News

New public self-cleaning restrooms—featuring two stalls—opened last week in the Watsonville City Plaza. The overall cost of the project was $450,000.

Last March, film director Melissa Elizondo was about to board a plane from Mexico bound for the Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) when she got a call from Executive Director Consuelo Alba. The festival had been canceled due to the pandemic, and international travel was...

An Aptos man was arrested on March 21 for several sex crimes involving minors. Kevin Hurley, 67, was charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a child and dissuading a victim or witness, among other charges. He faces a life sentence if convicted. Hurley was not in...

Spirits were high throughout the sprawling YMCA building on Sudden Street Tuesday evening as a lively crowd prepared for their annual fundraiser kickoff.

Valencia Elementary School was closed Friday after numerous students were sickened by what is likely norovirus. The school will reopen Tuesday. Pajaro Valley Unified School District notified parents in an email on Nov. 7. “The purpose of the school closure is to stop the additional...

Four decades ago, Janet Johns came to Watsonville as a new teacher, hoping to start a dance company with her former roommate from San Jose State, Frances Urbina.  It wasn’t long before Johns’ fellow teachers in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District expressed interest in...

Pajaro Valley Unified School District Chief Business Officer Jenny Im has submitted her resignation letter to the district, Superintendent Heather Contreras confirmed Saturday. Im’s resignation comes after several contentious public meetings during which the board directly questioned the district’s financial management. Reached by text, Im declined...