that author S.E. Hinton would appreciate his stage adaptation of her 1967 novel, “The Outsiders.”
Under the suggestion of her publisher, Susan Eloise Hinton had used her first and middle...
Spanish language bookstore installed in Santa Cruz museum
The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) is home to a new exhibit unlike anything it’s hosted before.
Restoration of iconic Watsonville High mural begins
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville High School community last year was shaken when a beloved three-decades old mural on the wall of the school’s cafeteria was painted over during a construction project.
The move, directed by site administration and the district facilities department, outraged the artists involved in...
Zameen at the Hangar celebrates soft opening
Popular mid-county Mediterranean restaurant expands to Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—Earlier this month, Zameen at the Hangar celebrated its official soft opening—quietly, and with little fanfare.
This was a deliberate move, said restaurant owner Ed Watson.
“We wanted to get people in gradually,” Watson said. “To make sure we knew...
A symbol of community strength
A mural by UC Santa Cruz professor and artist Eduardo Carrillo in 1976 was only on display for three years in Santa Cruz before it was washed away and painted over.
The Slough Brewing Collective opens for to-go orders
WATSONVILLE—For the owners of The Slough Brewing Collective in Watsonville, beer is much more than just a drink, or a lucrative business—it’s a community.
The brewery, formerly Elkhorn Slough Brewing Company, even reflects this in its motto: “Beer is people.”
“Beer is a way of bringing...
Cabrillo Theater presents Pulitzer Prize-winning play
APTOS—The performing arts sector has taken a major hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Large gatherings—especially those indoors—are discouraged in order to slow the spread of the virus, and as such theaters and other venues have been forced to remain closed.
The Cabrillo College Theater...
Ballet theater filming virtual ‘Nutcracker’ performance
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—For years, the annual “Nutcracker, Clara's Dream” was a winter holiday staple put on by the Santa Cruz Ballet Theater. With their own take of Tchaivovsky’s ballet, that was typically staged at the Santa Cruz Civic, Cabrillo College’s Crocker Theater and the...
New pastry shop opens in downtown Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—A new bakery that offers a dazzling and colorful line of pastries, cakes, fancy cookies, cupcakes and more has recently opened in downtown Watsonville.
Ricarmi Panaderia y Pasteleria at 11 East Fifth St. is the realization of a longtime dream for Ricardo Lopez and Armida...
Locals shine at Central Coast All-Star game | High school football
SALINAS—It’s been more than two months since Pajaro Valley High senior Eric Viveros last suited up in a Grizzlies football uniform.
However, the itch to...