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October 9, 2026

Capitola’s El Toro Bravo reopens after fire damage

Just over a year ago, a Christmas Day fire damaged El Toro Bravo restaurant in Capitola, forcing the 58-year-old business to close. Rebuilding the much-loved Mexican eatery has taken a stupefying amount of work, as well as navigating the red tape typical of such projects,...

The story behind the art of Yermo Aranda

The public got a chance to hear Watsonville artist Yermo Aranda talk about his lengthy contributions to the art world on Jan. 31 at a talk at the Santa Cruz Art League.  Aranda and about 60 guests sat in the center of the current exhibit,...

Nonprofit helping the community help itself

handwash stations aptos
APTOS—In her more than two decades of working with nonprofit organizations, C.J. Runyon spent eight years with Walu International, which among other things helps provide hand-washing stations to rural communities in Papua New Guinea and Nicaragua, where poor sanitation leads to a myriad of...

Weekend blaze injures one | About Town

I covered a fire Saturday night in Santa Cruz where flames tore through the roof of an occupied shed. By the time firefighters arrived at the home, at the corner of San Juan Avenue at Roxas Street just before 9pm, flames were gushing about...

Motorcyclist seriously injured in crash

Watsonville crash
WATSONVILLE—A man was seriously injured Saturday afternoon when his motorcycle plowed into a jeep SUV on Harkins Slough Road in Watsonville.  Watsonville Police Sgt. Mike Ridgway said the man was riding a Suzuki motorcycle southbound on Harkins Slough road around 3:30pm. A man driving a...

Cabrillo College Theatre Arts’ 'The Trojan Women' opens Nov. 2

“The Trojan Women” opens at Cabrillo College’s Crocker Theater on Nov. 2 and runs until Nov. 18, with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Watsonville charter school moving downtown by October

watsonville prep pvusd
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday unanimously approved a plan to give temporary space to a new charter school as it prepares to move into its own space by October. PVUSD Chief Business Officer Clint Rucker told the trustees that...

Watsonville’s Couch Distributing sold

Couch distributing watsonville sold
WATSONVILLE—Couch Distributing Company, Inc. announced to its employees Tuesday that after nearly a half-century of service it is selling its distribution business to Fresno-based Donaghy Sales, LLC. Established in 1973 Couch Distributing Company has been the leading beer and beverage distributor in Santa Cruz, Monterey...

Growing roots at Pajaro Middle School

On Aug. 14, about 400 students will return to Pajaro Middle School, more than a year after flood waters forced the campus to close. This includes seventh-graders who spent their first middle school year at a different school. On Friday, several workers were continuing to...

Watsonville, Santa Cruz earn high marks for smoking policies

Watsonville has earned a “B” grade for the second year in a row in its efforts to reduce and prevent tobacco use among young people, a ranking that puts the South County city ahead of other surrounding cities.
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Letters to the Editor Oct 9-15

Medina a liability to the district I want to address a critical concern regarding the PVUSD district’s liability with regard to workplace safety, and board...