Business

Limited rides at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk reopened April 1 following state public health guidelines. Boardwalk rides have been closed since March 2020 due to Covid-19, although they operated for a brief time in November. Ride reservations, which have been selling out daily,...

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...

WATSONVILLE—A project seven years in the making, the 112-room Hampton Inn & Suites opened its doors Monday morning on Lee Road in Watsonville. The four-story hotel flanks a new Starbucks coffee house and a newly opened Arco gas station and AM/PM mini market, all under...

WATSONVILLE—The U.S. is a country built on the backbone of its roadway system – a vast network of lanes, roads and freeways that connect us to home workplace, and untold adventures. But all of that travel largely depends on vehicles, which in turn rely on...

WATSONVILLE—Roaring Camp Railroads has struck a deal with Progressive Rail to provide freight services for Watsonville businesses. Santa Cruz Big Trees and Pacific Railway, a subsidiary of Roaring Camp, announced the deal on April 30 in a press release. Roaring Camp CEO Melani Clark said the...

WATSONVILLE—Cilantro’s Parrilla Y Cantina recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, and the Mexican restaurant is not slowing down even with shelter-in-place orders in effect. The business remains open seven days a week, albeit with a limited staff, and is still offering takeout orders of about 90...

WATSONVILLE—On Sunday Pajaro Valley Pride (PVP), a local nonprofit aiming to support and advocate for South County’s LGBTQ+ community, will hold its first in-person fundraiser since the start of the pandemic. “Raise a Pint to the Qmmunity” will feature a drag show, with local and...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Planning Commission at its first meeting of the year Monday recommended the City Council move forward with a mixed-use apartment complex in downtown. If approved, the proposed four-story, 50-unit apartment building at 558 Main St. would be nestled into the historic corridor near...

SANTA CRUZ—In an effort to meet public transit safety standards set during the Covid-19 pandemic, officials at Santa Cruz METRO at a Wednesday press conference showcased the safety and precautionary measures they have put in place. Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold and METRO Board...

WATSONVILLE—The County of Santa Cruz announced Wednesday it has closed escrow on the purchase of the former West Marine building at 500 Westridge Drive in Watsonville.  In a press release, the County called the purchase “a major step forward in  improving the delivery of services...