Local News

WATSONVILLE—More than 40 school bus drivers who conducted a “sick-out” on Oct. 21 and 24 are back at work, and Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez has called the action “unlawful,” saying it violated the recent CSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement. “We deeply regret...

I had to brake long enough to grab a photo of a giant reindeer mingling with other Christmas decor at a Rogers Avenue home in Watsonville. • Today is the first day of winter, the solstice. Among other things, on Tuesday the days start getting longer. • If...

WATSONVILLE—Despite the economic shutdowns resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the city of Watsonville’s overall sales tax revenues have held steady thanks to a myriad of reasons, including a sharp rise in online and local shopping. That’s according to Administrative Services Director Cindy Czerwin who at...

Todd McFarren, who sat on the Watsonville City Council from 1989–98—including two stints as Mayor—who served as a U.S. Marine sergeant in the Vietnam War, and who as an attorney was known to fight fiercely for the “little guy” during his career spanning three...

WATSONVILLE—Roughly 60 people—many of them on bikes—gathered on the southwest outskirts of Watsonville on July 17 to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the city’s segment of the Coastal Rail Trail. The ribbon-cutting for the 12-foot wide, quarter-mile-long strip of asphalt between Walker...

MONTEREY COUNTY—The Monterey County Agriculture Commissioner’s Office, Supervisors Luis Alejo and Chris Lopez, along with Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, Monterey County Farm Bureau, Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association, Coastal Growers Association and California Strawberry Commission recently released a model Advisory for Agriculture...

WATSONVILLE—A person is in critical condition after they and another person were shot late Sunday in Watsonville. The double shooting happened at the dead end of Walker Street near the Pajaro River levee shortly after 8pm, according to Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido. Pulido said...

Janie Scott, Director and Choreographer of Cabrillo Stage’s latest theater musical “Into the Woods,” admits she is a bit of a geek for Stephen Sondheim.

Thousands of heritage trees have been cut down in the county since 2000, according to the Sierra Club of Santa Cruz County.

Writer, director and actor Steve “Spike” Wong remembers the moment he realized he wanted to tell stories. He was about 5 years old and was riding the Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland with his parents. He managed, he said, to convince them that the animatronic...