News

Massive surf pummeled coastal regions of Santa Cruz County, leading to evacuations, road closures and damage Thursday.  High waves surged into Capitola Village, knocking over signs and benches, tearing open business fronts and cluttering the Esplanade with mountains of driftwood, sand and debris. Mary Ann Orr,...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials on Monday ordered all residents to stay home unless engaging in “essential activities, essential governmental functions, or to operate essential businesses.” In addition, all public and private outdoor gatherings are prohibited, as is all non-essential travel. Residents can still go...

WATSONVILLE—El Distrito Escolar Unificado del Valle de Pájaro (PVUSD, por sus siglas en Inglés) ha extendido su programa de desayuno y almuerzo gratis en bolsas durante el resto del semestre de otoño. Los jóvenes de hasta 18 años pueden recoger las comidas en 15 escuelas...

The Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board of Directors on Dec. 21 approved a three-year contract with its nurses, two weeks after the nurses’ union ratified it. The approval came after six months of bargaining. Nurses say the contract helps improve patient safety by increasing...

On Nov. 16, Pajaro Valley Unified School District, in partnership with Free Guitars 4 Kids (FG4K) and Arts Council Santa Cruz County’s Mariposa Arts program, celebrated with 120 students who received their own guitars. The event at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s The Grove Ballroom showcased...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High School’s site council recently voted to use Measure L funds to renovate its stadium’s deteriorating turf field and running track. But a start date is still to be determined after current student-athletes set to compete at the facilities starting next month raised...

Aromas Road has been shut down since 11:30am Friday when a huge eucalyptus tree crashed to the pavement. The tree crushed a parked Infinity sedan and damaged a parked Honda SUV. Power is out in the area, said resident Victor Kraft, whose Infinity was...

WATSONVILLE—Major work is underway at the Valley Public Cemetery to make way for hundreds of garden crypts. The move is part of the Pajaro Valley Public Cemetery District’s needed expansion to create more land for burials, said Bob Tanner, Pajaro Valley Public Cemetery District Board...

WATSONVILLE—A 44-year-old Prunedale man died Oct. 1 in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 129 (Riverside Road) at Old Chittenden Road. California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Courtney said a 30-year-old man from Firebaugh—a small town some 30 miles southeast of Los Banos—was driving a 2019 Dodge...

Nearly every year, a portion of Paulsen Road in Watsonville floods during winter rains, forcing officials to put up temporary barriers to stop motorists from getting stranded in the deep water. And yet numerous people do just that, ignoring the signs and getting trapped...