News

WATSONVILLE—A group of students at MacQuiddy Elementary School got a special holiday treat last week.  Thanks to the efforts of instructor Amy McGee and others, 15 kids—all members of Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s Safe Spots program—were handed an armload of gifts Friday, including a...

County Fair seeks theme The Santa Cruz County Fair announced the return of the annual fair theme contest. The fair invites the community to submit theme ideas that would reflect the spirit of the County Fair in a few words. The theme should reflect the spirit...

Observations from around the Pajaro Valley.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to require all of 2,400 County employees to either take the Covid-19 vaccine or submit to weekly testing. Employees who refuse both risk termination, or being put on leave without...

The Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust (PVCHT) announced Thursday that it will not purchase Watsonville Community Hospital, after the organization failed to secure financing. The decision will allow Los Angeles-based Halsen Healthcare Group to make the purchase, PVCHT Executive Director DeAndre James said.

A 64-year-old Boulder Creek man died in a bizarre motorcycle crash Thursday when the motorcycle he was riding crashed into downed power lines.

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council returned from its summer recess with a heated verbal scuffle between mayor Jimmy Dutra and councilman Lowell Hurst over the former’s proposed trip to a conference in Southern California. Dutra at Tuesday’s meeting was asking his peers to approve using $1,134.05...

WATSONVILLE—Every year, Santa Cruz Toys for Tots – and the numerous volunteers that support it – make sure children across the county have a surprise on Christmas. Last year, the organization provided more than 11,000 toys, games, bikes and other gifts. On Tuesday, when a rainstorm...

Watsonville Poet Laureate Victoria Bañales recently earned a Best Poetry Book Award from the International Latino Book Awards (ILBA) for her latest book, The Sun Will Not Harm You by Day, Nor the Moon by Night. Bañales said three books were selected for this category,...