Rain cancels Watsonville tree lighting event tonight
The Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony, scheduled for 5pm on Nov. 17, has been canceled due to predicted thunderstorms and rain, said Jessica Beebe, recreation supervisor at Watsonville Parks & Community Services.
The main switch to turn on the thousands of lights around the plaza and...
Two deaths, one fire in same day at homeless encampment
Santa Cruz Police officers and firefighters on Tuesday responded to two deaths and one fire at the Gateway Camp, the sprawling amassment of makeshift tents, shanties and lean-tos at Highway 1 and River Street along the San Lorenzo River Levee.
Community briefs, Nov. 22
Mayor for a Day contest opens
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be the Mayor of a city? Now is your chance to be Mayor for the Day with Watsonville Mayor Francisco “Paco” Estrada.
To be considered, submit a one-page essay to...
Pajaro Valley High holds first graduation on new turf | Grads 2021
WATSONVILLE—Many in this year’s Pajaro Valley High School graduating class had heard about the battle to construct the school’s new athletic fields since their days in elementary school.
PVHS graduate Yuliana Urrutia says she remembers overhearing her cousins talking about the field while she was...
PV Water’s plans, storage boosted during wet winter
SOUTH COUNTY—The first rainstorms of winter brought more than just moisture. With them came a chance to raise local water levels in alarmingly low aquifers and reservoirs. They also allowed water agencies across the county to put new sustainability projects—like injecting stormwater into underground...
Watsonville Santa Tour wraps up Friday
WATSONVILLE—Scores of kids were treated to a free visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus Wednesday during the first of a three-day Santa Tour.
“It felt so good to see Santa,” said Maria Navarro of Watsonville who showed up with her son, Christian Ramos. “This is...
Death toll rises to 60 in powerful Mexico earthquake
One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico struck off the country’s southern coast, toppling hundreds of buildings and sending panicked people fleeing into the streets in the middle of the night. At least 60 people were reported dead.
PHOTOS: Watsonville Strawberry Festival returns
The Watsonville Strawberry Festival kicked off Friday downtown for its three-day run. The annual event continues Sunday from 11am to 7pm, featuring strawberry-infused treats, live music, a carnival and more.
Swallows’ nests a joy, headache at PV High
The annual return of the cliff swallows to the Watsonville area can be a treat for bird enthusiasts, who marvel at their ability to migrate from as far away as Argentina, and then cobble their nests from thousands of beakfuls of mud on cliffs and buildings.
Si Se Puede opens new 30-bed facility
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday in Watsonville, Encompass Community Services celebrated the opening of a new Si Se Puede behavioral health campus on Miles...




















