Santa Cruz County likely moving to orange tier March 31
Continued decreases in case and positivity rates have Santa Cruz County on track to enter a less restrictive tier of the state’s Covid-19 reopening plan on March 31, County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said at Thursday’s weekly virtual press conference.
According to data released...
Infamous Santa Cruz serial killer denied parole
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A serial killer who murdered 13 people nearly five decades ago—most of them in Santa Cruz County—was denied parole Thursday during a virtual hearing.
Herbert Mullin, 74, will not be eligible for parole for another seven years. He is in custody at Mule...
Senior Center helps hundreds of vulnerable residents get vaccinated
WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville hired Katie Nuñez in March of last year to supervise the Watsonville Senior Center. Her tasks then were to bring the community hub into the 21st century, and create a slew of programs for the area’s older adults.
But just two...
School district’s budget outlook improves slightly
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on March 10 approved a second interim budget report that shows an improved outlook from two months ago, when projections showed the district would be unable to meet expenses over the next three years.
That placed...
National Agriculture Day to be observed March 23
Agriculture, like most industries across the U.S., has faced numerous challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic this past year. From worker safety to supply chain shortages, everyone from large corporations to small family farms have felt the effects.
Which is why this year’s National Agriculture Day...
Tight market, recent disasters put strain on local home buyers
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—For the past few years, local real estate agents have seen a drastic dip in inventory of homes in Santa Cruz County. And with the ongoing pandemic and recent wildfires that destroyed close to 1,000 homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the...
Kaiser Permanente Arena ‘vaccination hub’ opens tomorrow
Kaiser Permanente is opening a Covid-19 vaccination hub Thursday at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz for eligible members and others in the community, the health care provider announced in a press release Wednesday.
Dependent upon vaccine supply, the site is expected to operate seven...
Local artist seeks new home for community safety mural
In late July of 2019, a large, four-panel mural by Peter Bartczak of Clown Bank Studios was hoisted up onto the side of the old Watsonville City Hall.
The mural depicted a family of ducks, carefully crossing a street in a crosswalk in front of...
Potential Porter Building sale halted by state land use law
WATSONVILLE—The historic Porter Building in downtown Watsonville will not be sold to the Pajaro Valley Arts Council—it won’t be sold to the owners of this publication, either.
At least not anytime soon.
Ongoing discussions between the city of Watsonville and PV Arts around the vacant city-owned...
High school football ‘back on track’ for this weekend
APTOS—The high school football season is back on track, for now, as Santa Cruz County superintendents released updated guidance for outdoor high-contact sports that won’t require teams to test for Covid-19 moving forward.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Michelle Rodriguez was notified on...
What Makes Watsonville Community Hospital—and America—Great
Thirty-three years ago, while my family was preparing for a birthday party, I decided to arrive early. My mother was shopping for a cake...
