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A fire on Sept. 18 burned through part of the battery energy storage facility that was significantly damaged during the January 2025 Vistra battery fire.  Monterey County officials announced the fire was no longer an active threat around noon later that day, though shelter-in-place notices...

Santa Cruz County election officials have a message for voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election: Consider voting naked. The advice, County Clerk Tricia Webber explained Tuesday, refers not to the voter but to the ballot. A “naked ballot” is a vote-by-mail ballot that a voter...

More than 55,000 people attended the Santa Cruz County Fair this year, an 11% jump from last year. The number includes paid attendance from the public as well as the fair’s long list of volunteers, said fair spokesman Ron Haedicke. “There were no major incidents and...

Santa Cruz County Sheriff Chris Clark is opposing the proposed placement of a man designated as a sexually violent predator at a home in the Santa Cruz Mountains, citing concerns about the remote location and potential difficulties for law enforcement. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s...

Monterey County officials said at noon Friday that the latest fire at the Vistra battery energy storage facility in Moss Landing was no longer an active threat to the surrounding community. Officials said there was no active fire and no indication that hazardous materials from...

This story was updated at 11am with a statement from North Monterey County Unified School District. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued a shelter-in-place order for the area within one-third of a mile of 7301 Highway 1 due to a fire at the battery...

Meteorologists are predicting a wet El Niño winter this year, with above-normal ocean temperatures potentially bringing heavy rain and flooding. “We are in a very strong El Niño index right now where we are seeing above-normal temperatures along the coast,” said National Weather Service meteorologist...

Watsonville Poet Laureate Victoria Bañales recently earned a Best Poetry Book Award from the International Latino Book Awards (ILBA) for her latest book, The Sun Will Not Harm You by Day, Nor the Moon by Night. Bañales said three books were selected for this category,...

Editor's note: This is one of several stories The Pajaronian is running in advance of the Nov. 3 gubernatorial election. Prooposition 3 If passed, Proposition 3 will amend the California Constitution to add the existing voter-approved tax rates for individuals earning over $371,000 or joint...

The Santa Cruz County Fair kicked off Wednesday, welcoming visitors to a vibrant world of “Apple Pies and Starry Skies.” A crowd of more than 100 watched the ribbon-cutting ceremony after hearing welcoming words and gratitude for those who made it happen. As the crowd gathered...