Local News

Watsonville Community Hospital has appointed veteran healthcare executive Tim Moran as its interim chief executive officer as the community-owned hospital begins a search for a permanent leader. The Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board of Directors unanimously approved Moran's appointment during its June 24 meeting....

The Pajaro Valley Health Care District is seeking community members to serve on the Measure N Citizens’ Oversight Committee, which monitors spending of bond funds approved by voters for improvements at Watsonville Community Hospital. The district board will appoint up to three members to two-year...

Santa Cruz County supervisors are set to make final decisions Wednesday on a proposed $1.3 billion county budget that would restore more than $1 million to the Public Defender's Office while cutting funding for local arts organizations, including a 50% reduction in county support...

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Monica Martinez has been selected as state Sen. John Laird’s 2026 Pride Month honoree and was recognized Tuesday at the California State Capitol during the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus's annual Pride Month celebration. Martinez, who represents Santa Cruz County’s Fifth District...

This story has been updated from a previous version. Tony Nuñez appeared poised to avoid a November runoff in the race for Santa Cruz County's 4th District supervisor seat after the latest election results pushed him just above the threshold needed for an outright victory. In...

On June 24, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will consider placing a school facilities bond measure on the November ballot that would provide $192 million for repairs and upgrades at the district's 35 schools. The measure, if passed, would not increase...

Members of the Watsonville Community Band deliver a few tunes for Don Spence in front of his Watsonville home Wednesday evening. Spence, 93, is their oldest musician and is recuperating from medical procedures. A clarinetist in the band, he marched his final parade last...

When the news broke in March that civil rights leader Cesar Chavez allegedly sexually assaulted multiple women and girls, it sparked a nationwide reckoning as school, city and county officials grappled with streets, buildings, holidays, awards and other institutions that bore his name. Civil rights...

Members of Indivisible Pajaro Valley stage their Signs of Fascism protest on Main Street in Watsonville on June 16. The one-hour event drew over 20 people who waved signs in Spanish and English depicting what they say are key elements of fascism to passing...

Juneteenth celebrations of Black liberation and freedom spread out around the country over the weekend, including Monterey, Seaside and Santa Cruz.  Now in its 35th year, the six-hour event in Santa Cruz started with a march from City Hall in downtown Santa Cruz and ended...