News

WATSONVILLE—Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health Services showed off its new South County facility Friday, a building that has allowed the agency to more than double its space and bring an expanded offering of mental health services to the Watsonville area. The building at 1430 Freedom...

The federal government is preparing to open two new industry-specific small-business relief programs, one of them months in the works, as its signature pandemic aid effort, the Paycheck Protection Program, nears its end. The Small Business Administration said it hopes to start taking applications by...

After a two-year hiatus, the Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July Parade will finally be returning to the Pajaro Valley. Parade goers can expect all the usual favorites, from the mayor riding in a vintage convertible, new and antique fire engines, nonprofit and community groups,...

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved “Watsonville Brillante,” an ambitious project that will cover the entire exterior of the Civic Plaza parking garage with mosaic over a period of five years.

As summer wanes and the school year approaches, hundreds of families gathered in Watsonville Plaza Saturday to receive free new backpacks filled with school supplies. In hosting its annual backpack giveaway, the Salvation Army Watsonville Corps joined with the Red Cross, Community Action Board of...

A group of homeless advocates plan to sue the City of Santa Cruz after a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit stemming from the May 3 closure of the Ross Camp.

As people continue to follow federal, state and local shelter-in-place regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic, many have started looking for safe recreation in the great outdoors. In early June, Gov. Gavin Newsom released updated guidelines that allowed certain outdoor recreational facilities to reopen. This included...

Whether it is due to shifting climates, labor challenges, rising material costs or simply new trends, the landscape industry is evolving.  However, one thing that has not changed is high demand.  “The demand for landscaping continues to climb with no real signs of slowing down,” said...

WATSONVILLE—For years the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau (SCCFB) and the Agri-Culture organization have hosted the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon. However, due to the current COVID- 19 pandemic, the March 18 event was postponed, and its future remains uncertain. Despite this, the two groups...

UPDATE (Aug. 21, 6:33am) Firefighters and law enforcement officers were pulled away for three separate rescue incidents to save residents who were trying to protect their homes from the CZU August Lightning Complex fires, which have now charred 50,000 acres, or roughly 78 square miles,...