Local News

County distributing 2nd round of small business grants SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The County of Santa Cruz is accepting applications for the second round of the Santa Cruz County Cares Recovery Program for small businesses impacted by Covid-19.  Grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to provide...

Festival celebrates Filipino American History Month The Tobera Project will hold its second annual Filipino American History Month festival Saturday at the Watsonville City Plaza from noon to 5pm.  The free event will celebrate and honor Filipino history in the Pajaro Valley since the 1920s. The...

A painting crew has been busy adding a fresh coat of paint and a new look Thursday and Friday to the long-standing Beach Street Cafe on West Beach Street. Help is on the way for small businesses hit by sweeping closures, layoffs, and downsizing because...

Special events La Selva Beach Holiday Fair (Nov. 16) Kick off or finish up your holiday shopping at the La Selva Beach Holiday Fair. More than 60 arts and crafts vendors will showcase their work at the La Selva Beach Clubhouse. Fair booths will feature handmade...

More than 100 people packed the auditorium at E.A. Hall Middle School Tuesday night to have their say on how the school should spend $2.2 million it has remaining in Measure L funds.

SACRAMENTO—California Gov. Gavin Newsom named Secretary of State Alex Padilla California’s U.S. Senator to fill the term being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Padilla will thus become the first Latino U.S. Senator to represent California, Newsom’s office said. “The son of Mexican immigrants—a cook...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville will soon see its first cannabis dispensaries set up shop after two businesses received planning commission approval at Tuesday night’s virtual meeting. Berryessa Holdings, LLC and Charlie Mike, Inc. both got the green light by a unanimous vote. The former will serve customers at...

WATSONVILLE—On Dec. 1, the East Lake Shopping Center in Watsonville welcomed its newest addition. Ferrari Florist, located at 928 East Lake Ave., is now the third store for the 74-year-old business in Santa Cruz County.  Five years ago, Brian and Marilyn Piazza noticed that a...

SANTA CRUZ—A Santa Cruz man was arrested Saturday after allegedly setting a house on fire while people were still inside. Ryan Lee Brand, 45, was charged with attempted murder and arson. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bail, jail...

BOULDER CREEK—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Sunday arrested a juvenile suspected in the shooting death of an 18-year-old male at a party on Saturday. Authorities are not yet releasing any information about the suspect because they are a minor. The identity of the victim is...