Watsonville gains new firefighter
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Fire Department will soon take on a new firefighter/paramedic after he completed the 16-week training academy at Watsonville Fire Station No. 2 on Airport Boulevard on Dec. 2.
Adrian Chairez, of Santa Cruz, and three other trainees were officially presented with their badges at...
College Lake water right approved
In a unanimous decision, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) approved Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency’s (PV Water) water right application for the College Lake Integrated Resources Management Project.
The approval, coming nearly four years after application submittal, means that PV Water will have...
Stealing Christmas: Mannequin dressed as Santa taken from Staff of Life
WATSONVILLE—He was seen by hundreds joyfully riding an early day, bright red Farmall tractor at the front of the recently opened Staff of Life Natural Foods Market in the East Lake Village Shopping Center in Watsonville.
With both hands clutching the steering wheel and a...
Watsonville expected to clean out encampment Wednesday morning
WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville is planning to follow through on a plan to clean out a homeless encampment on Bridge Street early Wednesday morning.
The decision to stick to the ultimatum given to the 25 or so people staying in the parking lot on Sunday—the...
Homeless memorial marks somber milestone
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—During 2021, 95 people died while homeless, a distressing increase from the 58 who died last year and 77 in 2019.
Those numbers, delivered Tuesday during the 23rd annual Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day ceremony, were more than an ugly milestone, said David Davis,...
County health officials: avoid the ER unless seriously ill
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County public health officials are asking that anyone with asymptomatic or mild coronavirus cases—or other non-serious illnesses—stay home and avoid unnecessary trips to already burdened hospital emergency departments.
The county also renewed its call for everyone eligible to get vaccinated or...
Animal welfare, police reform among new state laws
CALIFORNIA—Every year, state lawmakers send hundreds of bills to the governor in hopes they will be signed into law.
Many do not make the cut, and fall victim to the state’s lengthy legislative process. But last year 770 bills became law, and many became effective...
Pajaro levee project takes another step forward
WATSONVILLE—Voters who live in proximity to the Pajaro River levee system will soon decide on adding a special assessment to their property tax bill that would help fund the long-awaited Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project.
The Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency (PRFMA) on Wednesday...
Assemblymember Robert Rivas welcomes ideas for new laws
Assemblymember Robert Rivas will be accepting entries from the public for new laws, under his ‘There Ought to be a Law’ program.
Rivas brought the program to his district in 2019, and for the third year, Rivas will review policy proposals from his constituents in...
Councilman Estrada says he won’t seek reelection
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville City Councilman Francisco “Paco” Estrada during Thursday night’s special meeting announced that he will not seek reelection this fall.
Estrada, the representative for the 4th District, was elected into office in 2018 and served as mayor in his first year on the city council....
MVC boys’ cross country runs away with PCAL Gabilan Division title
Monte Vista Christian wrapped up the Gabilan Division boys cross country title after putting on a fantastic performance at last week’s Pacific Coast Athletic...
