‘Tis the season: Fairgrounds offers Holiday Lights drive-thru event
WATSONVILLE—Two local organizations are hoping to shine a brilliant holiday light during troubling times.
The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation and the Agricultural History Project are in the midst of crafting the first-ever Holiday Lights Drive-Thru event as an alternative celebration for the holiday season...
PVHA collection bags history
WATSONVILLE—For decades the Pajaro Valley Historical Association (PVHA) has been collecting clothing, shoes, hats and other accessories to include in its extensive historical archive.
Volunteers work to preserve, research and document every item that comes through the organization’s historic headquarters on East Beach Street, each...
K9 officer helps find loaded handgun; man arrested
A man was arrested late last month on multiple felony charges after he ditched a loaded gun and ran from Capitola Police.
The incident began when Capitola Police conducted a traffic stop for vehicle code violations near the Capitola Mall. As the stop began, a...
Volunteers clear truckloads of trash from Pajaro River
WATSONVILLE—Armed with grabbers, cans, garbage bags and gloves, more than 25 volunteers gathered at Murphy Crossing Road early on July 29 for a community cleanup of a portion of the Pajaro River on the outskirts of Watsonville.
The volunteers picked up plastic, cans, bottles, mattresses,...
County leaders proclaim April Child Abuse Prevention Month
Teaming up with local leaders, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Cruz County on March 29 proclaimed April as the county’s Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Sex crimes suspect pleads not guilty
Travis Hernandez, 24, also denied special allegations that he had more than one victim. He is facing 45 years to life in prison if convicted on all charges.
Group sparks conversation about Valley’s pesticide use
A newly formed community group with the vision of reducing the use of pesticides in the Pajaro Valley is taking on international berry giant Driscoll’s.
The Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) recently sent a letter to Driscoll’s CEO Miles Reiter calling for the...
Central Fire appoints new chief, finalizes merger with Aptos/La Selva
When Fire Chief John Walbridge first arrived at the Live Oak fire station 1991, it triggered childhood memories. He remembered riding his bike to the station from his home a few blocks away to obtain burn permits for his father in the late 1970s...
Art Hike Challenge encourages guests to visit county parks
A new series of murals has been installed at Pinto Lake County Park, with the goal of encouraging more visitors to the park and showcasing local art.
The murals are part of the Art Hike Challenge, organized by County Parks Friends (CPF). Guests can download...
Arrest made in 1995 Watsonville homicide case
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies arrested a man in Turlock Thursday on suspicion of murder in a cold case stemming back to 1995. Investigators were able to find forensic evidence linking John Laroche, 63, to the case, Ashley Keehn, a spokesperson for...
PV falls to Kirby in chase for PCAL Santa Lucia crown...
Pajaro Valley junior guard Juanito Montiel finished with a team-best 16 points but it wasn’t enough as the Grizzlies boys’ basketball team fell to...























