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Watsonville
December 20, 2025

Watsonville’s Poet Laureate Bañales pens new book

Watsonville Poet Laureate, Victoria Bañales will read from her new book of poetry on Oct. 2 alongside four other local poets.  “The Sun Will Not Harm You by Day, Nor the Moon by Night,” is a 143-page softbound book of 54 poems by Bañales who...

Students cut ribbon on mosaic artwork

Four local high school students were brought into the spotlight Saturday for 14 mosaic artwork installations they created, which tnow adorn the exterior walls of Watsonville’s Muzzio Mosaic Arts Center. Lizbeth Martínez-Meza, Jason Garcia Menera and Janet Rocha-Fernandez from Watsonville High School and Vividiana Bonilla...

Changes coming to Capitola Mall include housing

For 15 years, city leaders have been looking for ways to re-envision the Capitola Mall, which like many of its shopping-center brethren across the U.S., has lost a measure of the luster it had a few decades ago, the neon-colored heyday of the 80s. And...

Federal education funding shift could mean $3M loss, upend two Cabrillo College programs

Two programs at Cabrillo College are at risk after the federal government announced major funding shifts away from schools that serve minority students. When U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on Sept. 10 announced that the Department of Education is ending discretionary funding to Hispanic-serving...

Man injured in Capitola stabbing

A man suffered at least one stab wound Thursday afternoon in Capitola. Capitola Police, aided by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies and the California Highway Patrol rushed to the 1800 block of 44th Avenue where they located the victim suffering from a stab wound to...

Murphy Crossing Road upgrade celebrated

A ribbon-cutting was held Thursday to celebrate the completion of an upgrade to the heavily worn out Murphy Crossing Road east of Watsonville. With close to 1,800 vehicles a day using the .63-mile stretch between San Juan and Riverside roads, the two-lane roadway was for...

‘People simply loved it:’ County fair wraps up

These women take part in the pair jumping competition in the horse arena.
The Santa Cruz County Fair wrapped up Sunday at the close of its five-day, 2025 season. “We had an excellent fair,” said Ron Haedicke, marketing director. “ It was a great run with no issues. Attendance was down 10 percent from last year, but we...

Community celebrates Mexican Independence Day

Thousands of people gathered in downtown Watsonville Sunday for the annual Mexican Independence Day Festival. Hosted by Fiestas Patrias, the free event featured a wealth of live bands, both local and from Mexico, folkloric dance groups, food booths, arts and crafts and information tables that...

Motorcyclist dies in Highway 17 crash

A San Jose man died in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 17 early Sunday morning. The California Highway Patrol said an unknown person was driving a gray 2012 Nissan 370Z at an undetermined speed northbound on Hwy. 17, north of Santa’s Village Road at 5:20am.  For...

PVUSD hires new public information officer

Pajaro Valley Unified School District has hired a new public information officer. Alejandro Chávez will serve as the intermediary between the public and media, and the district. According to a Facebook post, Chávez brings more than two decades of experience in public service, nonprofit management and...
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PVUSD Trustees to revisit teacher layoff vote

A little more than one week after voting to eliminate roughly 80 teacher positions, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will...

Mixing Bowl: Sweet Pralines

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