News

WATSONVILLE—Caroline’s Nonprofit Thrift Shop donated $500,000 to local community-serving organizations on Sunday in a ceremony at Martinelli’s Company Store on Harvest Drive. Some 130 people flocked to Watsonville for the annual giveaway, which Caroline’s founder and director Christy Licker calls the organization’s “best day of...

The Watsonville High School graduating class of 1982 is holding its 40th reunion on July 9 at the Pajaro Dunes in Watsonville. Classmates interested in attending can Venmo their reservation to the class treasurer Christy Siefke, @christy-siefke. It is $50 per person. For information, contact Gema...

The County of Santa Cruz has released a draft Active Transportation Plan for public review, which will be used to identify needed investments and improvements in the county’s walking and bicycling infrastructure.   People may review the plan at ecoact.org/poweredbyme, with comments due by March 25.   The...

WATSONVILLE—Stephen Gerald Bankhead was a longtime Watsonville resident who made learning about Pajaro Valley’s history—and relaying it to the community—his passion in the latter part of his life. Most recently, he wrote the Pajaro Valley Past column for The Pajaronian, taking it over from historian...

CENTRAL COAST—Dozens of volunteers counted 206 species of birds during the annual Christmas Bird Count, which despite its name took place on New Year's Day here in Monterey Bay and in locations throughout the U.S. The numbers will be fused in with the Audubon Society’s...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County (HRCSCC) has received a $100,000 grant, that will allow the nonprofit to expand its services. The grant comes from the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors and is administered by AIDS United in...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce has named Second Harvest Food Bank CEO Willy Elliott-McCrea as this year’s Lifetime Achievement awardee. Santa Cruz Director of Economic Development Bonnie Lipscomb has been named Person of the Year, while Bay Federal Credit Union, 1st Capital...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) returns March 11-20, with virtual and in-person events to celebrate its 10th anniversary.  Consuelo Alba, executive director of WFF, said it felt “unreal” to be reaching such a milestone. “We are incredibly happy to be celebrating 10 years because when we...

APTOS—Cabrillo Gallery will open its first in-person exhibition of 2022 on Monday, with a show exploring the ways in which human beings see and express their own identities.  “Who We Are: Portraying Identity” will feature 27 artworks, from paintings and photography to mixed media and...

APTOS—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies and Cabrillo College administrators are investigating “offensive racist graffiti” that was found scrawled on a newly-painted restroom wall near the college’s Carl Connelly Stadium, Cabrillo President Matt Wetstein said. The graffiti has since been painted over. Neither school officials nor the...