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Watsonville
December 6, 2025

Former Watsonville mayor Francisco “Paco” Estrada appointed to Cabrillo board

Cabrillo College’s Board of Trustees on Monday appointed Francisco “Paco” Estrada to fill the Trustee Area V seat. The seat—which includes the City of Watsonville and the southern portion of Freedom—was left vacant last month when former trustee Manuel Bersamin died. Watsonville Mayor Maria Orozco swore...

PVUSD Celebrates 120 Students with Free Guitars 4 Kids

On Nov. 16, Pajaro Valley Unified School District, in partnership with Free Guitars 4 Kids (FG4K) and Arts Council Santa Cruz County’s Mariposa Arts program, celebrated with 120 students who received their own guitars. The event at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s The Grove Ballroom showcased...

Local holiday sales abound

This holiday season, the community is invited to support the region’s business owners and artists. The Watsonville Holiday Factory Sale is scheduled for Dec 6.  For the first time, the event will be co-hosted by El Pájaro Community Development Corporation and the Pajaro Valley Chamber of...

City seeking input on City Plaza art project

The City of Watsonville and Community Arts and Empowerment are seeking community input on the art that will soon decorate the new stage skirt at the City Plaza. Two artists—and one team of artists—have been selected as semifinalists to design an image. The art will be...

Holiday lights show opens at fairgrounds

For the past year, volunteers at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds have been working to build up the annual holiday lights show. Now in its fifth year, the show—now called Sparky’s Holiday Lights—draws people from around the county to drive through the lighted fairgrounds. It is...

See’s Candies opens pop-up store in Watsonville

The See’s Holiday gift center in Watsonville is located at the Watsonville Square Shopping Center at 1878 Main Street in Watsonville. It opened on Nov. 6 and will close on Dec. 24. Shoppers can find the company’s peanut brittle, milk, dark and white chocolates, pecan...

Five years a winner

Amesti Elementary School fifth-grader Kevin Bonita on Thursday took home more than a free 18-pound turkey when he won the school’s annual Turkey Trot race. He also has the distinction of being the first to win the race every year he attended the school. A young...

Supervisors delay decision on new battery storage facilities ordinance, add new regulations

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday took the first step in crafting rules governing Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), giving their unanimous approval to a draft ordinance that aims to give a measure of local control to new facilities. The ordinance before...

Community events

Mello Center Student Concerts  ArtSmart Mello Center Shows are designed for elementary students to experience world-class artists in a theater setting. Tickets are $2 per seat. The performances are presented by Tandy Beal & Company. A registration form is available at bit.ly/4i5kwvW. The next performance is April 16,...

An ocean view, pollution included

There was a lot of trash talk Sunday in Santa Cruz. Not gossip. Literal trash. In the ocean and deep into the food chain. Close to 400 people gathered at the Rio Theatre on Nov. 9 to hear some of the latest research on the health...
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Letters to the Editor Dec. 5-11

Suggestions for PVUSD My recommendations regarding the Recommended Realignments of PVUSD: 1. Regarding school closure, I have advocated for an idea to sell the District Office...

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