Watsonville Hospital begins bankruptcy procedures
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Community Hospital (WCH) has begun Chapter 11 bankruptcy procedures, which officials say will provide the funding necessary to continue operating as the case commences and a local group prepares to purchase it.
The case was filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern...
Judge: Watsonville must pay airport business’ legal costs
WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville must pay attorney fees and court costs to a business at Watsonville Municipal Airport after losing in a civil case earlier this year, a Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge ruled Monday.
In the Dec. 6 ruling, Judge Timothy Volkmann ordered...
New roundabout at Hwy 129-Lakeview Road opens
WATSONVILLE—The newly constructed roundabout at the intersection of Highway 129 (Riverside Road) and Lakeview Road opened on Dec. 3 to through traffic.
Final roadway striping and a variety of construction details will be completed over the next few weeks, but the roadway and roundabout are...
Artist’s ‘gift to the community’ resumes after month-long dispute
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville artist Augie WK for two years has dreamt of bringing a humpback whale to life at the Marinovich Community Center.
It was 2019 when the upstart muralist was approached by Watsonville Environmental Science Workshop coordinator Darren Gertler and asked if he’d be interested in...
Vintage houseware store opens downtown
WATSONVILLE—The historic Derpich Building in downtown Watsonville is coming alive once again after being acquired by two sisters with a big vision.
Jennifer Santillana and Tabitha Stroup found the property for rent when strolling down Main Street. Stroup, owner of Friend in Cheeses Jam Co....
Watsonville police arrest three over 10 days for child sex crimes
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police arrested three people over a 10-day period on suspicion of committing sex crimes against children.
Daniel Alanis, 39, was arrested Dec. 2 in Salinas and charged with committing lewd and lascivious acts against a child under 14. He was booked into Santa Cruz...
CalFresh’s community impacts
While food banks act as the safety net against hunger, CalFresh (formerly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) is the first line of defense. CalFresh’s goal is to improve the health and well-being of people who qualify for the program in every community. It...
Restaurant owner, airport management in dispute over transition plan
WATSONVILLE—Ella’s at the Airport opened at Watsonville Municipal Airport in 2015, and since then has garnered a large following of customers.
Owner Ella King, who at the time also owned the popular Cafe Ella, took the building—closed for one year after the previous restaurant was...
Redistricting committee advances two maps to final public meeting
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Community Redistricting Advisory Committee at its penultimate meeting on Tuesday advanced two proposed redistricting plans to its final meeting later this month.
Both would keep the current seven districts mostly intact, a key goal of the committee because of a possible undercount in...
Watsonville historian Lou Arbanas dies
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville native Lou Arbanas was considered by many to be a living encyclopedia for his knowledge of the history of the Pajaro Valley. A longtime fixture at the Pajaro Valley Historical Association, Arbanas died Nov. 14 after a brief illness. He was 78.
“He was...
A show of support for the immigrant community
A multitude of elected officials, workers and law enforcement officials from Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties gathered at the Government Center in...
