Save Our Shores kicks off Coastal Cleanup Month
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—For years Save Our Shores (SOS) has hosted Coastal Cleanup Day, where residents help clean beaches, parks, and other sites across Monterey Bay.
Due to Covid-19, the event—usually held the third weekend of September—will not take place in 2020. But that is not...
Update: Hours-long standoff ends on Kilburn Street
WATSONVILLE—A four-and-a-half-hour standoff between police and a man that was possibly armed with guns ended peacefully Tuesday afternoon on Kilburn Street.
According to Watsonville Police spokesperson Michelle Pulido, officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Kilburn Street for a report of a man yelling...
Watsonville High hires new leader
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High School’s new principal is Maria Clara Fernandez, who graduated from that school in 2001, Pajaro Valley Unified School District announced Tuesday.
Fernandez worked with Pajaro Valley students from 2000-11 in the After School program, in Migrant Education and as an elementary teacher. She...
Summer soccer program scores goal
The program has grown in popularity, and always has a waiting list of kids hoping to score a spot in one of two coveted weeklong sessions.
Man struck while crossing Airport Boulevard
An 89-year-old man was struck by a car and seriously injured early Thursday morning as he attempted to cross Airport Boulevard near Freedom Centre.
Cabrillo College instructor making a difference
APTOS—As businesses and services remain closed during the shelter-in-place order – and as Personal Protective Equipment becomes harder to find – a Cabrillo College instructor is staying on the job to make more.
Art Studio Instructor Payson McNett, who runs the college’s Digital Fabrication department...
Watsonville native Andy Vargas releases debut solo single
Santana lead vocalist and Watsonville native Andy Vargas struck world-wide fame over a decade ago when he became the lead singer for the iconic rock band, led by 12-time Grammy Award-winning artist Carlos Santana.
Event-based businesses struggle to stay afloat
WATSONVILLE—The Covid-19 pandemic has hit businesses hard, from the largest of companies to the smallest mom-and-pop shops. Rules continue to change as cases flatten and then spike, leaving business owners dealing with back-and-forth openings and closures.
But for those who made their living off of...
Historic SeaBreeze Tavern demolished
RIO DEL MAR—Nearly 11 months after a fire gutted the historic Seabreeze Tavern and severely weakened the structure, demolition of the building began Tuesday.
The work is being conducted by a private contractor, Santa Cruz County spokesperson Jason Hoppin said. It is not clear what...
Watsonville eateries gradually reopen for sit-down dining
Ever since the countywide shelter-in-place order was put into effect in mid-March, Watsonville restaurants, coffeeshops and other establishments have been navigating a new frontier. While many closed their doors, others jumped head-first into the world of take-out and delivery.
Now, as restrictions begin to loosen...
Proposition 50 starts strong, with 64% of the statewide vote
This story has been updated with new results and with a statement from the Santa Cruz County Republican party chair.
Statewide voting results Wednesday morning...























