News

Coastal Cleanup Day collects 7,700 pounds of debris MONTEREY BAY REGION—More than 2,000 volunteers collected more than 6,000 pounds of trash and over 1,700 pounds of recycling from 64 beaches, rivers and inland areas across Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties in Saturday’s Coastal Cleanup Day.  The annual...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY —Strawberries remain the county’s biggest crop, with an estimated value of $220,653,000 on approximately 2,578 planted acres. That’s according to the 2018 crop report released Thursday by Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo. The report showed an overall production value of more...

Special events Elkhorn Slough Reserve Open House & Native Plant Fair (Sept. 28) Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve — and National Estuaries Week — at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve Open House & Native Plant Fair from...

WATSONVILLE—A two-year process to create a plan of action for Watsonville’s downtown got underway Wednesday.  A who’s who of city leaders, law enforcement officials, community program directors, downtown business owners, developers and housing advocates convened for the public meeting — the first of several planned...

WATSONVILLE — Watsonville Police on Wednesday arrested a man suspected of multiple armed robberies when he crashed a stolen pickup after a police chase, and then barricaded himself in a nearby shed for several hours. Jordan Ramirez, 29, has been charged with robbery, assault with...

WATSONVILLE — The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday approved an Adult Services and Senior Center Plan that will bring operations of the Senior Center under the City’s umbrella.  Watsonville will pump $176,000 from its 2019-20 general fund into the Senior Center, and also hire an Older...

WATSONVILLE — The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday accepted $112,000 in grants from the California Office Traffic Safety that will boost Watsonville Police Department’s efforts in traffic enforcement and safety. The funds were split between two grants with $70,000 going toward the Selective Traffic Enforcement...

SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on Tuesday issued a health advisory urging everyone to refrain from vaping, no matter the substance or source, until current investigations are complete. The advisory followed an executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept....

WATSONVILLE — Saul Ruiz never thought he would have to leave Watsonville. A 1999 Watsonville High School graduate, Ruiz was just settling into his “dream job” as his alma mater’s athletic director after taking over the position three years ago in 2013. He was also making...