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Watsonville
December 3, 2025

A “jewel in the community:” Ramsay Park project moves forward

In a little more than a year, Ramsay Park in Watsonville will boast a new dog park, a new multi-use synthetic sports field, a new state-of-the-art nature center and new lights for its pathways, parking lots and athletic fields. Plans also include an all-inclusive playground,...

Pain And Progress In Pajaro

Tarmo Hannula and Todd Guild contributed to this story Jerry Castro has lived in the same house on Cayetano Street in Pajaro all his life. His parents owned it before him, he then bought it off of them. His children and their children were also...

Watsonville to deactivate crosswind runway

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday voted to close the crosswind runway at the airport, a move city officials say will open up more of the city for development of housing and commercial space. Airport Director Rayvon Williams told the council that closing the shorter...

Watsonville City Council to consider options for crosswind runway

On both sides of Watsonville Municipal Airport’s two runways lay so-called airport safety zones, where development is either limited or restricted. With limited space left for the city to develop—and with mandates for new housing from the State of California—those safety zones will be at...

Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez leaving

Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez has been named as the new City Manager for the City of Salinas, just two years after starting his position. The Salinas City Council on March 19 approved his contract. He will begin on May 28 and receive a base salary...

PVUSD names new superintendent

Pajaro Valley Unified School District on Friday named its new superintendent. The district’s Board of Trustees appointed Heather Contreras in closed session during its March 13 board meeting.  “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Heather Contreras as our new Superintendent,” Board President Georgia Acosta stated in...

Longtime Wildcat becomes Principal

Joe Gregorio first set foot on the Watsonville High School campus in 1987 as an E.A. Hall Middle eighth-grade student, there to watch the freshman football team play. He had already attended Mintie White Elementary School, and went on to graduate from Watsonville High in...

24-hour Highway 1 closure coming March 23

Caltrans is scheduled to close both directions of Highway 1 for a 24-hour block on March 23/24 to make way for the demolition of the 1948 Capitola Ave. overcrossing.  Kevin Drabinski, spokesperson for Caltrans, said the work is the second phase of the three-phase project...

International Women’s Day: a conversation with Watsonville’s Mayor and Vice-Mayor

When Vanessa Quiroz-Carter and Maria Orozco were sworn in late last year as Watsonville’s Mayor and Vice-Mayor, it was only the second time in the city’s history two women have held the roles. The first was in 2019, when Rebecca Garcia and Trina Coffman-Gomez sat...

Santa Cruz Roller Derby getting back on track

The Santa Cruz Roller Derby is rolling back into action with a new season on Saturday.  After being pushed onto the back burner during the Covid pandemic, close to 40 roller skaters, garbed in knee pads, helmets and skates, are back on the track. Now, with...
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K9 officer helps find loaded handgun; man arrested

A man was arrested late last month on multiple felony charges after he ditched a loaded gun and ran from Capitola Police. The incident began...