Local News

El Pájaro Community Development Corporation (El Pájaro CDC) has entered into a partnership with Staff of Life, a natural foods market that recently opened its new store in the East Lake Shopping Center. El Pájaro CDC, which aims to support small business entrepreneurs by...

By Alesandro Manzella Many people who are arrested and booked into Santa Cruz County Jail not only lose their freedom, but also access to health care and mental health services. That's according to a report released June 11 by the Santa Cruz County Grand Jury. Lack of...

Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began writing ‘Requiem in D Minor’ in 1791, but died at 35 before it was completed. Part of that composition, called ‘Lacrimosa,’ are thought to be the last notes he wrote. Perhaps it is fitting, then, that the Requiem will be...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Parks and Community Services Director Nick Calubaquib says since he was hired in 2018 that he has seen county officials make a stronger effort to reinvest in South County’s parks. That same year, the County of Santa Cruz finalized its parks strategic plan,...

WATSONVILLE—A 33-year-old pregnant woman died Thursday night as she walked across South Green Valley Road and was struck by a car. She has been identified as Marlyn Uribe of Watsonville by the Santa Cruz County Coroner’s Office. Watsonville Police said that, according to witnesses, Uribe was...

WATSONVILLE—For 40 years, Watsonville’s Smith & Vandiver (S&V) has been manufacturing natural bath, body and skincare products at its FDA-certified facility on Airport Boulevard. But since the outbreak of COVID-19 last month, the company has switched gears—focusing on the production of alcohol-based hand cleansers. “We don’t...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Planning Commission on Tuesday made several recommendations to the City Council on proposed changes to the city’s cannabis ordinances. The body’s recommendations were a near carbon copy of those provided by staff with an additional amendment asking the city to favor local and...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday will make a decision on the Downtown Complete Streets Plan, a project that proposes sweeping changes to the corridor’s structure. According to the report from city staff, the plan presented at Tuesday’s 6:30 p.m. meeting will include:  Pedestrian improvements •...

City staff will now finalize the plan and prepare an application that will be submitted to state officials in hopes of qualifying for Prop 68 funds. The deadline for the first round of funding from the voter-approved $4.1 billion bond measure, according to Watsonville Director of Parks and Community Services Nick Calubaquib, is Aug. 3.

A man was taken to a trauma center Tuesday afternoon after being stabbed in a suspected gang attack.