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Watsonville
June 29, 2026

Tiny Village project moves forward after second appeal denied

A tiny home development for 34 homeless people slated for the parking lot of Westview Presbyterian Church in Watsonville can move forward after the City Council on Tuesday denied an appeal by a neighbors’ group that has been battling the placement of the project...

Evacuations ordered as Lightning Complex fires grow

CZU August Lightning Complex
UPDATE (5:16pm, Aug. 20) Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said the City of Scotts Valley is expected to be evacuated later Thursday evening. UPDATE (3:26pm, Aug. 20) The City of Scotts Valley west of Highway 17, including the downtown area, Paradise Park and the...

LGBTQ resolution stirs controversy in PVUSD meeting

pvusd trustees
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District on Wednesday approved a resolution proclaiming October as LGBTQ+ History Month, a move that garnered unanimous approval from the board members in attendance and support from people at the meeting. Trustee Jennifer Schacher, who worked to fly LGBTQ flags...

Large donation brings Food Bank closer to goal

Second harvest twin lakes church
APTOS—Two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday rolled around, Twin Lakes Church Pastor Rene Schlaepfer and Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB) CEO Willy Elliott McCrea were worried. The church’s annual food drive, which typically raises thousands of dollars for the food bank’s holiday, was falling short,...

New mural goes up in Ramsay Park

ramsay park mural
Thanks to the efforts of a group of local students and artist Jaime Sanchez, a new colorful mural has been added to an outdoor wall of the Family Center in Ramsay Park. The 65-by-15-foot work, titled "The Bigger Picture,” stems from the Teen Artes program...

Man deemed sexually violent predator arrested

A man considered a sexual predator was arrested Wednesday morning in Capitola when Capitola Police and U.S. Marshals served a federal search warrant on the 1100 block of Sutherland Lane.  George Paul Bishop was wanted for failing to register as a violent child sex offender,...

Santa Cruz County to launch mental health wellness centers in schools

faris sabbah jimmy panetta
SANTA CRUZ—In a future envisioned by Santa Cruz County education officials, every comprehensive high school in the county will have a mental health services “hub” where students can access a wide range of counseling and mental health services. Before that date, the County will launch...

Smoky fire chars 2.2 acres

WATSONVILLE—A large portion of the Pajaro Valley was blanketed with heavy smoke Monday afternoon after a fire erupted in a brush-covered field between the Pajaro River and 30 Riverside Road. The 3:45pm incident drew a large response from Watsonville Fire, North Monterey County Fire and...

History and literature merge with young poets

Five students from Aptos and Watsonville high schools toured the historic Tor House and Hawk Tower in Carmel Saturday, a field trip designed to sharpen their interest and skills as young poets. The iconic stone home and tower, built above the rugged rocky coastline at...
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Nuñez wins Santa Cruz County supervisor race 

Tony Nuñez will be the next Santa Cruz County Supervisor representing the 4th District after final election results certified Friday showed he secured an...