News

WATSONVILLE—Mary Hall was working the afternoon shift on Jan. 6 when Horchata strolled into the office. The cat was a frequent and beloved visitor of the residential facility in Watsonville, where there was always someone to give him food and love.  As Hall was combing...

SANTA CRUZ—On Thursday, April 22, O’Neill Sea Odyssey and its partners will celebrate the 51st anniversary of Earth Day with a free virtual event from 6-7pm.  The evening will begin with a presentation by Taylor Lane and Ben Judkins, founders of The Cigarette Surfboard. Lane...

For the past two years, the Palo Alto Humane Society (PAHS) has held a writing contest for seventh and eighth graders in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. And this year, the contest will expand to include students in Santa Cruz County as well.  The...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley is a thriving agricultural hub, surrounded by farms and fields growing food for people all over the world. But according to the Community Health Trust (CHT) of Pajaro Valley, certain areas of the region are still considered “food deserts,” where people have...

Total organic fresh produce sales for the first quarter of 2021 saw a continuation of last year’s growth, increasing by 9.3% from the same period in 2020 and topping $2.2 billion for the quarter, according to the Q1 2021 Organic Produce Performance Report released...

SACRAMENTO—A bill that would increase protections for California’s farmworkers during hazardous smoky conditions created by seasonal wildfires is making its way through the state legislature. Assembly Bill 73, also known as the Farmworker Wildfire Smoke Protections Act, recently passed the Assembly Committee on Labor and...

PRUNEDALE—A 32-year-old Gilroy woman died in a solo-vehicle crash early Monday in Prunedale. California Highway Patrol officer Jessica Medueño said the woman was driving a 2007 Mazda 3 sedan westbound on Highway 156 at Cathedral Oak Road near Castroville around 6:30am. For unknown reasons she lost...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The former Minneapolis police officer who was seen in a video killing a Black man by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes was convicted Tuesday on counts of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Derek Chauvin faces at least 12...

SACRAMENTO—Earlier this month, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley), Representatives Billy Long (R-MO), Mike Levin (D-CA), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced bipartisan legislation aiming to help preserve agricultural fairs across the country and offset the devastating financial losses they have experienced due to Covid-19. The Agricultural...

Since 2009, Blume Industries (BI) and Whiskey Hill Farms (WHF) have jointly operated a research and development incubator in Watsonville, aiming to find regenerative solutions for food, fuel and waste management. And now they will have the opportunity to expand their reach, sharing what they...