Local News

WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville has taken its biggest step yet in making a commitment to address climate change locally. On Oct. 26, the City Council unanimously approved the 2030 Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP), aiming to make policy changes in order to cut emissions,...

A lighted stroll beneath giant old-growth redwoods is now on the list of things to do at Roaring Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  In addition to the lengthy list of events such as their Father’s Day Barbecue, Mother’s Day Brunch, the Moonlight Dinner Train...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Today is Giving Tuesday, a worldwide generosity movement aiming to raise funds for nonprofits and communities. Every Tuesday after Thanksgiving, organizations, small businesses, schools and corporations come together to celebrate the event. Giving Tuesday began in 2012 at the 92nd Street Y and...

Covid-19 vaccinations for Santa Cruz County residents are being expanded to include workers in education and childcare, emergency services, and food and agriculture industries, the county announced today. Eligibility will be based on occupation definitions from the California Department of Public Health, according to the...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Postmaster is warning residents to take steps to prevent mail theft after several recent thefts have been reported throughout the city. According to Postmaster Alejandra Alvarado, there have been as many as three reports per week since November of stolen mail and packages,...

WATSONVILLE—The Crosetti Building at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds was almost unrecognizable Saturday evening, decked out for the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture’s 58th annual Gala and Dinner. Going for a “Roaring ‘20s” theme, the inside of the building was decorated in black,...

The Watsonville Strawberry Festival will return Sunday to downtown, bringing with it a full day of strawberry delicacies, live entertainment, artisan vendors and more. Like most events in 2020, South County’s premier festival was canceled in response to the pandemic. And for a while, the...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Writer Stephen Kessler has been named the 2023 Artist of the Year by the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission.  Kessler has written a dozen volumes of original poetry, 16 books of literary translation, three collections of essays and a novel, “The Mental Traveler.”...

Lynne Petrovic will take the helm of Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Cruz County as executive director, the organization announced.

When Phoenix Artemisia decided to open a yoga studio in Watsonville in 2016, no other location around the city grabbed her attention more than downtown. That was despite some pushback from friends, who had concerns about her safety and that of her clients.  Artemisia, ever the...