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WATSONVILLE—The County of Santa Cruz had a soft opening for a new Covid-19 testing site at Ramsay Park Thursday.  The site will initially focus on frontline health care workers, first responders and employees working in essential services and roles, said county spokesman Jason Hoppin. A partnership...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—For many, Spring has always been the season to clear out unused and unneeded items from garages, attics and closets. And with people at home during shelter-in-place, Spring cleaning has increased exponentially. “People are cooped up with nothing to do,” said Alan C....

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Salvador Orozco’s days have been different since Santa Cruz County officials ordered residents to stay home and forced most businesses to shutter their doors to slow the spread of Covid-19. The owner of Foreverfly Skate and Apparel in downtown Watsonville has played the...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—When Calabasas Elementary School fourth-grader Rosinely Resendez isn’t doing schoolwork in her tiny house in Watsonville, or independently teaching herself algebra online through Khan Academy, she is helping her mother care for her three siblings, including a 2-month-old sister. Rosi, as her friends...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—When Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel revised her shelter-in-place order on May 1, she relaxed restrictions on summer programs such as daycare and day camp, allowing families to begin planning activities for their kids after months of restrictions. The announcement came...

WATSONVILLE—Gov. Gavin Newsom announced increased funding for the Farm to Family Program on April 29. The program directly connects farmers and ranchers to food banks to feed Californians around the state. The state intends to seed a $15 million campaign with $3.64 million to...

Every year Sindy Hernandez, local fashion designer and owner of Queen’s Shoes, heads up two fundraisers to support local nonprofits. Dubbed Fashion Cares, the fundraisers have amassed money for Jacob’s Heart, CASA, Monarch Services and more. “It’s my way of giving back to my community,” Hernandez...

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SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel said she will revise her shelter-in-place order later this week, after Gov. Gavin Newsom releases information about slightly loosening statewide restrictions. Newsom is expected to launch Stage 2 of his “Reopening Roadmap,” which will allow retail...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Though there is far less traffic nowadays with the stay-at-home order, the California Highway Patrol is reminding people it doesn’t mean there are now fewer laws.  “We are experiencing people traveling at higher speeds, but we are out there patrolling,” said CHP officer...