News

WATSONVILLE—A plethora of teachers addressed Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s Board of Trustees Wednesday night, asking for pay increases they say would help them live in Santa Cruz County and help the district retain its educators. District officials, meanwhile, say there is not enough in...

Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez has been named as the new City Manager for the City of Salinas, just two years after starting his position. The Salinas City Council on March 19 approved his contract. He will begin on May 28 and receive a base salary...

WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville recently agreed to settle a lawsuit over the 2018 death of a Watsonville man. Robert Castillo, 44, died after being struck by multiple cars on Highway 1 hours after he was detained on Nov. 23, 2018 by a Watsonville Police Department...

With a theme of “Hometown USA,” the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture held its 61st annual Awards Dinner and Auction on Saturday at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. This year’s honorees were Woman of the Year Trina Coffman-Gomez, Man of the Year...

Patricia Gospodnetich Solano, a lifelong Watsonville resident who raised five children and variously worked as a teacher, a telephone operator and a legal secretary, died Monday after an illness. She was 78.

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz Police Department is investigating after a man was stabbed to death early Sunday morning in Santa Cruz, police spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke said. Officers were dispatched to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon in the area of Depot Park...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday amended the county’s rules governing accessory dwelling units (ADU), which county officials say were created to streamline the process for building them.  Under the new rules, old ADUs can be demolished and rebuilt as...

In recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the 20th annual Jacob’s Heart Kidrageous Golden Carnival returns Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. at the Watsonville City Plaza.

Located on a busy thoroughfare between Aptos and Watsonville, Bamboo Giant Nursery and Gardens (BGNG) could easily be driven past without a second glance.  But the nursery, tucked into the side of a hill in a rural, forested section of Freedom Boulevard, is actually one...

APTOS—Local artist and Pajaro Valley Arts exhibit coordinator Hedwig Heerschop recently raised $1,000 during the Open Studios Art Tour for children in Ukraine. Heerschop, a fine art photographer and printmaker, raffled off one of her photograph etchings, depicting a blue and yellow sunflower. She sold...