Local News

County distributing 2nd round of small business grants SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The County of Santa Cruz is accepting applications for the second round of the Santa Cruz County Cares Recovery Program for small businesses impacted by Covid-19.  Grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to provide...

Editor’s note: This is the fifth entry in a series of interviews with candidates running for office in the upcoming local elections. Interviewees will include candidates for the Watsonville City Council, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees, the Pajaro Valley Water...

Editor’s note: This is the first entry in a series that will break down the California Propositions going to voters in the Nov. 3 election.  California voters will make a decision on 12 propositions in the upcoming election. The initiatives cover various issues, including the...

The City of Watsonville recently announced the names of 12 selected citizens who will serve on the new Policing and Social Equity Ad-Hoc Committee, which will dive into the department’s relationship with the community. The City received 26 applications. Council Ad Hoc representatives, Mayor...

Smoke is back. The Zogg Fire has burned through 87 square miles and is only 39% contained. The Glass Fire, at 92 square miles, is threatening 29,835 homes and has led to the mandatory evacuation of the entire town of Calistoga in the popular...

Update (3:40pm, 10/2) President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon announced that he was going to Walter Reed Hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus hours prior. "I think I'm doing very well, but we're going to make sure that things work out," he said in a...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Health officials are urging everyone 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine this year in order to avoid a “twindemic” of Covid-19 and influenza cases packing hospitals this winter. Santa Cruz County Deputy Health Officer David Ghilarducci says that getting a...

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...

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in the United States, and the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Breast cancer occurs when cells in breast tissue change and divide, resulting in a lump or mass....

WATSONVILLE—As many shelter-in-place restrictions remain in place due to Covid-19, state, county and city officials have looked for ways to allow businesses to open safely. This has included moving outdoors—onto sidewalks, into parking lots and even streets. Watsonville businesses have slowly been making the move,...