Land Trust protects Silliman Ranch
WATSONVILLE—The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, together with the Martinelli and Silliman families, have protected the Silliman Ranch on Highway 129 from development.
Under the agreement signed the week before Thanksgiving, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County purchased the development rights to the...
Watsonville Hospital sale finalized
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...
Local nursery sees uptick in business during pandemic
With the pandemic outbreak, most of us heard this warning many times: Stay at home. But that could have been softened a little bit with: “Stay at home and in the garden.” Because, for many of us, that’s what happened: People started plowing deep...
Watsonville Yoga Dance & Healing Arts embraces new location
After a year and a half of pandemic challenges, Watsonville Yoga Dance & Healing Arts is once again finding its footing.
The business is settling into its new location (734 East Lake Ave. #16) while expanding its programming and services for children and adults both...
Regional Women’s Business Center launches in Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—California Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) has announced the launch of a new business center in Watsonville for women entrepreneurs.
El Pájaro Women’s Business Center (WBC) will be formed through El Pájaro Community Development Corporation (CDC), a local nonprofit organization aiming to promote equal access...
Watsonville City Council sets study session for food trucks
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council will hold a study session on food trucks near the end of its Tuesday evening virtual meeting.
The item was included in the meeting’s agenda released Thursday evening, but there was no staff report attached to it, causing confusion and worry...
Apple harvest wraps up at historic Corralitos orchard
It has not been an easy harvest season for California apples. When temperatures shot up into the 100s in August and September, sparking wildfires across the state and harming numerous agricultural commodities, apples were one of the hardest-hit crops. The fruit is susceptible to...
Planners OK drive-thru Starbucks on Freedom Boulevard
During the pandemic, a white-haired man pulled up to Taqueria Mi Tierra 2 on Freedom Boulevard and began to honk his horn, believing that a carhop would come out to take his order.
The man was remembering the days when the building was still the...
Owner of Nick’s TV leaves behind legacy
WATSONVILLE — For more than 30 years Nicholas Diaz spent long workdays buried in the back of televisions and other broken appliances. He was living his dream of being a neighborhood repairman.
That dream came to a horrific close Sept. 1 when he died in a car...
Countryside arts festival starts up
A countywide celebration of visual and performing arts kicked off Thursday and will run through April 26.
The Ripple Effect Santa Cruz County Arts Festival...























