Watsonville to weigh eviction moratorium amid COVID-19 outbreak
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council has called a special meeting to consider a temporary moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent by tenants impacted by COVID-19. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at the City Council Chambers in the Watsonville Civic Plaza.
The urgency...
Newsom issues statewide order as Santa Cruz County reports another COVID-19 case
CALIFORNIA—Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide “stay at home” order on Thursday evening, bringing California’s nearly 40 million residents in line with shelter-in-place orders recently issued by Santa Cruz and Monterey county officials.
The directive goes into effect this evening, Newsom said at a press...
Royal Oaks animal sanctuary reeling from floods
ROYAL OAKS—For seven years, Little Hill Sanctuary (LHS) in Royal Oaks has been rescuing animals from abuse, neglect and slaughter, while teaching the public about animal agriculture and plant-based living. The nonprofit shelter, nestled on a steep hill off of Maher Road, is home...
Supervisors approve pilot program for home commercial kitchens
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a two-year pilot program to allow people to operate small-scale commercial kitchen operations out of their homes.
The so-called Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) was modeled after similar programs in other jurisdictions, said Santa...
PVUSD Board will appoint Trustee to fill vacant seat
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday voted unanimously to appoint a member to fill the seat vacated when Maria Orozco joined the Watsonville City Council.
The Board could have also filled the Trustee Area 6 seat in a special election,...
Staff of Life closes for cleaning after employee contracts Covid-19
SANTA CRUZ—Staff of Life, a popular natural foods market in Santa Cruz for more than 50 years, announced Monday that an employee tested positive for Covid-19.
“We have made the decision to temporarily close after learning a member of our staff has been diagnosed with...
Time of honor: Santa Cruz County remembers 9/11
Watsonville Fire Battalion Chief Almita Schaefer tells students at Moreland Notre Dame School about the risks and rewards of being a firefighter Wednesday on the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Students and staff at the campus each year have welcomed law...
PHOTO: Fire consumes motorboat, motorcycle
Firefighters from Pajaro Valley Fire and Watsonville Fire douse a fire that engulfed a motorboat, a motorcycle, a tent and a wood fence Wednesday afternoon on the 100 block of Lita Lane.
Biden and senators reach broad infrastructure deal
WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of centrist senators reached a deal on Thursday for $1.2 trillion in investments to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure, a victory for the White House but only the first lurch in what promises to be an arduous attempt...
Community invited to National Night Out
The public is invited to National Night Out, a series of gatherings held in communities throughout Santa Cruz County on Aug. 5 from 3-7pm.
National...