METRO hosts Stuff the Bus donation site
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) and Toys For Tots will host METRO’s first Stuff the Bus donation site on Dec. 11 at Target in Watsonville.
METRO and Toys For Tots are teaming up to collect donations of new and unwrapped toys...
Watsonville Community Hospital faces closure if not purchased by Jan. 28
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Community Hospital will either be sold to a new buyer or—if that fails—close by Jan. 28, CEO Steven Salyer announced Monday.
In a letter sent to employees, Salyer states that the hospital is facing “significant financial challenges,” which have been compounded by decreased revenue...
Man killed in double rollover crash on Riverside Drive
WATSONVILLE—A Marina man was killed in a head-on collision on Riverside Drive at Harvest Drive Monday morning.
California Highway Patrol Sgt. Jason Ivey said that the drivers of a dump truck and a red Toyota Tacoma pickup engaged in some form of road rage dispute...
Watsonville assistant city manager to be appointed interim chief executive
The Watsonville City Council has recommended Tamara Vides to serve as the interim city manager, upon Matt Huffaker’s departure and until a permanent replacement can be found.
The appointment will come before the City Council in a special meeting set for Nov. 30.
Vides has worked...
PVUSD looks to redraw trustee area boundaries
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Nov. 17 began the process of redrawing the boundaries of the district’s trustee areas, a required decennial undertaking that follows the census.
During redistricting—which occurs in counties, cities and other jurisdictions nationwide—officials redraw their boundaries...
Holiday drive-thru lights up fairgrounds
WATSONVILLE—The second annual Holiday Lights drive-thru light show at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds is now fully lit up and open to visitors.
Holiday Lights will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday through November, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December through Dec. 26.
Presented...
Community rallies around garden and kitchen project at Starlight
Last February, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees approved bringing the Emeril Lagasse Culinary Garden and Teaching Kitchen project to Starlight Elementary School, aiming to teach local students how to grow, prepare and cook their own food.
The project, founded by the...
Still no interim city manager appointed in Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council met for nearly five hours Monday night, but made no final decision on who will take over in the interim when City Manager Matt Huffaker moves on next month.
Huffaker’s last day as the city’s chief executive is Dec. 14. The...
Judge extends restraining order, allows levee encampment to remain
MONTEREY COUNTY—A federal magistrate on Monday extended a temporary restraining order stopping Monterey County from removing a group of homeless people from an encampment along the Pajaro River levee.
The decision by Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen allows dozens of people to remain along the...
Tree lighting ceremony kicks off city’s winter festivities
WATSONVILLE—As Santa Claus waved to the crowd of kids and parents running through the Watsonville City Plaza to meet him at Sunday’s tree lighting ceremony, the early day fire engine that carried him down Main Street and to the front of the city’s downtown...
Santa Cruz County celebrates with parades
Thousands of people attended Fourth of July parades in Watsonville and Aptos Friday, lining sidewalks aliog main streets to see hundreds of participants. Below...
