Local News

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Thousands took to the streets in Watsonville and Santa Cruz over the weekend in bold protest of the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died in Minneapolis May 25 when a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly...

Mitsuye Katsuyama (center) celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday at her Watsonville home. Dozens of family members from around the Bay Area drove by her home and stopped for a few minutes on the driveway to say "Happy Birthday," her son Virgil (right) said....

WATSONVILLE—A 53-unit affordable housing development planned for the heart of Freedom Boulevard received a $2 million loan thanks to Monterey Bay Economic Partnership and Housing Trust Silicon Valley, the agencies announced Thursday evening. The development will bring much-needed affordable housing for families earning 20-60% of...

WATSONVILLE—The California Department of Public Health approved Covid-19 County Variance Attestation forms for both Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, the counties announced Saturday morning.  The acceptance will allow the neighboring counties to advance further into Stage 2 of the state's so-called resilience roadmap. Restaurants can now...

Watsonville Police Chief David Honda on Friday released this video condemning the May 25 killing of George Floyd. In a video that has been viewed by millions of people around the world, Minneapolis, Minn. police officer Derek Chauvin was seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck...

In Watsonville today my wife Sarah and I stopped in at Monterey Bay Caterers, 152 West Lake Ave. Owner Ken Schwan helped me preorder two take out dinners a few days ago—their beef Wellington and a chicken Cordon Bleu. Ken said you simply take...

Workers with Nor-Cal Scaffolding on Friday morning finish up their work for the first phase of "Watsonville Brillante," a 1,200-square-foot section of a larger mosaic on the six-story garage abutting Watsonville's Civic Plaza. When complete, the mosaic, spearheaded by local artist Kathleen Crocetti, will...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors at Friday’s emergency meeting voted unanimously to approve a Stage 2 variance application under the state’s so-called Resilience Roadmap which would allow local restaurants and barbershops/hair salons to begin expanded services. If approved by the state, the...

Conchita Gonzalez, owner of Conchita's Ice Cream in Plaza Vigil, said she was glad to reopen recently. Gonzalez, who has been open at the same spot for 22 years, said she cried for a week straight when she first had to close. "Now that...

WATSONVILLE—For the first time in Pajaro Valley Unified School District history, the stadiums, athletic fields and auditoriums that traditionally fill with cheers, tears and the nostalgic strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” will stay silent this graduation season, all to be replaced by the electronic...