District hinges raise on student attendance
WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Unified School District teachers are questioning a contract proposal by district officials that hinges a 1 percent salary increase on raising attendance rates to 97 percent.
Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers President Nelly Vaquera-Boggs called that requirement unrealistic.
“They are asking us to control...
City, district pass plan for street improvements
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday unanimously approved the Safe Routes to Schools plan, a 472-page document that outlines numerous potential pedestrian and traffic safety projects at 15 Watsonville schools.
Also known as the Complete Streets to School Planning Project,...
Hoops above | Photo gallery
Do you have a recent photo 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...
Sweet treats galore | Try This
Todd Guild
FOOD: Freedom Bakery
I had a sweet tooth one morning, so I thought I’d check out Freedom Bakery.
Tucked incongruously into a strip of industrially-zoned businesses, the place is not easy to find. But it’s worth checking out, if only to see what this unique...
Community center undergoing complete overhaul
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Senior Center is in the midst of an extensive, long-needed exterior facelift. New tables, chairs and other furniture now grace the community staple. A ramp compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act is in the works. And a new paint job and...
Main Street project moves forward despite Council’s concerns
WATSONVILLE—The proposed business park at 975 Main St. will move forward despite drawing the ire of the Watsonville City Council at Tuesday night’s meeting.
The Council via a 4-3 decision approved Santa Cruz Seaside Company’s appeal of the Planning Commission’s no vote from late last...
Pedestrian killed on Freedom Boulevard
WATSONVILLE — A man was killed in a traffic collision on Freedom Boulevard between Marin and Lincoln streets around 9 p.m. Tuesday during a suspected road race.
Jesus Picos DeLeon, 26, fled after the crash and later returned to the scene to turn himself in. He...
Police catch laser strike suspects
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Police Special Investigations Unit located a group of six neighborhood kids who admitted shining a powerful laser light at pilots several times over the past three weeks.
The kids, who ranged from 12-15, thought it would be “funny” to shine the laser at...
Paying tribute | About Town
Yesterday I stopped by the Aptos Village Center on my way to another appointment to see the first addition to the Celebration Brick Program that my colleague, Tarmo Hannula, wrote about last week, and to get another photo for when the article runs in...
Capitola traffic stop uncovers 2 loaded guns
CAPITOLA—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday arrested a man during a traffic stop in the area of 40th Avenue and Clares Street after they found two loaded handguns, pills, more than two pounds of marijuana, a scale and other cannabis products in his...
Santa Cruz County celebrates with parades
Thousands of people attended Fourth of July parades in Watsonville and Aptos Friday, lining sidewalks aliog main streets to see hundreds of participants. Below...