Local News

Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s Measure M, a $350 million bond that would fund much-needed renovation and construction projects at every school in the district, is so far passing by a narrow margin. Measure M would raise $18.3 million annually by placing $60 per $100,000...

Watsonville voters on Tuesday approved Measure V, which will allow all residents to serve on the city’s commissions. This includes the Parks and Recreation, Personnel, Library and Planning commissions.  Previously under Watsonville’s current rules, only registered voters could serve in those positions. Supporters say the change will...

Valencia Elementary School was closed Friday after numerous students were sickened by what is likely norovirus. The school will reopen Tuesday. Pajaro Valley Unified School District notified parents in an email on Nov. 7. “The purpose of the school closure is to stop the additional...

A large group of county officials and nonprofit leaders gathered at the Santa Cruz County Government Building Thursday to show support for the immigrant community in the wake of Donald Trump’s rise to the U.S. Presidency. Trump has promised mass deportations of the nation’s immigrant...

Updated 11/6 at 10am Watsonville City Councilman Jimmy Dutra held on to his lead Wednesday in the race to keep his District 6 seat against challenger Trina Coffman-Gomez, increasing his lead to just over 54% of the vote, early results showed Thursday. Dutra, who also...

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will see a change next year, as incumbents Georgia Acosta and Adam Scow took a back seat to challengers Carol Turley and Jessica Carrasco. Results posted as of 1:30am Wednesday showed Turley ahead for the Trustee...

With the spotlight Tuesday on Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. Presidency—and the Republican Party’s reclaiming of the Senate and likely keeping its House majority—there were also several local election results that will change the face of local politics. Preliminary results  posted Thursday by the...

Thousands of people lined up in elections offices, at drop boxes offices and polling stations throughout Santa Cruz County to cast their ballots in the 2024 Presidential Election. Stay tuned to The Pajaronian for updated vote results starting around 8pm.

A Watsonville woman was taken into custody on Nov. 1 just past noon on suspicion of stabbing a man multiple times. Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said  officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the 100 block of 2nd Street shortly before 12:30pm, where they...

The County of Santa Cruz has begun installing surveillance cameras at key locations in unincorporated areas of the County to help prevent illegal dumping, a strategy to protect the environment and help keep Santa Cruz County clean. Illegal dumping costs local taxpayers nearly half a...