Healthy grapes, less regulations spell good news for local wineries
After a year of ups and downs, things are looking good for wineries in the Pajaro Valley. That is according to two long-standing wineries, both nestled in the Pleasant Valley area between Watsonville and Aptos.
Alfaro Family Vineyard-Winery was first established in 1997 by Richard...
County businesses achieve ‘green’ status
Four Watsonville businesses will join 19 others across the county in receiving Green Business Certificates.
Aptos Coffee Roasting Co. closes
After being served with a 30-day notice in July, Aptos Coffee Roasting Co. celebrated its long run in the Rancho Del Mar Center on Aug. 19 — its final day — with free coffee beverages and free pound-bags of coffee for all.
Organic produce sales up 9%, tops $2B for the quarter
Total organic fresh produce sales for the first quarter of 2021 saw a continuation of last year’s growth, increasing by 9.3% from the same period in 2020 and topping $2.2 billion for the quarter, according to the Q1 2021 Organic Produce Performance Report released...
PHOTO: D’la Colmena wins People’s Choice award
Rotary Club of Watsonville members John Kane IV (left), Francisco Estrada (second from right) and Murry Schekman recently presented D’ la Colmena owner Adrian Gonzales (second from left) with the winning plaque for the “Best Burrito on the Central Coast — People’s Choice” award, voted on by this year’s Burrito Bash participants.
County will purchase West Marine building, consolidate Watsonville services
WATSONVILLE—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to purchase properties on Westridge Drive in Watsonville, and to relocate several county services there.
The move, which will consolidate five separate departments into a building at 500 Westridge Drive, is expected...
Charter schools reap millions from public payroll program
WATSONVILLE—Two Watsonville area charter schools received funds through the federal Payroll Protection Program (PPP), the $660 billion initiative created to use taxpayer dollars to help keep small business and nonprofit organizations afloat.
Watsonville Prep School, which received more than $1.7 million, and Ceiba College Preparatory...
Santa Cruz METRO driver shares his ‘love’ for the job
WATSONVILLE—In November Uriel Mendoza of Watsonville will mark 21 years of being a bus driver for Santa Cruz METRO.
When asked what he liked about his job, he plainly responded, “My job.”
His preferred bus route?
“I like all of them,” he said.
He said his customers are...
Letters to the Editor, April 10-16
Lawmakers must restore Workforce Quality Incentive Program
I started my career in a skilled nursing facility twenty years ago as a certified nursing assistant. Over...




















