Local News

Dancers from Estrellas de Esperanza prepare to take the stage in Watsonville during the Calle Libres and Dia de Los Muertos event Sunday. Music, food, information tables, bicycle events, Zumba and more filled out the 5-hour gathering.  Organizer Kimberly LaCrosse said the entire event “revolves...

As the federal government shutdown enters its fourth week—and as money the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to dry up Nov. 1 unless deadlocked lawmakers reach an agreement—nonprofits across the U.S. are bracing themselves to help millions of people who could lose...

In two decades, Santa Cruz County transportation officials envision a 22-mile, cross-county rail-trail system that could transport an estimated 4,200 passengers between nine stations and, presumably, hook into the rail system in Pajaro that could connect to the greater Bay Area public transportation system. The...

Anyone driving at night in parts of  Pajaro Valley may occasionally notice an unsettling purple glow illuminating the sky. This comes from LED lights used by cannabis greenhouses to create longer light cycles young marijuana plants need to grow.  And while the burgeoning cannabis industry has...

When former Watsonville City Councilman Manuel Bersamin retired from his seat in 2012 to care for his ailing 95-year-old mother, The Pajaronian asked him for advice to future council members.  “Try not to speak so much,” he said. “I was sometimes too wordy, but I’ve...

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez will host a town hall meeting tonight, Oct. 27, to discuss potential rules for battery energy storage systems (BESS).  Hernandez will be discussing a potential new ordinance that he says would govern safety, transparency and ensure local control for...

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday tabled an ordinance that would have banned the sale of Kratom, opting instead for a watered-down version that prohibits the sale to anyone under 21 but includes a public education component.  Kratom is a plant grown...

Eight new dental chairs now await patients at a new Dientes Community Dental clinic following the organization’s grand opening celebration Wednesday evening.  More than 100 people attended the upbeat event that featured food and beverages, live music, clinic tours and words from Dientes officials and...

The City of Watsonville was recently presented the 2025 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence from the League of California Cities for its transformative Watsonville Brillante: Economic Development through the Arts project.   The statewide award celebrates programs that exemplify innovation, collaboration, and outstanding service to residents.  Watsonville...

Updated Oct. 24 at 10:45am Four teens are in custody after two fights at Watsonville High School Thursday morning left one 14-year-old student and a school employee injured. Interim Police Chief David Rodriguez said police responded just after 10am to a report of a stabbing in...