Success of Holiday Lights drive-thru launches others at Fairgrounds
WATSONVILLE—Following an enormously successful fundraiser for the Fairgrounds Foundation—the first-ever Holiday Lights drive-thru tour during November and December—more events are now being lined up with a similar footprint.
Next in line: The first-ever Drive-Thru Crab Feed, slated for March 6.
“Holiday Lights was a resounding success,”...
Change to single-use cup fee, hotel tax increase heads to voters in June
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved two items for the June ballot which, if approved by voters, will increase taxes on hotels and vacation rentals, and change the way fees on single-use disposable cups are used.
The supervisors also...
Stage in construction at Watsonville’s City Plaza
Work got underway Tuesday in Watsonville’s City Plaza to remove long-standing vegetation near the center gazebo to make way for a new stage.
Standoff underway with possible stabbing suspect
A man was stabbed at a car wash on Freedom Boulevard and Blanca Lane before 9 a.m. Monday morning in a failed carjacking attempt.
County Sets Steep Fines for Illegal Dumping
The Department of Community Development and Infrastructure will implement stiff penalties for illegal dumping violations on July 11.
Salinas romaine lettuce recalled
SALINAS—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health and regulatory officials in several states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157: H7 infections linked to romaine lettuce harvested from the Salinas Valley.
Thus far there...
Local sixth-grader heads to national Invention Convention
WATSONVILLE—A sixth-grader from Ceiba College Preparatory Academy in Watsonville will soon be heading across the country to participate in Invention Convention Worldwide’s national competition.
Maxx Davis, 12, was selected to be one of 550 students across the United States to display his invention at the...
Rainbow Conference brings LGBTQ+ youth, families together
Hundreds of LGBTQ+ students, their families, educators and allies from throughout the Central Coast will gather at Watsonville High School Sept. 26 for the Rainbow Conference, a day organizers say is designed to build community, share resources and celebrate young people.
For Katherine Figueroa, 15,...
PVUSD trustees extend school resource officer program
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on May 11 unanimously voted to continue a program at two high schools in which law enforcement officers are paired with mental health clinicians, and to bring the program to a third school.
The School Resource...
Adam Schiff visits Santa Cruz
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...
Driver pleads not guilty to killing bicyclist in Soquel crash
A Santa Cruz man pleaded not guilty Monday to felony vehicular manslaughter, impaired driving and suspended license charges for a recent fatal collision involving...






















