Small businesses holding steady through pandemic, local fires
WATSONVILLE—First came the coronavirus in March and then the fires and smoke in August. While the CZU August Lightning Complex fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains is 100% contained, the Covid-19 pandemic continues.
What have the dual disasters meant for Watsonville’s local businesses? So far,...
Supervisors create new office to handle disasters
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to create an Office of Recovery and Resilience, which will coordinate the county’s response to the CZU August Lightning Complex fire.
The new office would also respond to future disasters, which...
Neighborhood Courts program gives citizens say in criminal cases
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Beginning in December, Santa Cruz County will have another tool in its belt to tackle crime, one considered an alternative way to help the community, victims and offenders find solutions to deal with low-level crimes.
The Santa Cruz Neighborhood Courts program will use...
Montesino, Acosta running unopposed in respective races
WATSONVILLE—With the 2020 election right around the corner, most candidates are doing what they can to garner support, and finding ways to convince voters to choose them over another candidate.
But what do candidates do if they are running unopposed? What should they focus on,...
Voting rights a key issue in state props
Editor’s note: This is the second entry in a series that will break down the California Propositions going to voters in the Nov. 3 election. To read the first entry see click here.
California voters will make a decision on 12 propositions in the upcoming...
Spanish-language novel delves into canning strike
Author Graydon Miller says he’s been working on his latest novel on-and-off-again for over three decades.
It began in July 1985, when a number of Latina workers at Watsonville Canning went on strike, protesting sudden wage cuts and reduced health benefits. The workers, represented by...
From up above | Photo Gallery
Do you have a recent photograph you’d like to share? Send it to us for consideration by emailing it to [email protected] or mailing it to 21 Brennan St., Suite 14, Watsonville, CA 95076. Please include a brief description of the photo as well as the name...
The Slough Brewing Collective opens for to-go orders
WATSONVILLE—For the owners of The Slough Brewing Collective in Watsonville, beer is much more than just a drink, or a lucrative business—it’s a community.
The brewery, formerly Elkhorn Slough Brewing Company, even reflects this in its motto: “Beer is people.”
“Beer is a way of bringing...
Open Farm Tours returns this weekend
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The annual Open Farm Tours will return this weekend—albeit in a different capacity.
Pre-registration is now required for small, socially-distanced outdoor tours at the following farms: Thomas Farm and Luz Del Valle Farm in Aptos, and GroundSwell Farm in Santa Cruz. Additional participating...
New plans in motion | About Town
The Aptos Branch of the Santa Cruz County Public Library is on deck for demolition and rebuild as it has outgrown its current facilities. The County has completed a feasibility study, chosen a design-build team, and started the design process. That design concept was...
How Farmworkers Outlawed ‘El Cortito’ 50 Years Ago
For decades in the Salinas Valley, the short-handle hoe, known as “El Cortito,” was used for weeding and thinning rows of crops that kept...
