Photo: Ag fields underwater
Flooded agriculture fields reflect stormy skies and hoop house frames on a farm off of Riverside Drive in Watsonville. Evacuation orders for neighborhoods along the creeks and Pajaro River were downgraded to warnings this morning, but officials are asking the public to stay alert...
New evacuation orders issued in Watsonville
WATSONVILLE, CA- Evacuation orders have been issued for Watsonville neighborhoods with a high risk of flooding during this recent storm.
Residents are asked to evacuate immediately if their residence is within the red area on this map. City officials are encouraging evacuations, and asserting that choosing...
PVUSD closes all schools in advance of storm
WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Unified School District has closed all of its schools in advance of the storms expected to begin Sunday night, last through Tuesday and bring possible flooding throughout the District.
PVUSD Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez made the announcement Sunday afternoon.
District officials will assess the storm...
Rains expected Sunday-Tuesday bring new flood worries
PAJARO—A cadre of elected and public officials gathered in Pajaro late Sunday morning to issue a dire warning in advance of a rainstorm expected to begin Sunday night and bring possible major flooding to Monterey and Santa Cruz counties through Tuesday.
The messages, delivered in...
Tidal surge adds to damage as Santa Cruz County residents reel from storm
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Watsonville and Santa Cruz County officials on Thursday lifted the evacuation orders and flood warnings issued during the dual atmospheric river storms that came on Dec. 30 and Jan. 4, allowing residents to return home and breathe a sigh of relief that...
Watsonville native takes reins as mayor of Northern California’s largest city
SAN JOSE—Watsonville native Matt Mahan has been sworn in as mayor of Northern California’s largest city.
The Harvard-educated 40-year-old businessman turned politician grew up on the outskirts of Watsonville in the 1980s and ’90s, just off Amesti Road near Pinto Lake. His mother taught at...
Girl Scout aims for Gold Award with art project at Mintie White
WATSONVILLE—Caitlin Bayaca is on track to earn the highest award of the Girl Scouts organization.
The Gold Award is designed for high school-age scouts and ambassadors, who create, propose and lead a major community service project.
Bayaca, a senior at Aptos High School and part of...
Watsonville welcomes first baby of 2023
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville’s first baby of the year made his appearance at 4:09am, a five-and-a-half pound boy who makes the third child for Beneslao Lucas and Irma Lopez.
Josue Lucas made a surprise appearance at 36 weeks, but was healthy and lively on Monday morning at Watsonville...
$6 million loan will let Watsonville build new landfill
WATSONVILLE—A $6 million loan from the State of California will allow Watsonville to build a new landfill, a move that will save money and give the City a place to haul its waste for as long as three decades.
The loan from the California Infrastructure...
New mandatory evacuation orders issued
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday afternoon issued new mandatory evacuation orders, including parts of South County, as well as several neighborhoods up Soquel-San Jose Road and Main Street required to leave.
In Watsonville, the orders include Freedom Boulevard north of...
Students learn the power of the vote at Civics Summit
On Friday, about 150 high school juniors from across Santa Cruz County cast their first ballots on three issues that, if passed, would dramatically...
