Local News

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley is a thriving agricultural hub, surrounded by farms and fields growing food for people all over the world. But according to the Community Health Trust (CHT) of Pajaro Valley, certain areas of the region are still considered “food deserts,” where people have...

SACRAMENTO—A bill that would increase protections for California’s farmworkers during hazardous smoky conditions created by seasonal wildfires is making its way through the state legislature. Assembly Bill 73, also known as the Farmworker Wildfire Smoke Protections Act, recently passed the Assembly Committee on Labor and...

PRUNEDALE—A 32-year-old Gilroy woman died in a solo-vehicle crash early Monday in Prunedale. California Highway Patrol officer Jessica Medueño said the woman was driving a 2007 Mazda 3 sedan westbound on Highway 156 at Cathedral Oak Road near Castroville around 6:30am. For unknown reasons she lost...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The former Minneapolis police officer who was seen in a video killing a Black man by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes was convicted Tuesday on counts of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Derek Chauvin faces at least 12...

Since 2009, Blume Industries (BI) and Whiskey Hill Farms (WHF) have jointly operated a research and development incubator in Watsonville, aiming to find regenerative solutions for food, fuel and waste management. And now they will have the opportunity to expand their reach, sharing what they...

APTOS—The Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League high school basketball season got underway last week. But the Aptos High boys and girls programs will have to wait a tad bit longer to get going after recent positive Covid-19 test results.   Aptos High Athletic Director Travis Fox...

SANTA CRUZ—Aptos High posted a 42-0 win against Santa Cruz High in a scrimmage at Memorial Field on April 16.  The game was scheduled as a regular season Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League game, but officials never showed up. The game did not count as...

The federal government is preparing to open two new industry-specific small-business relief programs, one of them months in the works, as its signature pandemic aid effort, the Paycheck Protection Program, nears its end. The Small Business Administration said it hopes to start taking applications by...

APTOS—Sometime in the summer, Mid-County will have a new ice cream shop, a walk-up establishment near the heart of Aptos Village. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream—headquartered in Pennsylvania with 200 locations throughout the U.S. and in South Korea—features 24 flavors that are hand-made on-site daily, says...

WATSONVILLE—A small group on Monday will begin a recall against Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Georgia Acosta, an effort spurred by her attempt to oust district superintendent Michelle Rodriguez in January. The group—called The Committee to Recall Georgia Acosta—is made up of educators, community...