Watsonville’s Diamond Technology Institute wins top award
WATSONVILLE—Diamond Technology Institute (Diamond Tech) in Watsonville has been awarded a top award for its programming promoting college and career readiness.
The school is the recipient of a Gold Medal for its work with the Career Choices series curriculum and My10yearPlan.com. The school’s Career Choices...
Kitayama Brothers adapts as flower market continues to shift
This year Kitayama Brothers, a cut flower grower based in Watsonville, is celebrating its 73rd year in business.
Not long after World War II, brothers Tom and Ray Kitayama landed in San Francisco’s east bay and began working for Yoshimi Shibata and Dan Shinoda, two...
Overheated real estate market begins to cool
The pandemic created a frenzied real estate market in much of the United States that has yet to let up, with demand for housing still outpacing the number of homes coming on the market, giving sellers a heavy upper hand in most of the...
Vaccine clinics open to local students | News Briefs
The Santa Cruz County Office of Education has partnered with the Santa Cruz Public Health Department to host several student Covid-19 vaccination clinics for local students.
The clinics got underway Monday at Sequoia High School in Watsonville and Branciforte Middle School in Santa Cruz. Two...
Two reportedly stolen vehicles recovered in an hour
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police recovered two stolen vehicles inside of an hour Thursday.
Watsonville Police Service Specialist Marilyn Lopez noticed the first vehicle, a 2000 Honda CRV, on Hill Avenue at Tuttle Street at 12:10pm. Lopez said she had spotted the green SUV parked in the same...
Santa Cruz County health officer says mask order won’t change behavior
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Saying that she has not yet seen reliable data that a countywide masking mandate would alter personal behavior or lower Covid-19 cases, Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said she does not plan to issue a new order any time...
Watsonville’s policing committee releases report, readies recommendations
WATSONVILLE—After more than 30 meetings over the past eight months, the Watsonville Ad Hoc Committee on Policing and Social Equity on Aug. 4 released its final report to the public before its final meeting on Aug. 21.
For Watsonville City Councilman Francisco “Paco” Estrada a...
‘It’s emotional’: Youth N.O.W. closing on Aug. 31
WATSONVILLE—A line of students from a variety of Watsonville schools on Wednesday filed through the Youth N.O.W. facility loading their backpacks with school supplies—from paper, tape and paints, to notebooks, pens and glue.
“It’s emotional. It’s emotional for my staff, it’s emotional for me …...
Mural ushers in new Silver Circle room at Watsonville Hospital
WATSONVILLE—A group of four local artists is creating a mural inside the Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley’s (CHT) building at Watsonville Hospital (WCH), where the volunteer-led Silver Circle senior program has found a new home.
Kati D’Amore, Joyce Oroz, Linda Bjornson and Joanne Andrews...
Freedom VFW post facing closure
WATSONVILLE—Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1716, which has served the local community of veterans since its inception in 1929, is facing closure after members failed to elect officers at a meeting in July.
Member Paul Szemenciak says that, out of 116 members, just eight showed...
Photo story: Minor injuries in rollover crash
A Watsonville man suffered minor injuries Monday when he lost control of his Toyota Tundra pickup and rolled upside down on a hillside on...