Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin retiring
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—After nearly three decades running the county’s elections department, Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin will retire at the end of the year.
Pellerin made the announcement Thursday, a little more than a week after what many are calling the most significant election...
County Sets Steep Fines for Illegal Dumping
The Department of Community Development and Infrastructure will implement stiff penalties for illegal dumping violations on July 11.
New foundation formed to support county animal shelter
The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter has taken a new step in its mission to support the county’s neediest animals.
Muzzio to see large-scale rebuild
WATSONVILLE—The new playground at Muzzio Park will indeed be bigger and better—pricier too.
Roughly four-dozen members of the community surrounding the park at the corner of Rodriguez and West Front streets overwhelmingly decided to completely overhaul the play structure that was burned down in early...
Virtual graduation to be PVUSD’s first
WATSONVILLE—For the first time in Pajaro Valley Unified School District history, the stadiums, athletic fields and auditoriums that traditionally fill with cheers, tears and the nostalgic strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” will stay silent this graduation season, all to be replaced by the electronic...
Arrest made in Capitola fatal hit-and-run
Capitola Police arrested a 58-year-old woman Dec. 1 on suspicion of being the driver in a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian on Nov. 18.
“Capitola Police Officers successfully located and arrested Aurora Lopez, a 58-year-old resident of Soquel,” Capitola Police said in a statement....
Cesar E. Chavez Community Awards honor youth mentors
WATSONVILLE—Friends of Watsonville Parks and Community Services and the City of Watsonville honored five local individuals, two organizations and a business at the 18th annual Cesar E. Chavez Community Awards on July 30.
The awards, held virtually this year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic,...
Watsonville’s urban growth is a key issue before voters
WATSONVILLE—This fall, Watsonville voters face a decision that has been 20 years in the making. Should the city’s urban growth restrictions put in place in 2002 be extended through 2040, or should residents and their elected leaders have an opportunity to determine how and...
Vallarta Supermarket opens for business
Hundreds of people lined up outside the new Vallarta Supermarket Wednesday morning, hoping to be one of the first 300 inside to score a free bag of groceries and to see the gleaming, 55,000 square foot store.
But even for those that missed that prize,...
Briefs: Pesticide meeting set for Monday; Halloween events on tap
Pesticide meeting set for Monday
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation will hold a meeting Monday from 4-6:30pm at the Family Center in Ramsay Park regarding pesticide use and regenerative farming.
“It is a rare in-person opportunity for the public to demand pesticide reduction and elimination...
New leadership, shared priorities: Investing in the future of public safety
As we begin a new year, I want to reflect on the direction of public safety in Watsonville and the leadership helping guide that...























