County Fair sees 11% growth in attendance numbers
More than 55,000 people attended the Santa Cruz County Fair this year, an 11% jump from last year.
The number includes paid attendance from the public as well as the fair’s long list of volunteers, said fair spokesman Ron Haedicke.
“There were no major incidents and...
Battery fire no longer a threat, officials say
Monterey County officials said at noon Friday that the latest fire at the Vistra battery energy storage facility in Moss Landing was no longer an active threat to the surrounding community.
Officials said there was no active fire and no indication that hazardous materials from...
Fire breaks out at Moss Landing battery plant
This story was updated at 11am with a statement from North Monterey County Unified School District.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued a shelter-in-place order for the area within one-third of a mile of 7301 Highway 1 due to a fire at the battery...
El Niño winter could bring heavy rain and flooding
Meteorologists are predicting a wet El Niño winter this year, with above-normal ocean temperatures potentially bringing heavy rain and flooding.
“We are in a very strong El Niño index right now where we are seeing above-normal temperatures along the coast,” said National Weather Service meteorologist...
Watsonville Poet Laureate earns major award
Watsonville Poet Laureate Victoria Bañales recently earned a Best Poetry Book Award from the International Latino Book Awards (ILBA) for her latest book, The Sun Will Not Harm You by Day, Nor the Moon by Night.
Bañales said three books were selected for this category,...
Election 2026: Propositions 3 and 38
Editor's note: This is one of several stories The Pajaronian is running in advance of the Nov. 3 gubernatorial election.
Prooposition 3
If passed, Proposition 3 will amend the California Constitution to add the existing voter-approved tax rates for individuals earning over $371,000 or joint...
Santa Cruz County Fair opens: Quilts, piglets and Dahlias — oh my!
The Santa Cruz County Fair kicked off Wednesday, welcoming visitors to a vibrant world of “Apple Pies and Starry Skies.”
A crowd of more than 100 watched the ribbon-cutting ceremony after hearing welcoming words and gratitude for those who made it happen.
As the crowd gathered...
Supervisors reject proposal to give voters say over AI data centers
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday rejected a proposed ordinance that would have allowed voters to have a say when companies want to build AI data centers in the unincorporated parts of the county.
Board Chair Monica Martinez, along with supervisors Manu...
Photo story: Celebrating independence
Jaime Espinoza, lead singer of the popular Mexican band Los Fugitivos, welcomes 5-year-old Kimberlyn Hernandez to the stage Sunday during the annual Mexican Independence Day celebration in downtown Watsonville. Kimberlyn brought two of the band's CDs to get them autographed. The free, six-hour event—held...
PVUSD teachers ratify labor agreement
Members of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers have ratified a three-year labor agreement with Pajaro Valley Unified School District, moving the contract one step closer to final approval.
The agreement now heads to the PVUSD Board of Trustees for consideration. PVFT President Brandon Diniz...
23-year-old man dies after collision with pickup
A 23-year-old motorcyclist died Sept. 23 morning following a collision with a pickup on Corralitos Road, the California Highway Patrol said.
CHP officers responded at...
