Local News

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees at its Nov. 18 meeting unanimously approved a resolution to fly POW/MIA flags above all district buildings daily. It is not clear when the flags will be raised. District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez says they will be...

“Out of the Fire” is the latest art exhibit to showcase at the Pajaro Valley Arts Sudden Street Gallery. More than 55 artists are in the show with artwork that was created or affected by fire, such as a kiln, welding, blown glass and...

CENTRAL COAST—Monterey and Santa Cruz counties were reporting the highest Covid-19 positivity rates in the Bay Area region Friday, according to data reported by the California Department of Public Health. The positivity rate in Monterey County was 23.2%. In Santa Cruz County it was 18.5%,...

Special events Gourmet Grazing on the Green  (Oct. 5) Held at Aptos Village Park, Grazing on the Green is a day of fine wine, excellent food and live music. Spend the afternoon sampling the delicious flavors from dozens of local restaurants and local wineries. Event starts at...

A man was arrested Jan. 4 after he reportedly punched a boy in the face and stole his cell phone.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help from the community to find a man who allegedly took inappropriate photos of a woman as she shopped in a Soquel department store on Oct. 4.

A dance group, Ohtori Kinsen-Kai, prepare to perform a traditional dance from Okinawa Saturday at the 33rd annual Japanese Cultural Fair in Santa Cruz. The free event showcased live music, dance, martial arts, crafts, food and more.

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...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville’s Downtown Specific Plan can officially move ahead. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) endowed the City of Watsonville with a $500,625 Sustainable Communities Planning Grant that will fund the majority of the project’s planning efforts over the next year and change. The City Council accepted...

MONTEREY COUNTY—A Pajaro man has pleaded no contest to rape of a minor under 14, lewd acts with a child under 14 and assault with the intent to commit a lewd act. Arturo Murguia Rodriguez, 21, is facing 15 years in prison when he is...