Local News

Every year the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture names its annual awardees, selecting the people, organizations and events that help shape the Pajaro Valley and the communities that live there. As every year, the Pajaronian is proud to feature this year’s awardees. Lifetime Achievement Dominic...

Pajaro Valley Unified School District on Tuesday announced the formation of the Sustainable Schools Advisory, a group of 23 parents, staff and community members described in a press release as “a community-informed effort focused on the long-term strength of our schools.” District officials have not...

Editor's note: This story was updated at 10:50am on April 10 with new information. Watsonville officials said Friday that a proposed plan to house a designated sexually violent predator at a Main Street motel has been halted after the property owner withdrew, citing community opposition. The...

Work moves forward on the new Costa Vista Student Housing project at Cabrillo College in Aptos. The $181 million development will be the first student housing collaboration between a California community college and the University of California. The 257,000 square-foot project will span three...

Questions on the human and environmental effects from the Moss Landing Battery Plant fire on the Jan. 17, 2025 are still being explored.  The March 17 Monterey County Board of Supervisors’ meeting contained an update on the progress of the cleanup, what some of the...

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County has purchased property next to its current Watsonville-area facility, a move officials say will allow the organization to expand operations and better respond to rising demand for food assistance. The acquisition, announced March 31, was made through what...

The Watsonville City Council voted in December to allow workers to clear a homeless encampment on Airport Boulevard and to bill the property owner approximately $300,000 in cleanup costs — $150,000 already spent and another $150,000 estimated for further work. But the encampment remains, home...

Santa Cruz County residents are being encouraged to apply for the next Civil Grand Jury, a volunteer watchdog panel that investigates local government operations and issues public reports aimed at improving transparency and accountability. The 2026–27 term begins July 1, with the Superior Court expected...

Editor's note: This story was updated on April 9 at 4pm with information about upcoming community meetings. The cities of Watsonville and Santa Cruz are opposing the proposed placement of a man deemed a sexually violent predator, and are urging residents to contact Santa Cruz...