News

WATSONVILLE—The application process for the City of Watsonville’s small business emergency grants opened today. With help from El Pajaro Community Development Corporation, the city will offer roughly 50 grants of up to $2,000 to small businesses located within city limits with $2 million or less...

WATSONVILLE—Graduation for Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s 1,179 seniors this year will look drastically different than it has at any time in its history. That is because the school closures imposed April 1 by state education officials have required students to learn from home for...

Four F-15C Eagle fighter jets blasted across the skies of Watsonville, Santa Cruz and around the state Wednesday as part of a flyover tribute to health care workers, first responders and others on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The California Air National...

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday sweeping new changes to relax Covid-19 health standards that could have a dramatic impact on speeding up a gradual reopening of businesses, services, social behavior and even some major league sports—minus the crowds. While some governors advise a "slow...

The United Way of Santa Cruz County is accepting applications from agencies that provide food and shelter services looking for financial assistance. The local United Way branch will have $340,041 to distribute to qualifying nonprofit, faith-based and local government agencies through its Emergency Food and...

WATSONVILLE—In November Uriel Mendoza of Watsonville will mark 21 years of being a bus driver for Santa Cruz METRO. When asked what he liked about his job, he plainly responded, “My job.”  His preferred bus route? “I like all of them,” he said. He said his customers are...

WATSONVILLE—For the first time in Pajaro Valley Unified School District history, the stadiums, athletic fields and auditoriums that traditionally fill with cheers, tears and the nostalgic strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” will stay silent this graduation season, all to be replaced by the electronic...

In Watsonville today my wife Sarah and I stopped in at Monterey Bay Caterers, 152 West Lake Ave. Owner Ken Schwan helped me preorder two take out dinners a few days ago—their beef Wellington and a chicken Cordon Bleu. Ken said you simply take...

WATSONVILLE—The California Department of Public Health approved Covid-19 County Variance Attestation forms for both Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, the counties announced Saturday morning.  The acceptance will allow the neighboring counties to advance further into Stage 2 of the state's so-called resilience roadmap. Restaurants can now...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Families across Santa Cruz County are invited to participate in Noon in the Park, a free, virtual program featuring community leaders singing, reading books and creating art. Each day is different.  Kate Pavao and Aaron Lazenby, who run the Live Like Coco Foundation, will...