News

Being in the newsroom at the Pajaronian has been extraordinary these past few weeks with the outbreak of the global pandemic: COVID-19. We are hearing of big changes across the social spectrum, from schools cancelling classes to late night talk shows no longer having...

WATSONVILLE—The City of Watsonville on Friday announced it will close all nonessential services starting Monday because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, a move that will shut the Watsonville and Freedom branch libraries as well as several City offices. City Manager Matt Huffaker...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Starting Monday, thousands of students across Santa Cruz County will be out of school for at least one week after county education officials closed every school in response to the growing threat from coronavirus. But teachers and school employees will be required to...

WATSONVILLE—Work to modernize early day underground sewer lines on Freedom Boulevard and water lines on Green Valley Road is still in high gear, with some of it taking place at night. Patrice Theriot, principal engineer for the City of Watsonville, said the upgrades call for...

WATSONVILLE—As lunchtime drew to a close Wednesday, fourth- and fifth-grade students at Starlight Elementary School began to gradually filter into the classroom of art teacher Meredith Branan Freeman. They were there to learn about stop-motion animation and create their own movies. Some students worked individually,...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to expand the county’s Focused Intervention Team (FIT), which pairs law enforcement officials with behavioral health specialists and other supportive services to address high-frequency criminal offenders. The program launched on Jan....

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Office of Education on Thursday evening announced that all schools in the county will be closed from March 16-20. The announcement was emailed to parents throughout the county one day after a case was confirmed in a person with...

The City of Watsonville on Thursday cancelled several local gatherings because of growing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. Those cancellations included its Friday farmers market and its annual Earth Day event, scheduled this year for April 26.  Watsonville City Manager Matt Huffaker said...

WATSONVILLE—For years, Pajaro Valley Little League (PVLL) has used the field at E.A. Hall Middle School for its practices and games, providing an essential space for a sport that typically takes a backseat to soccer in South County. Playing fields for baseball are few and...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Since COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in late December, healthcare professionals, elected leaders and everyday citizens around the world have been looking for answers and trying to unsnarl the constantly-changing situation. There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries,...