Firefighters battling Big Sur blaze
A wildland fire southeast of Big Sur in Los Padres National Forest that has charred around 200 acres in steep, rugged terrain has led to mandatory evacuations.
‘A lifetime commitment’: Father, son leaders in fire, police departments
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Fire Chief Rudy Lopez still remembers the day he and his son, Watsonville Police Sgt. Rudy Lopez Jr., responded to an emergency call together—a vehicle collision at Main Street and Green Valley Road.
“My emotions overcame me,” Lopez Sr. said. “I was very touched.”
After...
Police spending in Watsonville’s proposed budget draws criticism
WATSONVILLE—Over the next two years, the city of Watsonville plans to invest roughly $7.5 million to give Sotomayor Soccer Field at Ramsay Park a complete makeover and get several other projects at the city’s largest park “shovel ready.”
It also hopes to increase the funding...
New PV Arts exhibit features local artists
WATSONVILLE—For the past year, a group of five local artists has held a series of virtual pop-up art sessions, where participants learned about the artists’ process and were given guidance on how to create their own work.
Now, Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA) is displaying the...
Kmart in Watsonville closing doors in August
WATSONVILLE—The Kmart store at 1702 Freedom Blvd. in Watsonville will permanently close its doors on Aug. 22, the company announced through a publicity agency on Tuesday.
The store will begin to wrap up business beginning Thursday.
The announcement did not contain any further information. Transformco, the...
E.A. Hall field renovation moves ahead
WATSONVILLE—After years of playing sports on an aging field pitted by gopher holes and rutted by time, students at E.A. Hall Middle School will soon get a new playing field.
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on June 9 approved hiring a...
Pajaro Levee mile markers now in place
WATSONVILLE—A locally brewed project of painting mile markers along the Pajaro River and Salsipuedes Creek levee system came to fruition Wednesday.
Buoyed by a large pack of community members, Watsonville City Councilmember Ari Parker, Santa Cruz County Supervisor Greg Caput, city and county workers and...
Healthy grapes, less regulations spell good news for local wineries
After a year of ups and downs, things are looking good for wineries in the Pajaro Valley. That is according to two long-standing wineries, both nestled in the Pleasant Valley area between Watsonville and Aptos.
Alfaro Family Vineyard-Winery was first established in 1997 by Richard...
Calls mount for advance warning of pesticide spray
By Jane Sellen
SALINAS—On May 27 dozens gathered at the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s office in Salinas, calling on the state and county governments to web-post advance warning of agricultural pesticide use.
The event was one of several by farmworking communities across California who joined together...
Watsonville High celebrates homecoming
Hundreds of Watsonville High School students participated in the traditional homecoming parade Wednesday, which is a precursor to a Thursday rally and the Friday...
