Business

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Community Hospital has a new owner. Halsen Healthcare announced Tuesday that the $30 million sale was finalized at midnight. “This is the first day that Halsen actually owns Watsonville Community Hospital,” Chairman and CEO Dan Brothman said. Halsen was holding a celebratory afternoon barbecue for its...

MOSS LANDING—Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery, the iconic harborside Moss Landing restaurant that has garnered international fame with its seafood dishes and laid-back California vibe, will close and relocate soon. The move is necessary because Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), which owns the property,...

WATSONVILLE—The City of Watsonville is cracking down on unpermitted food trucks and weighing whether to rework its rules regarding the mobile food vendors in the coming year. The City Manager’s office has received numerous complaints about food trucks from several brick-and-mortar restaurant owners over the...

WATSONVILLE—Jesus Montejano is eager to put his skills to use for the community he calls home. After recently graduating with honors from Cabrillo College’s business program, Montejano has set his sights on transforming a restaurant located next to the iconic Five Mile House on the...

WATSONVILLE—Couch Distributing Company, Inc. announced to its employees Tuesday that after nearly a half-century of service it is selling its distribution business to Fresno-based Donaghy Sales, LLC. Established in 1973 Couch Distributing Company has been the leading beer and beverage distributor in Santa Cruz, Monterey...

SAN JOSE—A former executive at an international Watsonville berry giant was sentenced Thursday to more than two years in federal prison for embezzlement, United States Attorney David Anderson announced. Marc Marier, 42, was sentenced to 29 months in prison and ordered to pay more than...

WATSONVILLE—Scores of restaurants around Watsonville have been hit hard by the outbreak of COVID-19. With shelter-in-place orders in effect, residents are asked to stay inside and limit their time near crowds. This includes going to sit-down restaurants, coffee shops, breweries and the like. As such,...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville’s newest charter school now has a permanent home, and a long-vacant building on the Main Street corridor will soon have a new tenant. Watsonville Prep School, which opened in August with 180 kindergarteners, first- and second-grade students, plans to occupy the second floor of...