Mayor for the Day teams students with Watsonville’s top official
WATSONVILLE—While trying to recap the first half of their day with Watsonville Mayor Jimmy Dutra, high school students Jennifer Fernandez and Maurice Moreno both thought back to their stop at Watsonville Fire Department headquarters and a conversation they had with Fire Capt. Almita Schaefer.
Her...
Watsonville announces Independence Day celebrations
The city of Watsonville will celebrate the Fourth of July with the Spirit of Watsonville Neighborhood Parade, a Mayor’s Bike Ride and a Red, White and Blue Concert, organizers announced Tuesday.
In the Spirit of Watsonville Neighborhood Parade, residents and businesses between July 1-4 will...
Deputies investigate possible pipe bomb
SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Thursday responded to a call for an “individual in crisis,” and during a traffic stop on the 1200 block of Soquel Avenue discovered what appeared to be a pipe bomb in the person’s car, according to Sheriff’s...
Briefs: VFW Post 1716 honors students, teacher; Santa Tour upcoming
VFW Post 1716 honors students, teacher
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1716 in Freedom recently gave out scholarships and awards.
Every year, the post hands out scholarships and awards to a middle school student, a high school student and selects a teacher of the year.
This year’s...
Groundwork moves ahead for new warehouse
Work continues on the new massive beer and restaurant supply warehouse just off of Highway 1 (between Riverside Drive and Green Valley Road) on the Manabe-Ow property in Watsonville.
Approved by the Watsonville City Council in March, the 155,847-square-foot, two-story industrial warehouse is still in...
Report: Covid-19 had bigger impact on Black, Latinx communities
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Covid-19 pandemic has had a disparate impact on communities nationwide, with Latinx and Black communities experiencing greater impacts than white ones.
That is according to a report heard Tuesday by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.
The report, presented by Health Services...
PHOTO: Mosaic grows on downtown Watsonville parking garage
The latest addition to the exterior walls of the six-story Civic Plaza parking garage on Rodriguez Street has been completed. The new installation features 30 colorful panels depicting early immigrants to the Pajaro Valley, including Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Irish, African American and others. A...
Crews replace damaged Highway 1 guardrail
A crew from Caltrans replaces a guardrail Thursday morning on northbound Highway 1 near the South Green Valley Road exit.
Trump, Congress leaders reach deal to end shutdown
Yielding to mounting pressure and growing disruption, President Donald Trump and congressional leaders on Friday reached a short-term deal to reopen the government for three weeks while negotiations continue over the president's demands for money to build his long-promised wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.
City Council approves two new low-income housing developments
The Watsonville City Council on Oct. 22 unanimously approved two new low-income housing developments that will add 18 units to the city and give some families a chance at home ownership.
The developments at 36 Airport Road and Evan Court—both properties are near each other...
Letters to the Editor, April 24-30
Keeping our eye on the Clock
My father, an Air Force fighter pilot, and our family, were stationed in Yokohama Japan in 1947 as part...





















