County will purchase West Marine building, consolidate Watsonville services
WATSONVILLE—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to purchase properties on Westridge Drive in Watsonville, and to relocate several county services there.
The move, which will consolidate five separate departments into a building at 500 Westridge Drive, is expected...
Watsonville struggles to quell illegal fireworks
WATSONVILLE—The booming explosions and aerial displays that typically ring in celebratory moments, have become a noisy plague on Watsonville residents who are calling on city government to step up its enforcement of illegal fireworks and possibly outlaw the sale of the ‘safe-and-sane’ variety.
Watsonville Mayor...
Renaissance High graduates 41 students | Grads 2021
WATSONVILLE—Renaissance High School brought 41 graduates to the stage at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds under mild, sunny skies on June 2.
“The past 16 months has tested your tenacity—not seeing friends and teachers in person,” said Drew Singleton, a principal within the Pajaro Valley...
Students make most of time at New School | Grads 2021
WATSONVILLE—Seventeen students earned their diplomas at New School in Watsonville this year.
Principal Rafael Ramirez said he was “enormously proud” of his graduates, adding that the pandemic brought on extra challenges for staff and students.
“But they worked hard and we got through,” Ramirez said. “We’re...
PVUSD Trustees pass new bylaws
WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustees who miss meetings without providing notice will lose their monthly stipend under a set of new bylaws approved by the board on Wednesday.
The trustees also heard a budget report that shows some positive financial news that is tempered...
Spicing up his life: Former tech engineer launches new food venture
APTOS—As a young man, Bapcha Murty moved from his native Chennai, India to attend UC Los Angeles and become an engineer. He went on to a career in the Silicon Valley tech industry that spanned more than two decades in several companies.
But when Murty...
Cal Fire: prepare for heavy fire season
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County’s top fire official on Tuesday warned that, because of a lackluster rainy season, the ongoing drought and low reservoirs, the upcoming fire season could be as bad or worse than last year’s.
“As we look back at last year, anything...
Arts organizations join forces for Juneteenth multimedia project
In celebration of Juneteenth, local arts organizations will come together for Murals / Art / Activism, a multimedia project highlighting the importance of public art in activism.
Juneteenth is the oldest national celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. The holiday has seen...
Hundreds of advocates urge Gov. Newsom to expand SB91
CALIFORNIA—A total of 675 leaders from across California convened on Zoom June 3 in an effort to urge California Gov. Gavin Newsom to extend and expand Senate Bill 91.
SB91, which went into effect in January, was the follow-up to Assembly Bill 3088’s eviction moratorium....
Cabrillo plans return to in-person classes
APTOS—Cabrillo College students will return to in-person instruction when classes resume in the fall, spokeswoman Kristin Fabos announced Tuesday.
According to Fabos, more than 50% of course offerings feature face-to-face or hybrid instruction during the fall term, which begins Aug. 16. The college will continue...
Condors win first-ever softball championship | CCS playoffs
SAN JOSE—It’s been more than 40 years since the North Monterey County softball team began competing in the Central Coast Section postseason. But each...
