News

JAPANESE CULTURE A group performs a traditional dance from Okinawa Saturday at the annual Japanese Cultural Fair at Mission Plaza Park in Santa Cruz Saturday.  Since its founding in 1986, the fair has opened a window for the community to deepen their awareness and understanding...

If cuts to food assistance programs proposed under President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” are approved by the U.S. Senate, it would cripple the food distribution system that local organizations have spent decades building, and upon which thousands Santa Cruz County residents rely. That was...

Five hundred and twenty-two graduates of Watsonville High School filed across the stage at Geiser Field on the afternoon of June 6, putting to end the school year of 2024-25. Prior to the ceremony — his second such year as principal — Joe Gergorio said,...

Jaquelyn Mora was missing credits and at risk of not graduating from Pajaro Valley High School when she learned about Renaissance High. “I was smart, but I never felt the need to do the work,” she said.  She would also frequently skip class, she said. “I...

From the 2025 graduating senior class of Pajaro Valley High School in Watsonville, four students shared their high school experiences and plans for after graduation.  Valedictorian Rosario Lopez-Garcia, 17, graduated with a GPA of 4.37.  She plans to attend Stanford University in the fall, where she...

Twenty four seniors hit the stage to claim their diplomas June 5 at the Mello Center in an upbeat commencement ceremony for New School Community Day School. Last year marked the 30th anniversary of New School Community Day School.  Gang Intervention Specialist Albino Garcia and then...

Cabrillo College saw 1,599 graduates receiving degrees and certificates on May 30. This year’s ceremony included the first graduating class Cabrillo’s Apprenticeship Program. Of the 27 apprentices enrolled in the program, 11 graduated this year.  Two of those students are computer information systems students, and the remaining...

More than 40 volunteers spent hours Saturday refreshing the massive Black Lives Matter street mural that is sprawled along Center Street in front of Santa Cruz City Hall. Traffic, weather, vandalism and wear-and-tear has left the five-year-old bright yellow mural faded and chipped. Painting the mural...

A man died in a fire that engulfed a home in Aptos late Tuesday night.  Central Fire Division Chief Nigel Miller said firefighters were met with a multi-story home on the 1900 block of Seascape Boulevard fully engulfed in flames just before 11:30pm. “We got a...

The Santa Cruz County Supervisors on Tuesday signaled their support for three human-services programs at risk of being cut when the board meets June 10 to hammer out this year’s budget. Under the current budget proposal, Mental Health Client Action Network (MHCAN) loses its $587,000...