News

WATSONVILLE—A familiar face has stepped in as the new operator of Pinto Lake City Park. Jesus Madrigal, the president of the Watsonville Farmers Market, was recently named concessionaire for the city’s share of Pinto Lake. His company’s vision for the 78-acre park—70 of which are...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting unanimously approved a plan to purchase a parcel of land in Watsonville, with the hopes of one day converting it into a public park. The 38.5-acre parcel at 188 Whiting Road—located adjacent to...

The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Expo unfolded Saturday at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, showcasing science, art projects and demonstrations in three buildings for Santa Cruz County students, grades K-12. “One of the main goals of the Expo is to offer a place...

Pajaro Valley Healthcare District—the public agency tasked with running Watsonville Community Hospital—announced Wednesday that they plan to purchase the building and surrounding property, a major milestone in a years-long endeavor to return the facility to public ownership. The unanimous decision came during a closed-session discussion,...

In the eight years since the U.S. Supreme Court made same-sex marriage the law of the land, people across the globe have grown increasingly accepting of the LGBTQ community. Still, pockets of discrimination and bigotry remain. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, nearly 500...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Unified School District is facing a second lawsuit stemming from the stabbing death of a 17-year-old student on the campus of Aptos High School last August. The student, referred to in the claim as G.S., died after being attacked by two students, one...

Today marks the start of week two of the shelter-in-place order in Santa Cruz County—the order by health officials to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19. Here's a round-up of a few important issues: • There is a coronavirus phone hotline in...

WATSONVILLE—A father and son who have faced numerous marijuana-related charges in the past were arrested again on April 19 after a California Highway Patrol officer found nearly five pounds of marijuana in their vehicle. According to CHP officer Sam Courtney, Elias Ayala Gutierrez, 50, and...