Fairgrounds to demolish sheep and pig livestock barns
The upcoming Santa Cruz County Fair will look different this year, as the sheep and pig livestock barns are slated for demolition in July, nearly four years after the initial board vote on the plans, and only a few months before the county fair...
Japanese cultural school Kokoro no Gakko marks 37th year
Kokoro no Gakko, an annual one-week program dedicated to the culture and arts of Japan, wrapped up its 37th year Friday during an open house at the Watsonville Buddhist Temple.
Formed in 1989, the school, which translates to School with a Heart, welcomed 53 students,...
Meeting explores BESS facility objection process
Around 150 people gathered June 28 at Pinto Lake City Park to learn of the next steps on a proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Watsonville from Executive Director of the California Energy Commission, Drew Bohan.
The public meeting, hosted by Stop Lithium BESS...
Local author shines light on notable California woman
For years, Rose Ann Woolpert heard stories from her mother-in-law about a remarkable woman in the family’s history.
The woman was Mary Catherine “Molly” McIntyre Pacheco, a playwright and novelist who married Romualdo Pacheco, the only Latino to serve as governor of California.
But while Romualdo...
PVUSD, teachers union enter fact-finding after mediation stalls
Contract negotiations between the Pajaro Valley Unified School District and the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers have reached another impasse, with both sides now entering the formal fact-finding process after mediation failed to produce an agreement.
Fact-finding is a dispute resolution process used after a...
Nuñez wins Santa Cruz County supervisor race
Tony Nuñez will be the next Santa Cruz County Supervisor representing the 4th District after final election results certified Friday showed he secured an outright victory in the June primary.
Final results released by Santa Cruz County Clerk Tricia Webber show Nuñez received 50.07% of...
Supervisors delay vote on arts funding cuts
Santa Cruz County supervisors on Tuesday postponed until June 30 a decision on proposed cuts to local arts funding after hearing from dozens of residents who urged them to preserve grants for arts organizations.
Under the proposal, funding for the Santa Cruz Museum of Art...
PVUSD trustees table $192M bond measure
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday declined to place a $192 million school facilities bond measure on the November ballot, instead signaling they would revisit the proposal in a future election, possibly in 2026 or 2028.
The measure would not...
Watsonville May Soon Implement “no encampment zones”
Watsonville may soon draw out designated “no encampment zones” which would bar unhoused individuals from setting up tents, parking RVs or using cooking supplies in certain areas.
Signs would be posted showing a map of the zones.
These areas would be subject to immediate cleanup, and...
Have a blast: Fireworks sales begin July 1
Every year, nonprofits set up firework stands throughout the city of Watsonville, with the proceeds going to fund their activities. Sales rubn July 1-4. Their use is only permitted within the cities of Watsonville and Capitola. People using them outside of those places face...
