St. Patrick’s celebrates 150
WATSONVILLE—Parishioners celebrated the 150th anniversary of St Patrick’s Catholic Parish on Oct. 11 in a ceremony that drew members from across the Pajaro Valley to celebrate an institution whose community roots go back hundreds of years.
The first recorded Catholic religious ceremony in the Pajaro...
Watsonville man named ‘hero’ by Diversity Center
WATSONVILLE—A 2017 report from SAGE, the country’s largest advocate for LGBT elders, found that roughly one-third of LGBT older adults live at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Worse, that report also found that many members of that community deal with...
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Special events
Hempcon Halloweed (Oct. 26-27)
A fully legal and licensed marijuana show at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds with live entertainment and many exhibits, including medical marijuana dispensaries, collectives, caregivers, evaluation services, legal services, educational institutions, equipment, accessories and more. For tickets or information visit hempcon.com/halloweed-2019.
La Sonora...
Pajaro students get history lesson of a ‘lifetime’
SAN FRANCISCO—The Orpheum Theater in San Francisco was abuzz with excitement Wednesday afternoon as 1,500 eighth-graders from North Monterey County settled in to experience “Hamilton: An American Musical.”
Among them was the eighth-grade class from Pajaro Middle School.
“I’m really excited,” said Darlene Valenzuela, who made...
Santa Cruz County faces weekend power shutoff
UPDATE (Oct. 27, 10 a.m.): PG&E has established the following locations to provide residents power, water and information.
People can charge phones and powered medical devices between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The centers will stay open until power is restored.
• Siltanen Park next to...
Police seeking church vandal
WATSONVILLE — Watsonville Police is asking for help in identifying a man who was caught on camera vandalizing St. Patrick’s Church on Tuesday afternoon.
Surveillance footage shows the suspect walking toward the front doors of the church with a spray paint can in hand. About 15...
Group proposes revamped syringe plan in Santa Cruz County
SANTA CRUZ—Five months after pulling their application to run a mobile needle distribution system, the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County is back with a revamped plan.
Under the new proposal, the HRCSCC would offer home delivery of syringes and injection supplies and phone-based...
Consent agenda: City sells lot to Ow family
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday sold the Resetar Parking Lot in downtown to the Ow family for $542,850.
The 40-space lot at 535 Main St., also known as Parking Lot No. 4, is used daily by multiple businesses in downtown, including county-wide nonprofit Community...
Newsom signs several housing bills
WATSONVILLE—Governor Gavin Newsom on the final day of action for the 2019 legislative season signed Assembly Bill 1783, also known as the Farmworker Housing Act of 2019, which creates a streamlined process to build farmworker housing on agricultural land.
The bill was authored by Assemblymember...
Teacher arrested for child sex crimes
SAN LORENZO VALLEY—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday arrested a Felton man for several counts of lewd acts with children.
Michael Henderson, 51, was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Henderson is a teacher at San Lorenzo Valley High School...
Homicide suspect arrested in Switzerland
A Santa Cruz man was arrested recently in Switzerland in connection with the death of his father, 90-year-old Robert Smallwood.