News

WATSONVILLE—Dozens of families lined up at Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes Friday afternoon, waiting for a parcel of food aimed at getting them through the Thanksgiving holiday. This included a chicken or turkey, produce, bread and oil, among other things. The organization’s executive director Joann Godoy...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said Friday that all inmates at Santa Cruz County Jail have tested negative for Covid-19. The announcement follows news that several correctional officers who work at the jail tested positive for the novel coronavirus, an outbreak that has...

WATSONVILLE—In a mostly empty Jan. 19 meeting conducted over Zoom, the Watsonville City Council voted unanimously to join a collective of local government agencies to streamline the process of rebuilding and reenforcing the Pajaro River levee. The union, called the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency...

Watsonville City Attorney Alan Smith, who has held the position for 25 years, has announced his retirement and plans to work through December, City Manager Matt Huffaker confirmed Friday.

PAJARO—Last year, every eighth-grader in Monterey County was given the gift of a lifetime: A chance to see the Tony Award-winning musical “Hamilton: An American Musical” live in San Francisco. Thanks to a generous donation by the Dan and Lillian King Foundation, 9,000 kids from...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Over the past few weeks, monolith displays urging residents to get vaccinated against Covid-19 have popped up across Santa Cruz County. The installations were organized by Crush Covid, a local group of volunteers made up of retired women (many with backgrounds in health...

WATSONVILLE—Wherever he is touring in the world, Santana lead singer Andy Vargas makes sure to let everyone know about his hometown of Watsonville. “I’ve always been proud to be from Watsonville,” Vargas said.  “I tell people that they’ve probably ate our berries or drank our...

SANTA CRUZ—A man hoping a new set of California laws would ease his lengthy prison sentence will have to wait a while longer while his case is appealed. Vincent Marquez, now 65, was in court on Aug. 26 for his resentencing hearing. He is one...

WATSONVILLE—A new exhibit will soon open at Studio Judy G in Downtown Watsonville, featuring alumni and former instructors of the recently shuttered San Francisco Arts Institute. “Foment: An exhibition of artwork by San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) alumni and staff” opens next week, with an...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council approved wholesale changes to the City’s rules on accessory dwelling units (ADU) in hopes that those modifications will produce additional and safer housing options. Spurred by more than a half-dozen state laws approved over the past three years, the changes limit...