Custodian keeps schools tidy for four decades
“This is who I wanted to be; this was my dream and I am where I have always wanted to be,” said Ohlone Elementary School custodian Raúl Gonzales.
He has now put in 42 years at various schools, starting out at Freedom School in 1979....
Meals on Wheels facing eviction
LIVE OAK—Meals on Wheels (MOW) is looking for a new home after being served an eviction notice by Live Oak School District, which has been leasing its location to the organization for more than four decades.
The district has told the organization that the aging...
County unveils new budget website
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a new interactive budget website that allows community members to check up on the complex inner workings of the county’s finances, roughly one month before the board begins its annual budget hearings.
The...
Health officials urge Covid-19 precautions
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Health officers from 12 counties on Friday doubled down on their recommendations that everyone exercise Covid-19 safety precautions, including wearing a mask indoors and staying up to date on vaccinations.
The announcement comes as cases of highly contagious Omicron sub-variants and hospitalizations continue...
Watsonville events, camps and more to return this summer
WATSONVILLE—After two summers of canceled, postponed and altered activities, the City of Watsonville will be bringing back its seasonal offerings in full force this year.
From annual events such as the Watsonville Strawberry Festival and the Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July Parade, to new...
Mariachi Women’s Foundation to host concert in Watsonville
Dr. Leonor Xóchitl Pérez was 12 years old when she first played mariachi.
It was 1973, and her school in Southern California had just created the first school-based mariachi program in the state’s history.
The music stuck with Perez. When she was 18, she was accepted...
City Council solidifies new development fee for public art
The Watsonville City Council at its Tuesday night meeting solidified its decision to implement a new fee on development projects that would fund the arts in Watsonville.
Soon, developers seeking to create commercial and residential projects will have to pay 0.75% of their project’s valuation,...
Council opposes Measure D
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday night approved a resolution in opposition to Measure D, the divisive June 7 ballot measure that, if approved, would remove language from Santa Cruz County’s guiding planning document that relates to rail services, both freight and passenger.
Watsonville Mayor...
Digital NEST to expand into Stockton
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville-based nonprofit Digital NEST announced it will open a new location in Stockton next year.
The expansion into the Central Valley kicks off plans to scale up to a total of nine communities in Northern California by the end of 2026. The Stockton hub is...
Police seeking driver in fatal hit-and-run
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police are looking for a driver that struck a pedestrian May 5 and then fled on the 1900 block of Main Street.
Ashley Keehn of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Victor Gonzalez Jr., 24, of Watsonville. He was taken...
‘Catz earn top seed in CCS D-II field | High school...
It wasn’t whether or not the Watsonville High softball team was going to qualify for the Central Coast Section playoffs.
The big question was where...
