Local News

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday approved a $303,116 contract with Verde Design, Inc. to complete the Watsonville Slough Connector Trail Project at Ramsay Park.  The project seeks to enhance underused space at the city’s largest urban park by adding and improving trails, planting several...

WATSONVILLE—After 33 years behind the wheel of the Toys For Tots program in the Pajaro Valley, coordinator and co-founder of the Santa Cruz County chapter, Delilah Valadez, handed out her final batch of toys on Dec. 4. Although Toys For Tots will continue, Valadez says...

WATSONVILLE—The race for the District 7 seat on the Watsonville City Council has been the tightest contest in all of Santa Cruz County this general election. Current District 7 representative Ari Parker and former Watsonville mayor Nancy Bilicich are separated by a mere 10 votes,...

Two of the four people who have so far signaled their intentions to replace outgoing Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend for the District 2 seat are veteran policymakers with years of experience in the public sector. Kim De Serpa, who has served on the...

WATSONVILLE—Freedom Bakery owner Anna Liu said her new line of cookies was inspired by her children. Seeing her 9-, 12- and 15-year-olds dealing with school being closed due to the countywide shelter-in-place order is difficult, she said, and made her want to do something for...

By Patricia Cohen, of The New York Times New claims for unemployment fell last week, the government reported Thursday, the latest sign that the labor market’s recovery, however slow and unsteady, is continuing. “The numbers look encouraging on the face of it,” said Gregory Daco, chief...

WATSONVILLE—As the steeple bells of St. Patrick’s Cathedral struck 10 Monday morning, a group of former military members began a march from the church’s parking lot to the Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building, a tradition that heralds in the annual Veteran’s Day ceremony. Dozens of people...

Twin Lakes Church’s sixth annual World’s Biggest Garage Sale is set for Saturday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Author Barbara King was holding an event at Kelly’s Books for her novel “The California Immigrant” when inspiration for her next project, “The Apple King,” struck. A woman approached her and recommended that King read a book called “Blossoms Into Gold,” which follows the history...