Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez leaving
Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez has been named as the new City Manager for the City of Salinas, just two years after starting his position.
The Salinas City Council on March 19 approved his contract.
He will begin on May 28 and receive a base salary...
Santa Cruz County Supervisors approve budget, brace for impending recession
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the $1.1 billion proposed budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, including a $731 million General Fund.
While the county’s financial outlook takes into account slowing revenue growth, it funds community priorities such as the...
Most Santa Cruz County shelters closing as rains recede
APTOS—Beth McCullough and her son Journey Legen came to the emergency shelter at Cabrillo College in Aptos on Thursday night when the shelter in which they were hoping to stay in Santa Cruz filled up.
Originally from Bakersfield, both are homeless. They were among 10...
Watsonville’s urban growth limit extension leads countermeasure
More Watsonville voters have elected to extend the city’s urban growth boundaries for the next 18 years rather than head back to the drawing board and determine a new growth plan, according to initial election results released Tuesday night.
As of 8:16pm, 1,788 votes had...
PHOTO: Crab Feed returns in-person at fairgrounds
Guests line up for the annual Crab Feed dinner at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. After operating as a drive-thru due to the pandemic, Saturday marked the first in-person sit-down dinner, combined with a silent and live auction, in two years. Auctioneer and former...
Potentially disease-carrying mosquitoes found near Watsonville
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials this week announced that they have found in Watsonville a species of mosquito known to carry the diseases dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever.
Those diseases are not currently found in California, and none of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes—found...
New Spectrum store opens in Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—Spectrum has opened its first store in Watsonville, featuring the latest devices and accessories for Spectrum Mobile.
Spectrum is a suite of communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc., a broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 32 million customers in 41 states.
“Our...
Rare bird is big draw at Rio Del Mar beach
Bird enthusiasts got a dramatic treat at the year’s end when an extremely rare black-headed gull dropped by Rio Del Mar State Beach.
While common in Asian countries and along the Eastern U.S. coast, the gull, largely white, with red legs, red bill and a...
PVUSD administrators fight for raises
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on April 5 heard a report on the salaries of its management-level employees such as principals and cabinet-level administrators.
The review was requested on March 8 by Board Vice President Georgia Acosta, during which the Trustees...
Pajaro Valley Arts’ ‘Art To Go!’ now on display
WATSONVILLE—The 10th annual “Take Aways: Art to Go!” exhibition has opened at Pajaro Valley Arts in downtown Watsonville. More than 900 works, spanning a wide range of mediums, from sculpture and jewelry to ceramics, paintings, photography, assemblage and collage, fill out the entire Sudden...
Mariners ‘pour’ on the points for an upset win over Palo...
The quest for a sixth Central Coast Section title continues for Aptos following another stunning win this week in the Division III playoffs.
Senior running...