54.1 F
Watsonville
November 1, 2025

Photo: Busy weekend for Boardwalk as rides reopen

santa cruz beach boardwalk
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,...

City’s initial pandemic budget report brings optimism

Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—The Covid-19 pandemic has not yet been as harsh on Watsonville’s economy as predicted, but Finance Department Director Cindy Czerwin at Tuesday’s City Council meeting said it is still too early to “feel totally confident” about the City’s financial future. The City’s sales tax revenues...

The Chop Shop moving downtown

WATSONVILLE—A popular local barbershop will soon move to downtown Watsonville. The Chop Shop is planning to relocate from the city’s outskirts on Freedom Boulevard to the corner of Main Street and East Lake Avenue, according to owner Gabino Varela. The 471 Main St. location currently houses...

Giving music stores a chance

For almost a century, Jansen Music has been a staple in the music community, offering instruments, equipment, lessons and repair services.

Sushi Qu moves; East Lake evolving

WATSONVILLE—Sushi Qu, a popular sushi restaurant in East Lake Village Shopping Center, opened Tuesday in its new space just a few doors away from where they had operated for almost five years. Owner Jannie Park said she was excited about the new location that will...

Council approves parklet pilot program

parklets
WATSONVILLE—With the Covid-19 pandemic—and the restrictions on businesses that have come with it—sticking around for the foreseeable future, the City of Watsonville is hoping a new program will allow restaurants and shops to better handle the hurdles currently in front of them. The Parklet Program...

Hansen downtown apartment complex moves forward

the residence at 558 Main Watsonville
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...

Local companies gift Second Harvest new parking lot

WATSONVILLE—Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County has been distributing almost twice as much food to local families than usual. As such, the organization’s parking lot is now full of distribution and refrigeration trucks, forklifts and storage containers. Staff, volunteers...

PHOTO: Watsonville business park takes shape

Watsonville business
Work continues on a new business complex on the 1000 block of Main Street under the direction of the Santa Cruz Seaside Co. Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of the year, with businesses Chipotle, The Habit Burger Grill, Charter Spectrum,...

Dominican Hospital gets $1M donation for workers

Dominican donation covid-19
SANTA CRUZ—Dignity Health Dominican Hospital announced Monday that it has received a $1 million donation, which will be dispersed to hospital employees who have helped fight the coronavirus. The anonymous donor is a “long-time friend” of the hospital who wanted to thank the workers specifically...
7,695FansLike
4,949FollowersFollow
2,895FollowersFollow
Music in the Plaza

Calles Libres returns to Watsonville after a 7-year hiatus

The public is invited to the Calles Libres (Free Streets) community celebration on the streets of downtown for a car-free festival honoring Día de...