News

CAPITOLA—Pier 1 Imports announced Tuesday that it will close all 540 of its stores nationwide, sell its inventory and liquidate its assets. The sales will begin at the Capitola store as soon as the Santa Cruz County Health Department allows it to open. The company’s website...

WATSONVILLE—The first phase of the Watsonville Slough Connector Trail Project at Ramsay Park kicked off Monday, with construction expected to run through the end of November. Granite Construction has teamed up with the city to complete the project, which will establish and enhance trails through...

APTOS—The family of the 17-year-old boy who was stabbed to death on the Aptos High School campus in August has filed a claim against Pajaro Valley Unified School District, alleging that the district was negligent in ending the School Resource Officer (SRO) program, and...

About one year ago, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees approved a plan to create “21st century learning spaces” throughout the district, where students could create projects by weaving their lessons with technology and by working closely with their peers.

WATSONVILLE—It was 37 years ago that Larry Chin became a reserve firefighter with Watsonville Fire Department, inspired by television shows such as “Emergency!” and the glamor of the profession. He joined the department eight years later. On Wednesday morning, he signed off from his final...

WATSONVILLE—To say Watsonville City Councilman Francisco “Paco” Estrada had mixed feelings about the emergence of the four Covid-19 ‘clusters’ in Watsonville would be an understatement. The spike in cases was traced back to four separate family gatherings during Mother’s Day weekend, including one in which...

Tarmo Hannula It’s the last day of January 2020. • I noticed a paint crew has started a major paint job on the historic home on the corner of East Beach and Lincoln streets. That’s the towering white place with tall majestic columns, almost identical to the...

APTOS—On Nov. 14, the Cabrillo College Governing Board will meet to answer a question that has been vexing Santa Cruz County for two years: should the name of its community college be changed? The effort to possibly change Cabrillo College’s name began in 2020, as...

SANTA CRUZ—Far West Fungi mushroom farm of Moss Landing is branching out. They recently opened their first-ever store in downtown Santa Cruz.  In the works for the past two years, the new spot will feature about 16 varieties of fresh mushrooms, dozens of dried mushrooms,...

Regeneración-Pajaro Valley Climate Action on March 25 was awarded a $25,000 grant for finishing runner-up in the American Climate Leadership Awards. Nonprofit Executive Director Nancy Faulstich and a group of delegates were set to travel to Washington D.C. for the awards ceremony but instead attended...