News

GILROY—This year’s Gilroy Garlic Festival has been canceled, festival organizers announced late Friday afternoon. The announcement came as governmental jurisdictions, businesses, educators and residents throughout California are severely restricting their activities in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a brief email, organizers said the 40-year-old festival...

Tarmo Hannula: February is Black History Month. I’ve seen a few venues around town that honor this important page on the calendar. The main branch of the downtown Santa Cruz Public Library has a special display set up showcasing a bunch of related books,...

The two men who were shot and killed Oct. 4 on the 700 block of Carlton Road on the outskirts of Watsonville have been identified as Jeremiah Rios Aguilera and Giovanni Aburto Lopez, both 21 and both of Watsonville. Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s detectives believe...

WATSONVILLE—Dec. 16 marked the final meeting for Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Karen Osmundson, who served on the board since 2004. During a meeting on Dec. 9, Osmundson received resolutions from California Assemblymember Robert Rivas, as well as the Watsonville City Council and the...

WATSONVILLE—UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia K. Larive made her first visit to Watsonville High School Monday as part of an annual Achieve UC outreach effort. In the Mello Center, she addressed hundreds of students to deliver the message that an education at a University...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville’s Ramsay Park will soon be a showcase for local art. The Watsonville Parks and Recreation Commission at its Monday night meeting unanimously approved a trio of images that will be made into movable murals and another image that will be made into a mosaic. When...

The Agricultural History Project is celebrating 100 years of lettuce growing on the Central Coast with its latest exhibit, “Lettuce Green Gold,” which held its grand opening Saturday.

The year 2020 will go down as one of the most challenging in modern history. The pandemic affected everyone in one way or another; some of us lost loved ones, and everyone dealt with isolation and stress. Racial unrest tore through the country following the...

WATSONVILLE—Congressman Jimmy Panetta visited Watsonville Monday to announce the first payments of the expanded Child Tax Credit included in President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).  Starting July 15, eligible parents will receive their first monthly payment of up to $300 per child under...