Photo story: Fill the Fire Truck effort aids in toy drive
Watsonville’s interim Fire Chief, Corey Schaefer, shows a sampling of the new toys that locals donated first-ever Fill the Fire Truck Toy Drive Dec 13 at Fire Station 1. “We had a good showing and we’re pleased with today's outcome,” Schaefer said. The toys...
Watsonville Fire Chief Rudy López to step down
Watsonville Fire Chief Rudy López has announced his retirement after 35 years of service to the community. His retirement will be effective Dec. 31.
López began his career in 1990 as a reserve Watsonville firefighter, and advanced through the ranks, serving as firefighter, captain and...
Watsonville awarded $39 million grant for new METRO transit center
The City of Watsonville, in partnership with Santa Cruz METRO and MidPen Housing, has been awarded a $39 million state grant to help build a new affordable housing and transit-centered development in downtown Watsonville.
The funding, awarded through the state’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities...
PVUSD trustees cut school employee, teacher positions
After the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees late Thursday night made sweeping cuts to 78 classified positions, newly appointed Board President Carol Turley cleared the room of roughly 50 people who had stayed through the hours-long meeting to speak on a...
County, cities agree to purchase encrypted emergency radio system
On Dec. 2, the Watsonville City Council approved a plan to join a countywide network of first responder agencies in a state-of-the-art emergency radio system.
On Tuesday, Santa Cruz County followed suit, agreeing to be a part of the Regional Interoperability Next Generation (RING) system,...
Photo story: A lighted Watsonville
The front yard of this home at the corner of Hushbeck Avenue and Bronte Street in Watsonville is packed with Holiday cheer.
Interim trail will cover rails, for now
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) on Thursday approved a plan to develop an interim bicycle and pedestrian trail on segments 9–11 of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line from San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz to State Park Drive in Aptos.
Thursday’s...
Group urging statewide adoption of childcare safety plan
When Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrest undocumented immigrants—there were more than 65,000 in custody as of Nov. 16, according to the website tracereports.org—their children are often left behind with no plan in place to care for them.
The Childcare Safety Plan Coalition (CSPC)—a...
Cabrillo College chooses new president
Cabrillo College on Tuesday named the candidate they hope will take the helm as president and Superintendent.
If approved by the college’s Board of Trustees on Jan. 12, Jenn Capps will start on Jan. 20, the college announced in a press release.
Capps currently serves as...
Watsonville welcomes new mayor
Outgoing Watsonville Mayor Maria Orozco on Tuesday handed her gavel to Kristal Salcido, as the Mayor Pro Tempore seat went to Casey Clark.
Under Watsonville ordinance, the council members rotate through the mayor positions every December.
Before she ceded her seat, Orozco said she completed 26...
PVUSD Trustees to revisit teacher layoff vote
A little more than one week after voting to eliminate roughly 80 teacher positions, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will...
