Nominations for Be The Difference Awards open
The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County has opened the nomination period for the 15th Annual Be the Difference Awards. The awards honor the individuals, groups, nonprofits and businesses that transform Santa Cruz County through volunteerism.
People can share their stories of inspiration by nominating...
Poetry event highlighting writers of color stopped after ‘Zoombombing’
WATSONVILLE—A virtual event created to highlight writers of color was canceled on Nov. 11 after a group of anonymous attackers logged on to their Zoom meeting, and then shouted racial and homophobic slurs and broadcast pornographic images.
Such an attack is known as a Zoombombing,...
Watsonville teams with Caltrans on downtown road project
WATSONVILLE—Breaking from the usual modus operandi of allowing her colleagues to ask their questions and voice their concerns first, Watsonville Mayor Ari Parker started the city council’s questioning of a $25 million reimaging of downtown Watsonville’s street landscape. The people she’s talked to, the...
Board Chair and Manager leaving Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds
WATSONVILLE—Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Board Chair Don Dietrich has resigned his post, and interim Fairgrounds Manager Kelley Ferreira has announced his departure, Board Director Nick Calubaquib confirmed Monday.
Dietrich, who made the announcement to his fellow board members last week, did not return a call...
PVUSD trustees reject some cuts, approve others during raucous meeting
Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s governing board on Tuesday rejected two proposals to reduce teachers and staff, and approved three other reduction resolutions during a raucous, contentious meeting that included bickering between trustees and heckling from attendees in the packed boardroom.
That heckling came to...
Adrian Gonzalez’s bid for freedom denied, case heads to jury trial
A Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge ruled Tuesday that there is enough evidence that the man who raped and killed 8-year-old Madyson (Maddy) Middleton in 2015 would pose a continued danger to the public if he is released.
Adrian Jerry (A.J.) Gonzalez, now 24,...
Staff of Life delays opening of Watsonville location until 2021
WATSONVILLE—Staff of Life has delayed the opening of its Watsonville location until next year, according to spokeswoman Hollie Wendt.
The Santa Cruz-based natural foods store was set to open its second location in the East Lake Village Shopping Center sometime in the fall.
“After much discussion...
Motorcyclist dies in Highway 129 crash
A Hollister man died Sunday evening in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 129.
California Highway Patrol officer Israel Murillo said emergency crews were dispatched to a report of the crash just past 7:30pm on Highway 129 east of Murphy Road in Watsonville. A 54-year-old Hollister...
Man arrested for agriculture-related crimes
A Prunedale man was arrested Nov. 26 on suspicion of a lengthy list of agriculture-related crimes including theft of a tractor.
On Oct. 22, deputies...
