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Watsonville
November 2, 2025

Melee over food cart captures community attention

Linda Garcia hot dog
SANTA CRUZ—A recent clash between a Santa Cruz restaurant owner and a mobile hot dog vendor has drawn countywide attention, forcing one restaurant to close its doors and prompting demonstrations that have drawn hundreds of supporters. According to Santa Cruz Police spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke, the...

Soquel Nissan development falls through

NOTE: Reporter Tarmo Hannula also contributed to this article. SOQUEL — Nissan has recently withdrawn its approved application to build a dealership on the corner of 41st and Soquel, Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold announced Monday. “We are starting to see new economic impacts from...

After decades of struggles, Watsonville’s remaining Japanese have found niche

mas Hashimoto and the Watsonville-Santa Cruz chapter of the JACL
Editor’s note: This is the fourth and final entry of a weekly series about the Pajaro Valley’s Japanese community. The series’ culmination coincides with this year’s celebration of the Obon Festival, a cultural and religious Japanese event honoring one’s ancestors. Read the first entry...

Community Foundation aids farmworkers during dual crisis

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—With a continuing housing crisis on the horizon due to Covid-19, residents from nearly every background and region of the county are facing dire straits.  But perhaps the hardest hit have been farmworkers—many of whom were struggling long before the pandemic hit.  “ are...

Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre los incendios de la Costa Central

CZU August Lightning Complex
Varios incendios están ardiendo en la Costa Central, forzando evacuaciones masivas en los condados de Santa Cruz, San Mateo y Monterey. ¿Dónde están? Hay tres grandes incendios en nuestra región: el CZU August Lightning Complex, el River Fire y el Carmel Fire. CZU August Lightning Complex Estos incendios...

Cool weather helps firefighters notch ‘best day yet’

czu august lightning complex fire
SCOTTS VALLEY—Cool, moist weather throughout the day continued to help firefighters battle the CZU August Lightning Complex fires, which have now scorched 78,684 acres, and as of Monday night was 13% contained, firefighters told reporters during a press conference. During the conference, Santa Cruz County...

Newsom replaces watchlist with new tiered reopening system

Newsom tiered reopening system
SACRAMENTO—Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday revealed what he called a new, more “stringent” four-tiered reopening system that allows counties to open their economies depending on their Covid-19 case and test positivity rates. The new system replaces the monitoring list and removes many of the old...

Staff of Life delays opening of Watsonville location until 2021

staff of life watsonville
WATSONVILLE—Staff of Life has delayed the opening of its Watsonville location until next year, according to spokeswoman Hollie Wendt. The Santa Cruz-based natural foods store was set to open its second location in the East Lake Village Shopping Center sometime in the fall. “After much discussion...

CZU Complex now state’s 9th-most destructive fire ever recorded

CZU August Lightning Complex Fires
SCOTTS VALLEY—The CZU August Lightning Complex fire has destroyed 1,490 structures as of Thursday, making it the ninth-most destructive fire ever recorded in the state. According to Cal Fire, 925 of those structures are single-family homes. Most of those homes once stood in the Santa...

County donation warehouses to close

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Since the start of the CZU Lightning Complex fires, county residents and community supporters both locally and beyond have stepped forward to meet the needs of CZU Lightning Complex fire evacuees. Effective Friday at 4 p.m., the 1082 Emeline Ave. warehouse in Santa...
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Music in the Plaza

Calles Libres returns to Watsonville after a 7-year hiatus

The public is invited to the Calles Libres (Free Streets) community celebration on the streets of downtown for a car-free festival honoring Día de...