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Watsonville
December 24, 2025

Caroline’s Thrift donates $550,000 to local nonprofits

SANTA CRUZ—In 2022, Coastal Kids Home Care provided in-home nursing care for 65 children with serious and life-threatening illnesses, work that also benefited 228 family members. Such services are vital in Santa Cruz County, where an estimated 1,700 young people need such services, says Christine...

Photo story: Open at last

Barricades were recently taken down where Atkinson Lane meets Freedom Boulevard during construction of the new Tabasas Gardens homes (shown here). The lane had been closed to allow for construction for more than a year.

FEMA center opens to assist Pajaro flood victims

FEMA watsonville old city hall disaster recovery center
WATSONVILLE—A disaster recovery center opened in downtown Watsonville on Friday to direct Pajaro flood victims to federal relief programs. The center, operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is open daily (except April 9) from 9am to 7pm at Old City Hall, 250 Main St....

Capitola Wharf repair underway

capitola wharf repairs
State and city officials joined around 100 people recently to kick off repairs of the storm-damaged Capitola Wharf.  Attendees spoke about a multi-year journey that led to the groundbreaking ceremony.  “This wharf for 130 years has been an essential part of this community,” said Congressman Jimmy...

Gunfire breaks out after crash on Highway 1 in Aptos

sirens
A man and his juvenile passenger were injured in a two-vehicle crash that led to gunfire Friday night on Highway 1 in Aptos. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said that around 8:40pm, deputies and California Highway Patrol officers responded to a report of a...

Aromas Community Park donors honored with monument

AROMAS—Two decades ago, a fundraising drive was held to install dedication bricks at Aromas Community Park. However, even after a number of community members had already donated to the effort, the project came to an abrupt halt. “It was kind of sad, and no one knew...

Potentially disease-carrying mosquitoes found near Watsonville

Santa Cruz County
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials this week announced that they have found in Watsonville a species of mosquito known to carry the diseases dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever. Those diseases are not currently found in California, and none of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes—found...

Farm to Fork Gala to benefit flood-impacted farmers

community bridges farm to fork gala
Community Bridges’ annual Farm to Fork Gala is back for its eighth year, and this year the Santa Cruz County nonprofit has teamed up with the Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains to help raise financial relief funds for farmers and farmworkers affected by...

Pajaro flood waters shut down Highway 1

highway 1 flood pajaro
Floodwaters from the Pajaro River levee break reached northbound Highway 1 Sunday morning, forcing officials to shut down the highway at 9am. The northbound lanes of the highway are shut down from Salinas Road to Highway 129. As of 10:30am, the California Highway Patrol was preparing...

Briefs: Pancreatic cancer support concert

Raising voices for pancreatic cancer An inaugural pancreatic cancer support concert has been set for Nov. 19 at Bargetto Winery in Soquel. The one-night event features Uma Dobia, a popular Australian singer who will perform opera and show tunes.  Marina Thomas, a Watsonville pianist, will be...
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Letters to the Editor Dec. 12-26

Praise for Watsonville Fire Chief Lopez In 1996, I took my New School students to the Watsonville Fire Department on Second Street for an educational...

ICE becomes an autocratic tool