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Watsonville
March 2, 2026

Toadal Fitness opens in Watsonville

rick lacross toadal fitness
A long-standing fitness center—Toadal Fitness—has opened a new location at 25 Penny Lane in Watsonville. With other locations sprinkled around the county including downtown Santa Cruz, Live Oak, Westside Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, the Watsonville location threw a soft opening Monday. “While the previous...

Cannabis dispensary opens in Watsonville

catalyst cannabis
Watsonville has gotten its newest retail cannabis dispensary. Catalyst Cannabis, which has 17 other locations statewide, is the city’s third pot shop. The store opened on June 2, and plans a grand opening for the end of July. General Manager Jon Kolodinski has roots in Santa Cruz...

Business briefs, Jan. 11, 2019

Business briefs, Jan. 11, 2019

Heritage Chocolates Corralitos a local, family affair

More than 50 years ago, clockmaker and shop owner Allison Rider discovered a new hobby: making chocolate candies for his friends, family and employees. Rider, a big chocolate lover, started creating treats loosely based on See's Candies flavors. He experimented with caramel and other soft-center...

Commercial crab season pushed back

SANTA CRUZ—Based on updated information and in response to concerns from the commercial Dungeness crab fleet, including written requests from Port Associations to further delay, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham has delayed the start date for the California Dungeness...

Photo: Traffic blocks go up at Kmart property

kmart building
A crew from Vacant Property Security installs one of several traffic blocks in the parking lot of the former Kmart on Freedom Boulevard. On Oct. 12, the Watsonville City Council started the process of declaring the abandoned property a public nuisance due to illegal...

Phil’s Fish Market relocating

Phil’s Fish Market
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,...

Local winery honors Watsonville legend “One-Eyed Charley”

If you’ve ever strolled through Pioneer Cemetery in Watsonville, you might have come across the final resting place of Charley Darkey Parkhurst, a stagecoach driver, farmer and rancher who has become a local legend since their death in 1879. Born Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst, Charley was...

Phil’s Fish Market reopens and thrives

CASTROVILLE—Six months after moving from its iconic Moss Landing location, Phil’s Fish Market reopened in its new location in the heart of Castroville. The restaurant has gained a large following of loyal customers and an international reputation for its seafood dishes, most notably the cioppino—a...

Small businesses holding steady through pandemic, local fires

Watsonville small businesses
WATSONVILLE—First came the coronavirus in March and then the fires and smoke in August. While the CZU August Lightning Complex fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains is 100% contained, the Covid-19 pandemic continues. What have the dual disasters meant for Watsonville’s local businesses? So far,...
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Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah addresses about 150 high school students at the start of the Santa Cruz Countuy Youth Civics Summit at Cabrillo College.

Students learn the power of the vote at Civics Summit

On Friday, about 150 high school juniors from across Santa Cruz County cast their first ballots on three issues that, if passed, would dramatically...