Local News

During his eight-month campaign to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Adam Schiff has picked up key endorsements from dozens of local, state and federal lawmakers. This includes House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.  But while such strong early support is perhaps a signal of...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Deep cleaning is now routine at Santa Cruz METRO to not only keep their fleet on the road, but to assure riders that busses are squeaky clean. Every day since early March, before the first person in Santa Cruz County was diagnosed with...

Around 150 people gathered June 28 at Pinto Lake City Park to learn of the next steps on a proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Watsonville from Executive Director of the California Energy Commission, Drew Bohan. The public meeting, hosted by Stop Lithium BESS...

Work is underway to complete the 10th and final phase of the five-year Watsonville Brillante mosaic downtown art project that is splashed across the otherwise dull concrete walls of the six-floor parking garage on Rodriguez Street.  A ribbon-cutting street party is now set for Oct....

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Planning Commission at its Tuesday meeting rejected a gas station’s application for a beer and wine alcohol license and also recommended the City Council deny a permit for a proposed large propane storage facility. An Arco AM/PM convenience store currently being constructed adjacent...

Every day, roughly 100,000 vehicles travel along Highway 1 through Santa Cruz County, a staggering number that is evidenced by daily rush-hour backups that can last for hours. That’s to say nothing of the often packed surface roads. That contributes to air pollution and global warming,...

John Kegebein demonstrates an early day, hand-pump vacuum at the Agricultural History Project's table during the annual Business Expo at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Thursday. “The businesses and people of the Pajaro Valley came together at the Expo to show what a fabulous...

A man was shot outside the Motel 6 on Silver Leaf Drive and South Green Valley Road early Monday.

Three Pajaro Valley Unified School District students on Wednesday became the first in Santa Cruz County to earn the California State Seal of Civic Engagement. The award, approved by the California State Legislature in 2020, goes to young people whose community involvement and knowledge of...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) on Thursday took a significant step in plans to create a passenger rail system from Santa Cruz to Pajaro, which advocates are billing as a major milestone in a years-long effort. The approval of the...