News

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville native Lou Arbanas was considered by many to be a living encyclopedia for his knowledge of the history of the Pajaro Valley. A longtime fixture at the Pajaro Valley Historical Association, Arbanas died Nov. 14 after a brief illness. He was 78. “He was...

A new mural has been installed at Cabrillo College in Aptos. Thanks to the creative hand of Watsonville artist Yermo Aranda, 18 Cabrillo students and an art instructor, the 42-foot-long mural now lives on the walls in the campus cafeteria. The work is the result...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz Gives, an annual holiday fundraising campaign organized by Good Times (GT) and the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County (VSCC), is accepting donations through midnight Dec. 31. Choose from 40 local nonprofit organizations to donate to at santacruzgives.org. Each nonprofit has...

Fiestas Patrias will sponsor its annual community festival, Mexican Independence Day, on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WATSONVILLE—Chevrolet of Watsonville took a giant step up in the world of auto mechanics last week as one of their mechanics, Richard Shephard, was awarded a World Class Technician status award by officials from General Motors and Chevrolet. “There’s a lot of time, a lot...

Owner John Ponce said the old-fashioned diner known for its heaping portions and fresh veggies will close its doors for good Sunday at 3 p.m.

WATSONVILLE—When health officials on March 16 laid out new orders for all Santa Cruz County residents to stay at home as a precaution against the spread of the novel coronavirus, it was meant for everyone. For some Pajaro Valley seniors, the blanket 24/7 rule...

HIT & RUN Emergency workers deal with a three-vehicle crash early Monday on Riverside Drive in Watsonville. Initial reports revealed that a driver of a light-colored Toyota sedan barreled into the intersection of Riverside Drive at Marchant Street just before 5am. The Toyota slammed...

CENTRAL COAST—The first strong rain since May ventured into the Monterey Bay Tuesday afternoon and is expected to soak the Central Coast on and off over the next several days. Anna Schneider, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service of Monterey, said the moisture is...