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Watsonville
December 24, 2025

Watsonville Hospital sale is official

watsonville community hospital
WATSONVILLE—After months of fundraising during which organizers scraped together more than $65 million, Watsonville Community Hospital will become a now publicly owned entity as of midnight on Sept. 1. The Pajaro Valley Health Care District (PVHD) signed the paperwork on Wednesday, making the sale official. State...

Blooms in focus at annual Monterey Bay Dahlia Society show

monterey bay dahlia society show capitola mall
The Monterey Bay Dahlia Society showcased more than 1,000 blooms at its annual Dahlia Show at the Capitola Mall on Saturday and Sunday. With categories of individual blooms to bouquets, amateurs, first time exhibitors and open to all, the free event unfolded in the center...

PVUSD kicks off superintendent search

pvusd trustees
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees launched its search for a new superintendent late last month, hammering out a loose timeline, determining how the community will be involved and discussing the characteristics they want for a new leader. The Aug. 30 discussion...

Traditional dance performances arrive in Watsonville, Aptos

claudio naranjos vega
Students in the local dance class, Estrellas de Esperanza, taught by Ruby Vasquez, hosted an information session for the public Wednesday evening to learn about a Mexican holiday tradition called La Rama.  Maestro Claudio Naranjos Vega traveled from Vera Cruz, Mexico, to run the class...

Santa Cruz County to launch mental health wellness centers in schools

faris sabbah jimmy panetta
SANTA CRUZ—In a future envisioned by Santa Cruz County education officials, every comprehensive high school in the county will have a mental health services “hub” where students can access a wide range of counseling and mental health services. Before that date, the County will launch...

Santa Cruz County Supervisor District 2 race continued

Tony Crane Douglas Deitch
This is the second installment highlighting the candidates running for the Second District seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. Tony Crane is an Aptos mortgage broker who is battling against what he sees as county corruption for decisions on a residential mental...

Officials maintain ‘zero tolerance’ for illegal fireworks

watsonville fireworks
“Safe and sane” fireworks are now on sale in Watsonville, but the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is reminding everyone to do their part to have a safe holiday and help prevent fires and injuries caused by fireworks.  So-called “safe and sane”...

Council approves big contracts for Freedom Blvd., planning work

freedom boulevard work
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council approved a trio of contracts for significant impending roadway and planning work on Nov. 15. The largest contract of the four is a $4.2 million agreement with Gilroy-based McKim Corporation for the long-awaited reconstruction of Freedom Boulevard between Alta Vista Avenue...

2021 Crop Report released

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo released the 2021 Santa Cruz County Crop Report on Oct. 5, which shows a 3.4 percent increase in overall crop production values over the past year. Strawberries remain the top crop in Santa Cruz County, with...

Man arrested after firing gun in public

walker street watsonville police
Watsonville Police collect spent shell casings on the 500 block of Waker Street Saturday. Michelle Pulido, spokeswoman for Watsonville Police, said officers responded to reports of numerous shots fired around 4pm. Officers found shell casings in a market parking lot. Within minutes police caught...
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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