Watsonville homicide victim was striving to ‘clean up’ life, mother says
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville man who was shot and killed Sunday afternoon in downtown was working to turn his life around, his mother said.
On Wednesday, at a large makeshift altar at the site of where her son died, Roxanne Ortiz said Adrian Ayala, 19, was one...
PVUSD ethnic studies contract won’t come back for revote
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will not revisit a decision made in September when it voted to not renew a contract with a company that provided training for educators to teach ethnic studies at the district’s three comprehensive high schools.
PVUSD’s...
Fired PVUSD chief: Board president used unofficial Zoom account for private meeting
Before Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board President Georgia Acosta called for a vote to oust Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez, she sent a non-district authorized Zoom link to her fellow board members for the closed-session meeting.
Local winery honors Watsonville legend “One-Eyed Charley”
If you’ve ever strolled through Pioneer Cemetery in Watsonville, you might have come across the final resting place of Charley Darkey Parkhurst, a stagecoach driver, farmer and rancher who has become a local legend since their death in 1879.
Born Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst, Charley was...
Central Coast water agencies grapple with storm impacts
PAJARO—Pajaro/Sunny Mesa Community Services District, the agency that provides water to the Pajaro area, has lifted a do-not-drink order that came in the wake of the March 11 flood.
The April 7 decision came nearly a month after the Pajaro River levee broke and released...
Empower Watsonville hosts annual leadership conference
WATSONVILLE—Empower Watsonville, a youth leadership group that aims to amplify young voices in local government, hosted its annual conference at the Gene Hoularis and Waldo Rodriguez Youth Center on Dec. 2.
Empower Watsonville is a health policy program of Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance...
Capitola Wharf closed after surf damage
The City of Capitola has temporarily closed its wharf after high winter surf damaged two supportive piles on New Year’s Day.
Engineers who inspected the damage—which occurred underneath the small boat hoist—installed a steel beam that spans the failed area on Saturday so the hoist...
Mariachis play on, their music unsilenced by the virus or the deaths
Facing the stone archway of St. Joseph’s Salesian Youth Retreat Center outside Los Angeles, the dark wooden coffin holding the body of Juan Jiménez was wheeled next to a band of masked mariachis. The group readied themselves to play, simultaneously lifting bows to violins,...
Watsonville leaders rally to protect ‘vulnerable’ population
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Mayor Rebecca Garcia had a request during a conference call with Santa Cruz County leaders: don’t forget our Spanish speaking population.
The longtime outspoken community activist now in charge of the county’s most densely populated city and largest Latino community pushed leaders to add...
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...
