Photo: Lighted Boat Parade returns
Boats in the Santa Cruz Harbor are illuminated Sunday night after the annual Lighted Boat Parade was held the night prior. The event, put on by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club, returned after two years of being canceled due to Covid-19. The rainy evening...
Central Fire appoints new chief, finalizes merger with Aptos/La Selva
When Fire Chief John Walbridge first arrived at the Live Oak fire station 1991, it triggered childhood memories. He remembered riding his bike to the station from his home a few blocks away to obtain burn permits for his father in the late 1970s...
Watsonville company switches gears amid COVID-19 outbreak
WATSONVILLE—For 40 years, Watsonville’s Smith & Vandiver (S&V) has been manufacturing natural bath, body and skincare products at its FDA-certified facility on Airport Boulevard.
But since the outbreak of COVID-19 last month, the company has switched gears—focusing on the production of alcohol-based hand cleansers.
“We don’t...
Royal Oaks woman dies in rollover crash
PAJARO—A 30-year-old Royal Oaks woman died in a two-vehicle crash in Pajaro Wednesday.
California Highway Patrol spokeswoman Jessica Madueño said the woman, who has not been named, was traveling eastbound on San Juan Road at 12:47 p.m. while passing unsafely through a two-way turn section...
Firefighters make headway on Estrada Fire; evacuations could lift today
Update (1pm, Oct. 16)
The Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit (CZU) announced that the evacuation orders put in place Friday evening in response to the Estrada Fire have been changed to evacuation warnings.
It also announced that the fire was 25% contained.
ORIGINAL STORY
WATSONVILLE—Firefighters battling a...
Council approves plan to transform downtown Watsonville
In a future envisioned by Watsonville officials, the city’s downtown will be a vibrant and bustling place where commerce, mixed-use housing and a redesigned transit system intermingle and trees line a narrowed, two-lane Main Street.
The Downtown Specific Plan, approved unanimously late Tuesday night by...
Photo: City Plaza’s new self-cleaning restrooms arrive
A crew from Watsonville Public Works & Utilities installs new self-cleaning restrooms on the Union Street side of the City Plaza Wednesday.
The long-awaited restrooms were delivered Tuesday morning. They will feature two stalls and are expected to be completed and open to the...
Factory Sale draws holiday shoppers
Everywhere else has Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, but only Watsonville has the Holiday Factory Sale.
PVUSD candidate Curt Wilcox arrested on felony charges
The man running for the Area 5 seat on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees has been arrested on felony charges.
Curt...
