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Watsonville
February 17, 2026

A life, preserved: In memory of famed local taxidermist Richard Gurnee

Watsonville native Richard Gurnee, who revolutionized the field of scientific taxidermy by pioneering a freeze-drying technique still employed worldwide, died in October after a brief illness. He was 87. Gurnee graduated from Watsonville High School in 1954, and then studied zoology at Humboldt State University. But...

Armored truck robbed at gunpoint outside Capitola credit union

bay federal credit union robbery
Note: This article has been updated to include information released by Capitola Police Department. CAPITOLA—A man robbed an armored truck stationed in front of the Bay Federal Credit Union in Capitola Wednesday.  The suspect, armed with a gun, reportedly approached a Gardaworld armored truck around 11:20am...

Q&A: Graciela Vega on Cinco de Mayo

graciela vega
The community is invited to gather and celebrate Cinco de Mayo on May 5 from 4-7pm in the Watsonville City Plaza. Co-presented by the Farmers’ Market, Poesía en la Plaza and Ballet Folklorico Ollin, the event will feature music, poets, dancers and booths.  We spoke...

Briefs: Easter Egg hunt; Selena tribute; Cabrillo opens ‘Curious Incident’

agricultural history project easter egg hunt
Selena tribute set for Saturday A tribute to the late singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez is slated for Saturday in Romo Park in downtown Watsonville. Put on by Arte del Corazon, the free, five-hour event will include music by DJ Moi, Mariachi Illusion, activities for all ages, Selena...

Students, teachers demand PVUSD board revisit ethnic studies vote

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will revisit a decision from last September not to renew a contract with an organization that helps teachers deliver ethnic studies curriculum, which now used in the district’s three comprehensive high schools. That discussion will occur...

Group sparks conversation about valley’s pesticide use

Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture
WATSONVILLE—A newly formed community group with the vision of reducing the use of pesticides in the Pajaro Valley is taking on international berry giant Driscoll’s. The Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) recently sent a letter to Driscoll’s CEO Miles Reiter calling for the...

Photos: Santa Cruz County Fair is in full swing

santa cruz county fair face painting
The Santa Cruz County Fair runs through Sunday. For information, visit santacruzcountyfair.com.

Six injured in UC Santa Cruz bus crash

uc santa cruz bus crash
Six people were injured Tuesday night on the UC Santa Cruz campus when a bus veered off the road and slammed into a stone column. Authorities told the media that the driver of the bus suffered major injuries and was flown by helicopter to Valley...

Nerdville Watsonville returns for third year

paul de worken nerdville watsonville
The third annual Nerdville Watsonville will take place June 25. The event is described as a “fun and family friendly day of anime, cosplay, collectables and more,” by the hosts, Friends of Watsonville Parks and Community Services Department. “This year, we honor the amazing anime...

PHOTO: Cabrillo Stage visits Rotary Club

cabrillo stage hunchback of notre dame watsonville rotary club kristi garcia omar rodriguez
Kristi Garcia and Omar Rodriguez of Cabrillo Stage sing “Some Day” at Watsonville Rotary Club's lunch gathering Wednesday as a sampling of the theater production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Joined by actor Juan Castro and music/vocal director Michael McGushin, the group performed...
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LEVEE MONEY The Pajaro River meanders through a course of trees and brush near downtown Watsonville.

Padilla, Schiff secure $54M for Pajaro River Levee

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla announced Tuesday that he and Sen. Adam Schiff secured $54 million in federal funding for the Pajaro River Flood Risk...