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Watsonville
October 16, 2026

Dolly Parton’s Legacy Lives On: 20,000 Books to Santa Cruz County Children

When we learned that Dolly Parton had passed away on Aug. 25, so many of us in Santa Cruz County felt the loss personally, not just as fans of her music, but as a community lucky enough to carry a piece of her legacy...

Olympian finds home at Jim Booth Swim School

At Jim Booth Swim School, kids as young as 4 months spend time in the water, building the skills to become strong swimmers under the guidance of certified instructors. Three-time Olympian swimmer Nicolas Nilo Oliveira didn’t get that opportunity. Oliveira grew up in Belo Horizonte, Brazil,...

Watsonville Hospital facing closure as staff urges financial improvements

Watsonville Community Hospital may close in the next six to 12 months if it does not improve its financial situation.  That was the message from hospital CEO Tim Moran at Tuesday’s Pajaro Valley Health Care District special meeting.  According to CFO Julie Peterson, the hospital lost...

Watsonville City Council limits Flock cameras

After months of public debate, the Watsonville City Council has decided to deactivate and remove 17 Flock cameras, reducing the number of cameras in Watsonville from 37 to 20. Additionally, data will only be stored for seven days as opposed to the previous 30...

Community responds to latest Moss Landing fire

A fire on Sept. 18 burned through part of the battery energy storage facility that was significantly damaged during the January 2025 Vistra battery fire.  Monterey County officials announced the fire was no longer an active threat around noon later that day, though shelter-in-place notices...

County officials outline voting options ahead of election

Santa Cruz County election officials have a message for voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election: Consider voting naked. The advice, County Clerk Tricia Webber explained Tuesday, refers not to the voter but to the ballot. A “naked ballot” is a vote-by-mail ballot that a voter...

County Fair sees 11% growth in attendance numbers

county fair at night
More than 55,000 people attended the Santa Cruz County Fair this year, an 11% jump from last year. The number includes paid attendance from the public as well as the fair’s long list of volunteers, said fair spokesman Ron Haedicke. “There were no major incidents and...

Battery fire no longer a threat, officials say

Monterey County officials said at noon Friday that the latest fire at the Vistra battery energy storage facility in Moss Landing was no longer an active threat to the surrounding community. Officials said there was no active fire and no indication that hazardous materials from...

Fire breaks out at Moss Landing battery plant

This story was updated at 11am with a statement from North Monterey County Unified School District. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued a shelter-in-place order for the area within one-third of a mile of 7301 Highway 1 due to a fire at the battery...

El Niño winter could bring heavy rain and flooding

watsonville flooding
Meteorologists are predicting a wet El Niño winter this year, with above-normal ocean temperatures potentially bringing heavy rain and flooding. “We are in a very strong El Niño index right now where we are seeing above-normal temperatures along the coast,” said National Weather Service meteorologist...
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Saldana’s record-setting performance lifts ‘Catz flag football over PCS | Weeklys...

The Watsonville High girls flag football team extended their win streak to four following a crushing 40-0 victory over Pacific Collegiate School in Pacific...