Local News

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday placed the updated half-cent public safety sales tax on the March 3 ballot. The vote was as contentious as the hour-and-a-half discussion. The decision passed 4-3, with Mayor pro-tem Rebecca Garcia and councilmembers Trina Coffman-Gomez and Ari Parker dissenting. Those...

Although there was no Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July parade this year, Watsonville celebrated Independence Day with the Mayor's Bike Ride and a concert from the Watsonville Community Band in downtown Watsonville.

The Watsonville High School graduating class of 1953 will have its 68-year reunion on Aug. 19 at the Best Western Inn in Aptos, organizers announced. The theme is “One for the Road.” Organizers ask attendees to bring photos, memorabilia and stories. Local historian Mas Hashimoto...

The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County is honoring the achievements of 32 students with $308,450 in scholarships, funded by a number of local donors. Donors ranged from everyone from the Henry Cowell family to individual donors inspired by the ongoing Black Lives Matter...

SANTA CRUZ—A motorcade rolled through Santa Cruz County on June 4 as part of a 22,300-mile, cross country journey to honor 338 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2020. The Beyond the Call of Duty End of Watch Ride to...

WATSONVILLE—When the city of Watsonville initiated several cost-saving measures as the Covid-19 pandemic began to take hold in March 2020, the City Council froze four positions in the police department, and two in the fire department. None of these were filled positions, but the move...

The city of Watsonville is accepting applications for Social and Community Service Grants for fiscal year cycle 2021-23. The deadline to apply is May 17 by 5 pm. Applicants must fill out the Google form application found here: forms.gle/yfXvWrPDUY9YrwzT8 The city will have $266,000 to fund...

There are about 1,800 nonprofits in Santa Cruz County. These three organizations are sharply focused on teaching the community how to grow, cook and create a healthy diet and lifestyle. Together, they create the ‘three-legged stool’ of nutritional education for young people and adults. Food...

WATSONVILLE—Victor Kimura was just 6 months old when his family moved back to Freedom after being imprisoned in Arizona’s Poston Camp during World War II.  His mother and father, born in Watsonville and Petaluma, respectively, told him very little about the days prior to the...