Local News

PAJARO—A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order filed by an attorney representing dozens of people living in the Pajaro River levee against a planned cleanup organized by Monterey County officials. Anthony Prince, general counsel for the California Homeless Union/Statewide Organizing Council, on Wednesday...

Tickets are still available for the Watsonville debut performance of RosaAzul, an ensemble that will perform music and songs from Mexico and abroad. RosaAzul is made up of Jose 'Chuy' Hernandez, vocals, guitar and vihuela, Saul Arteaga, guitarron and Adam Bolaños Scow, violin. It...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz Gives is back, and the annual countywide crowdfunding holiday campaign is bigger than ever.  Following a year that saw skyrocketing donations, Santa Cruz Gives has doubled the number of nonprofits it will raise funds for from 40 to 80. The online campaign,...

PAJARO—A 69-year-old man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of molesting at least two girls.  The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office arrested Crescenciano Figueroa, Jr., of Pajaro, on charges of child molestation. Figueroa, known by many in the community as “Chano,” was taken into custody on Fremont...

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...

WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville will see a major shift in leadership in 2022.  The election of a new city councilmember is ongoing, and four more seats will be open next year. Current City Manager Matt Huffaker will soon be moving to the city of Santa...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The 2020 Crop Report for the County of Santa Cruz has been released, detailing the region’s agricultural commodities during one of the most challenging years on record. The Crop Report is presented each year by Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo through the Department of...

WATSONVILLE—For the past 33 years, the Toys for Tots program has delivered tons of toys to children in the Pajaro Valley and around the nation, for Christmas. This year is no exception, despite a host of limitations from the ongoing pandemic. On Nov. 12, the...

WATSONVILLE—A virtual event created to highlight writers of color was canceled on Nov. 11 after a group of anonymous attackers logged on to their Zoom meeting, and then shouted racial and homophobic slurs and broadcast pornographic images. Such an attack is known as a Zoombombing,...

SANTA CRUZ—Several inmates at Santa Cruz County Main Jail tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday in what jail officials say is the most significant outbreak since the start of the pandemic. According to Sheriff’s Sgt. Daniel Robbins, about 12 inmates have tested positive are under quarantine...