Santa Cruz County reports two new Covid-19 deaths
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County health officials announced Friday that two more county residents have died of Covid-19 complications, bringing the local death toll to eight.
One was a man in his early 60s and the other was a...
Some businesses allowed to reopen as County moves to less restrictive tier
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County on Tuesday moved into a less restrictive tier of the state’s new Covid-19 reopening plan, allowing some businesses to reopen their indoor services with capacity limits and other modifications.
Personal care services such as waxing,...
METRO buses maintain regular schedules
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz METRO bus system is maintaining regular schedules during the coronavirus crisis but discussions are now underway, based on the county’s shelter-in-place order Monday, that could lead to limiting some service.
In addition, the METRO...
Local farms respond to changes during COVID-19 crisis
WATSONVILLE—As shoppers flock to grocery stores, stocking up on fresh, frozen and canned foods, California farms are working to keep up with the demand.
In Watsonville, large and small farms alike are sending unprecedented amounts of products to local...
Saturday car cruise down Main Street to raise money for farmworkers
WATSONVILLE—Members of a local car club hope their passion projects will help the community’s farmworkers weather the unknown during the coronavirus pandemic.
Watsonville Riders on Saturday will host the Farmworker Relief Cruise in downtown Watsonville from 5-7pm. The automobile...
Event-based businesses struggle to stay afloat
WATSONVILLE—The Covid-19 pandemic has hit businesses hard, from the largest of companies to the smallest mom-and-pop shops. Rules continue to change as cases flatten and then spike, leaving business owners dealing with back-and-forth openings and closures.
But for those...
Internet company, educators work to bridge ‘digital divide’
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A team of local educators is teaming up with a Santa Cruz internet provider to bridge the so-called digital divide and bring broadband service to families who have been unable to access it.
The Equal Access Santa...
County, UC Santa Cruz partner to further expand Covid-19 testing
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A partnership between UC Santa Cruz and the County of Santa Cruz—and funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act—will allow the county to expand its Covid-19 testing capacity to as many as 800 tests per day, county...
Technical difficulties: City Council adjourns evictions moratorium until Monday
WATSONVILLE—“Hello?”
“Yes, are you there?”
“Can you hear us?”
“Please, unmute your mic.”
Those tech-trouble-induced phrases dominated Watsonville City Council’s Friday morning emergency meeting concerning a proposed eviction moratorium for...
Frustrations rise as Covid-19 again closes personal care businesses
WATSONVILLE—In the days leading up to the first countywide economic shutdown, Lona Martinez thought the possibility of a mass closure was a rumor sparked by those looking to scare the public.
“I thought it was a bunch of hype,”...
Big winds on the way; Red Flag warning set for Sunday
Cooler temperatures continue to run the show, both along the coast and inland. Brayden Murdock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service...
