Watsonville names new fire chief
The City of Watsonville has named longtime firefighter Corey Schaefer as its next fire chief following the retirement of Chief Rudy López.
Schaefer, a 27-year veteran of the Watsonville Fire Department, has served as acting fire chief since August and was selected after a recruitment...
Small businesses holding steady through pandemic, local fires
WATSONVILLE—First came the coronavirus in March and then the fires and smoke in August. While the CZU August Lightning Complex fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains is 100% contained, the Covid-19 pandemic continues.
What have the dual disasters meant for Watsonville’s local businesses? So far,...
Large affordable housing project receives county approval
WATSONVILLE—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the construction of an 80-unit affordable housing complex between Atkinson Lane and Brewington Avenue that could break ground early next year.
The project, a part of a multiphase development plan approved some two decades...
Nonprofits in ‘crisis response’ as federal shutdown continues
As the federal government shutdown enters its fourth week—and as money the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to dry up Nov. 1 unless deadlocked lawmakers reach an agreement—nonprofits across the U.S. are bracing themselves to help millions of people who could lose...
Arte Del Corazón, PV Arts hosting Holiday Boutique at Porter Building
WATSONVILLE—Two local arts organizations are hosting a four-day Holiday Boutique this week at the historic Porter Building in downtown Watsonville.
Arte Del Corazón (ADC), a group that has been staging open-air art shows, markets and events throughout Watsonville since 2019, is organizing the boutique with...
Students help spruce up Struve Slough
The organization responsible for keeping Watsonville’s wetlands healthy joined forces with city officials and a herd of volunteers Saturday to spruce up the Struve Slough trail.
Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WWW) Director Jonathan Pilch said the effort included planting 15 coast live oak trees and bringing...
GPS tracking chip leads to 25 stolen bikes
A man whose E-bike was stolen recently tracked it down to a Watsonvlle residence using a GPS device he had planted.
He called police to help him get the bike back, and when they entered they found a total of 25 stolen bikes.
Watsonville Police spokeswoman...
Letters to the Editor, March 27-April 2
Regarding benefit caps
The local teacher’s union, PVFT, has been loudly crying during negotiations with the school district, PVUSD, to not put a cap on...
