Local News

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Parks and Recreation Commission at its Monday virtual meeting recommended the City Council remove the George Washington bust from the City Plaza. The recommendation, put forth by Commissioner Jessica Carrasco, deviates from that of Parks and Community Services staff, which proposed that the...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday afternoon issued new mandatory evacuation orders, including parts of South County, as well as several neighborhoods up Soquel-San Jose Road and Main Street required to leave. In Watsonville, the orders include Freedom Boulevard north of...

WATSONVILLE—A trail system that would connect Pajaro Valley High School to downtown Watsonville took another step forward Friday, gaining approval from the County Zoning Administrator. The project, headed up by the city of Watsonville, would create a 12-foot wide, 1.4-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail that...

PAJARO VALLEY—About 50 people gathered Sunday in Watsonville’s community room to explore ways to phase out toxic farming chemicals and convert Pajaro Valley farmlands to organic and regenerative farming.  The group of speakers included farmers, farmworkers, doctors, retired teachers, experts in environmental health and justice...

Moreland Notre Dame School launched its first Transitional Kindergarten when school opened on Aug. 23.

ROYAL OAKS — A 47-year-old Salinas man died late Friday night in Royal Oaks after his vehicle struck a tree. California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Jessica Madueño said the man, who has not been named, was traveling westbound on San Miguel Canyon Road west...

After decades of making decisions that affect the lives of students throughout Santa Cruz County, the County Board of Education on Thursday inaugurated its first student trustee. Oscar Alvarez-Delgado, a 17-year-old senior from Pajaro Valley High School, was chosen from five applicants.  Santa Cruz County Office...

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS—Mother Nature is lending a hand in the fight against the CZU August Lightning Complex fires in the Santa Cruz mountains. Cal Fire Operations Section Chief Mark Brunton said a much welcomed marine layer wandered into the Central Coast as the weekend got...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Community Hospital CEO Steven Salyer has left his post, and the board that oversees the hospital will meet on March 22 to discuss how his replacement will be chosen. In a letter to employees on Monday, Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Board President John Friel...

In the not-too-distant past, bicyclists and pedestrians traveling along Green Valley Road did so within an arms-reach of traffic along the busy corridor. That has changed with the completion of the Green Valley Road Multi-Use Trail Project, a wide, two-mile pathway with enough room for...