Local News

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to expand the county’s Focused Intervention Team (FIT), which pairs law enforcement officials with behavioral health specialists and other supportive services to address high-frequency criminal offenders. The program launched on Jan....

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Office of Education on Thursday evening announced that all schools in the county will be closed from March 16-20. The announcement was emailed to parents throughout the county one day after a case was confirmed in a person with...

The City of Watsonville on Thursday cancelled several local gatherings because of growing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. Those cancellations included its Friday farmers market and its annual Earth Day event, scheduled this year for April 26.  Watsonville City Manager Matt Huffaker said...

WATSONVILLE—For years, Pajaro Valley Little League (PVLL) has used the field at E.A. Hall Middle School for its practices and games, providing an essential space for a sport that typically takes a backseat to soccer in South County. Playing fields for baseball are few and...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Since COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in late December, healthcare professionals, elected leaders and everyday citizens around the world have been looking for answers and trying to unsnarl the constantly-changing situation. There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries,...

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"Try This" is a weekly column that celebrates local businesses — especially eateries, watering holes, coffee shops and the like. • Todd Guild Miyuki Restaurant I went to Miyuki Restaurant in Watsonville for my son’s 9th birthday. This elegant and unpretentious eatery is a mainstay for us when...

Mountain biking has become one of Santa Cruz County’s most popular sports, and this year the Museum of Art and History (MAH) is paying tribute to its legacy—and looking to its future.  “Trailblazers: The Creative Story Behind Mountain Biking in Santa Cruz County” opened Feb....

They’ve painted over 1,000 houses in Watsonville. Now the Hernandez father and sons company are on a roll, tackling a massive paint job for one of the most prominent historical homes in Watsonville, the 1901 Porter-Pista home on the corner of East Beach and...

APTOS—Pajaro Valley Unified School District announced Wednesday it is closing Rio Del Mar Elementary School for two days after a person there tested positive for coronavirus. District officials are not saying what the person’s relationship to the school is. They were last at the school...