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Watsonville
March 29, 2026

Kittens rescued from landfill

A local nonprofit announced that it had saved 37 kittens across Santa Cruz County last week, including three that were found abandoned at the Buena Vista Landfill.

Historic Aptos building faces uncertain future after Sunday night fire

Aptos SeaBreeze fire
RIO DEL MAR—A fire that apparently started in a pile of rubble in an alleyway behind the SeaBreeze Tavern late Sunday night has destroyed the building, bringing to a close a story that began when it was built 92 years ago in what was...

Iconic Santa Cruz florist expands into East Lake Village

Ferrari Florist Brian Marilyn Piazza
WATSONVILLE—On Dec. 1, the East Lake Shopping Center in Watsonville welcomed its newest addition. Ferrari Florist, located at 928 East Lake Ave., is now the third store for the 74-year-old business in Santa Cruz County.  Five years ago, Brian and Marilyn Piazza noticed that a...

Dozens of renters still await help on eve of moratorium deadline

eviction protections
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—As the statewide eviction moratorium expires on June 30, many renters with past due bills as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic are still waiting for financial help which, unless they take action, might never come. Across Santa Cruz County, some 2,666 people...

Lightning sparks numerous blazes across Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A lightning storm that began at about 1am Sunday sparked 22 fires across Santa Cruz County, five of which have burned several hundred acres. No communities are currently threatened, and no warnings or evacuations have been given, said Cal Fire spokeswoman Cecile Juliette. The...

Grand Jury looks at Behavioral Health Division

The Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health Division (BHD) is underfunded and understaffed, which hinders its ability to provide services to low-income patients, young people and jail inmates with mental health needs. A lack of bilingual staff, furthermore, makes delivering mental health services to Latinos challenging. That’s...

Plane crashes near PV High, no injuries reported

Plane crash watsonville pajaro valley high
WATSONVILLE—A small plane crashed Sunday afternoon in a field near Pajaro Valley High School, hitting the top of a power pole and coming to rest in a field about 50 yards from the school. No serious injuries were reported. No buildings or facilities at the...

Evacuation center at Lakeview Middle School opens

lakeview middle school evacuation center
WATSONVILLE—An additional evacuation center for Santa Cruz County residents fleeing the CZU August Lightning Complex fires opened Friday night at Lakeview Middle School in Watsonville. The center is a partnership between the County of Santa Cruz, the City of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley Unified...

Year in Review: 4 stories that pierced Covid-19’s news blanket

Jaelyn Zavala Michael Escobar
It was a year dominated by news of the Covid-19 pandemic, since the news began to roll in on March 12. The crisis has hit businesses, schools, neighborhoods and people everywhere in the world. There are few vestiges of life that have not yet...

PHOTO: Volunteers offer a helping hand on College Road

college road cleanup
Volunteers help remove stacks of sandbags Saturday at the flood-stricken College Road neighborhood as part of a large-scale cleanup. The one-day event, which drew more than 100 people, was organized by Supervisor Felipe Hernandez and his Chief of Staff Ramon Gomez. Numerous members of...
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Letters to the Editor, March 27-April 2

Regarding benefit caps The local teacher’s union, PVFT, has been loudly crying during negotiations with the school district, PVUSD, to not put a cap on...