COVID-19

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Though there is far less traffic nowadays with the stay-at-home order, the California Highway Patrol is reminding people it doesn’t mean there are now fewer laws.  “We are experiencing people traveling at higher speeds, but we are out there patrolling,” said CHP officer...

WATSONVILLE—The application process for the City of Watsonville’s small business emergency grants opened today. With help from El Pajaro Community Development Corporation, the city will offer roughly 50 grants of up to $2,000 to small businesses located within city limits with $2 million or less...

SANTA CRUZ—Dignity Health Dominican Hospital announced Monday that it has received a $1 million donation, which will be dispersed to hospital employees who have helped fight the coronavirus. The anonymous donor is a “long-time friend” of the hospital who wanted to thank the workers specifically...

CALIFORNIA—Bishop Jaime Soto of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, along with 1,000 other faith and community leaders from the California Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), on Tuesday will convene with state legislators on Zoom to call for more support for undocumented immigrants during the...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said Friday that his deputies—along with law enforcement officials across the county—plan to enforce the beach restrictions issued Thursday by Health Officer Gail Newel. The health officer imposed the rules to slow the spread of the novel...

WATSONVILLE—Cilantro’s Parrilla Y Cantina recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, and the Mexican restaurant is not slowing down even with shelter-in-place orders in effect. The business remains open seven days a week, albeit with a limited staff, and is still offering takeout orders of about 90...

SACRAMENTO—Gov. Gavin Newsom on April 22 announced plans to allow hospitals to resume surgeries and other procedures that were delayed while the state grapples with the novel coronavirus pandemic. These procedures include heart valve replacements, angioplasty and tumor removals, and key preventive care services, such...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel on Thursday indefinitely extended the shelter-in-place order issued on March 31. She also closed the county’s beaches between the hours of 11am and 5pm. Both moves are meant to further reduce the spread of COVID-19 by...

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday is expected to announce the closure of all beaches and state parks starting Friday, multiple national news agencies reported late Wednesday night. The news comes days after Gov. Newsom expressed concern over numerous photos of people crowding beaches throughout the...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel on Wednesday issued new restrictions on the county’s beaches, restricting their use between 11am and 5 pm starting on Saturday. The new restrictions came after hordes of people crowded the beaches and ignored social distancing rules...