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Watsonville
December 17, 2025

California FarmLink receives $500K from Wells Fargo

APTOS—Wells Fargo has announced a boost to diverse small businesses with $1.7 million in grants from its Diverse Community Capital program, which offers capital and technical assistance to minority-owned small businesses through Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).  “Diverse small businesses face unique challenges to start...

Watsonville to deactivate crosswind runway

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday voted to close the crosswind runway at the airport, a move city officials say will open up more of the city for development of housing and commercial space. Airport Director Rayvon Williams told the council that closing the shorter...

PVUSD trustees approve new superintendent contract

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday unanimously approved a three-year contract for its new superintendent. Heather Contreras’ contract shows her start date of May 1. Her base pay will be $242,000 per year, with a 2% raise after one year,...

100 years and counting

On June 22, the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau will call to order at its annual meeting for the 100th time.

Irrigation enhancement project helps farmers regulate water usage

A new irrigation enhancement project has seen positive results for farmers in the San Joaquin Valley.

USDA announces new feeding program

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced March 17 a collaboration with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, McLane Global, PepsiCo and others to deliver nearly a million meals per week to students in a limited number of rural schools closed due...

Education to empower

The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) aims to give opportunities to aspiring farmers through various training programs. In the classroom and on the field, students at ALBA are taught everything from crop planning to business management.

Legacy of growth

In 1924, a man named Daniel Pieri arrived at a newly leased plot of land just south of Castroville and began to plant.

California added to SNAP online pilot program

CALIFORNIA—U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently announced the approval of a California and Arizona request to provide online purchasing of food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households.  This approval will allow these states to expedite the implementation of online purchasing with currently authorized...

Photo Story: Coffee with a Cop

MEET AND GREET - Watsonville Police officer Sergio Bañuelos converses with Micaela Henson, David Hernadez and their chill Melissa Friday outside the Police Department during the first Coffee With a Cop. The free, informal gathering serves as an arena for the community to engage...
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Photo story: Fill the Fire Truck effort aids in toy drive

Watsonville’s interim Fire Chief, Corey Schaefer, shows a sampling of the new toys that locals donated first-ever Fill the Fire Truck Toy Drive Dec...