From fungus to fentanyl, new laws address variety of topics in 2024
Every year, California’s legislators send a flurry of bills to the governor in hopes he or she will sign them. And that’s before the byzantine legislative process that leaves most proposed laws on Assembly and Senate cutting floors.
In 2023, the lawmakers sent off 1,046...
State announces new pesticide rule
The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) on Dec. 19 announced a new rule that will provide notice to the public in advance of applications of certain hazardous and drift-prone agricultural pesticides.
The move was broadly welcomed in the farmworker communities of the San Joaquin Valley...
Dutra takes lead in bid to keep District 6 seat
Updated 11/6 at 10am
Watsonville City Councilman Jimmy Dutra held on to his lead Wednesday in the race to keep his District 6 seat against challenger Trina Coffman-Gomez, increasing his lead to just over 54% of the vote, early results showed Thursday.
Dutra, who also...
Volunteers spruce up fairgrounds park
A large group of volunteers showed up to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds on Aug. 9 to help bring the Paddy Smith Park back to life.
Tucked between the JJ Crosetti and the Fire Arts buildings, the sprawling garden space once featured a majestic river...
PVWMA marks 40th year
The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency celebrated its 40th anniversary Tuesday during a lively open house gathering.
The casual affair, at the Civic Plaza Building’s Community Room, drew close to 100 people, from dignitaries in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, to farmers, various area boards,...
National group urges flood control funding formula changes
The National Association of Counties (NACo) on July 21 voted unanimously to urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to change the way it funds flood control projects for economically disadvantaged communities.
Currently, the ACOE uses a 1:1 benefit-cost ratio when figuring the feasibility...
Watsonville’s Earliest Schools—The Pajaro School and the School for Black Children
In 1853, the Methodist Church housed the first group of school children taught by Seneca Carroll in the village of Pajaro (later known as Watsonville).
The church was on the corner of Main and East Fourth (now East Lake).
Ten years later in 1863, the first...
PHOTO: Community lights up menorah for Hanukkah
Leila Veitch lights up the first candle of a menorah Thursday evening at the town clock in downtown Santa Cruz in honor of her friend Ziva Mitnick on the first night of Hanukkah. The gathering, headed up by Temple Beth El of Aptos, included...
Health Fair runs Friday in the plaza
The 27th Annual Health Fair, hosted by Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, runs from 2-6pm Friday at Watsonville City Plaza.
The event brings together...
