News

A new city ordinance restricting where oversized vehicles and trailers can park took effect on March 13. The ordinance prohibits oversized vehicles and all types of trailers—regardless of size—from parking on city streets, alleys, city-owned or maintained parking lots, and other public property. City officials...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) Board of Directors at its May 21 virtual meeting unanimously approved a contract extension with CEO and General Manager Alex Clifford that will keep him at the head of the transportation agency through May 6,...

WATSONVILLE—It has been three decades since Gabino Torres and Anna Martinez opened a small Mexican seafood restaurant on Main Street, a business they launched as a way to pair their love of their native cuisine with a drive to support their family. La Perla del...

A team of 60 volunteers that included children, teens and adults took gardening implements in hand on July 24 to plant flowers at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in preparation for the upcoming county fair Sept.10-14. “Our fairgoers always appreciate the bright colors and atmosphere...

WATSONVILLE—Five candidates have pulled papers to possibly run for Watsonville City Council in the upcoming Nov. 8 election, a key decision day that will see major turnover in South County leadership. Current Watsonville Mayor Ari Parker is running for reelection in District 7, which encompasses...

Artists in Santa Cruz County are setting the stage for the annual Open Studios Art Tour which runs three consecutive weekends. After being mothballed last year during the pandemic, this year will offer the public a sweeping array of art, from paintings, photographs, assemblage and...

There are two businesses that are getting closer to an opening date. The first is Laundry Day on the corner of Brennan Street and East Lake Avenue. Crews took down the cyclone fences that surrounded the former Union Bank for the past two years...

WATSONVILLE—Scheduled clean-ups of the Pajaro River Levee have been postponed indefinitely after homeless advocates raised concerns about displacing people living there, according to Watsonville City Manager Matt Huffaker. Huffaker said a regularly scheduled clean-up of the levee was set for Tuesday and Wednesday. That was...

A new outdoor mural was unveiled at Cesar Chavez Middle School May 25, a joint effort between Watsonville artist Yermo Aranda, area students, instructors and others. The four-panel mural, roughly 25-by-40-feet, depicts scenes from indigenous people and a multistage chronology of the life of Cesar...