News

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville City Councilman Jimmy Dutra announced on Jan. 29 that he will run for the 4th District seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. It will be the third time that Dutra, who is fresh off his stint as Watsonville’s mayor in 2021,...

A pair of vehicle rollovers kept emergency workers busy inside of an 18-hour block in Watsonville.

The community is gearing up for the Watsonville Strawberry Festival 2023, a beloved annual event that celebrates the region's rich agricultural heritage. This year’s festival promises to be a delightful extravaganza, with a special focus on showcasing local arts and crafts vendors, a Berry...

WATSONVILLE—The City of Watsonville is currently holding a special art contest for local youth, and there is still a week left for pieces to be submitted. The “Thankful Youth Art Contest” aims to inspire young people in the Pajaro Valley to share their creativity through...

ON TRACK The Watsonville Union High track team hits the field for a competition on March 13, 1955. (Sam Vestal/Pajaronian archives)

An 81-year-old man died Monday afternoon after driving his 2016 Chevrolet Spark into a utility pole on Soquel Drive in Santa Cruz.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Since its inception last year, more than 100 people have gone through Santa Cruz County’s Neighborhood Courts program, with 90 completing the requirements set out in their agreements and avoiding a permanent criminal record. Now, the program is looking for a team of...

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WATSONVILLE—Thick fog rolled in and blanketed Crystal Bay Farm Wednesday morning, but the fields of the farm were teeming with life. A group of kindergarteners from Valencia Elementary School in Aptos, along with parents and teacher Karen Richmond, were visiting the organic farm  just off...

I started working for the Pajaronian in February 1997. As a news gatherer, that translates to a lot of blank pages being filled over the years with news and photos of what’s going on. Of those 23 years as a journalist, 2020 most assuredly...