Local News

In the late 1800s, Claus Spreckels ran a mill that processed locally grown sugar beets, a thriving industry that is generally credited with seeing Santa Cruz County through troubled economic times. But when Spreckels tried to underpay the Japanese community—cutting their wages in half—they walked,...

A grassroots movement of citizens concerned about the construction of a new battery storage facility in Watsonville held a public meeting on Monday evening to discuss the dangers of such a project and rally local residents by passing around petitions and encouraging citizens to...

Updated Wednesday at 2pm with additional photos and information A freight train owned by Union Pacific pulling seven cars collided with an agricultural water tank truck east of Pajaro around 3:15pm Tuesday. According to North Monterey County Fire Div. Chief Rick Parker, the male driver of...

This story has been updated with quotes from PVUSD Board Vice President Misty Navarro, and a response from Trustee Gabe Medina. The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday will consider a proposal to censure Trustee Gabe Medina. When a body of elected...

Thousands of people took a message to the streets of downtown Watsonville Saturday that they are not happy with President Trump and Elon Musk as part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” protests. On just the 76th day of Trump’s presidency, more 1,000 such protests took...

Every year, the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture selects the people, organizations and events that help shape the vibrant community that is Watsonville.  All of the awardees will be honored at an awards ceremony in July. Stay tuned to the Pajaronian for the...

ON TRACK The Watsonville Union High track team hits the field for a competition on March 13, 1955. (Sam Vestal/Pajaronian archives)

A March 14 executive order by President Donald Trump targeting federal funding for libraries and museums—among other things—will leave no community untouched. But the impact will vary throughout the state. Both the Santa Cruz County Public Library and the Watsonville Public Library systems receive millions...

Before the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, roughly 18% of Santa Cruz County residents lacked health insurance. After it was signed into law, that number dropped to 6%. But as the Trump administration continues to make cuts at the federal level to myriad social...

Forty five years of performances, instruction and celebration of Mexican folkloric dance culture was splashed across the Crocker Theater stage at Cabrillo College in three electrifying performances by Watsonville’s Esperanza del Valle on April 4, 5 and 6 in Aptos. The nearly three-hour program, “Espirítu...