News

Several candidates tossed their hats in the ring in early 2024 when Zach Friend announced his departure from the District 2 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. The top two vote-getters were Kim De Serpa, with 25.2% of the vote, and Brown...

A fire at Bamboo Giant on Freedom Boulevard early Tuesday afternoon damaged a structure, spread into the neighboring field and closed the road in both directions. According to CalFire spokesman Tony Akin, the blaze broke out just past noon. Firefighters were met with towering flames...

A Watsonville man arrested by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Sept. 3 is suspected of using social media to contact a minor with the intent of sex. Luis Salas, 35, was charged with false imprisonment, human trafficking, kidnapping, contacting a minor with the intent...

Watsonville artist Elizabeth Williams will show her latest artworks in a new exhibit  at Fruition Brewing in Watsonville.  "Folk Art, Assemblage Dolls and Painted Cut-Outs," will feature around 50 works of painted wood sculptures, assemblage, paintings on wood and more.  “This show came about because I...

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will appoint a trustee to replace Jennifer Holm, who on Sept. 3 announced her early resignation from the board. The vote fell 5-1 in favor of making an appointment, and rejecting holding a special election to...

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday expressed frustration at a new planned tiny village community for homeless people slated for the parking lot of Westview Presbyterian Church at 118 First St. With the zoning approved on Sept. 20, Monterey County—the lead agency for the village—can...

Pajaro Valley Healthcare District—the public agency tasked with running Watsonville Community Hospital—announced Wednesday that they plan to purchase the building and surrounding property, a major milestone in a years-long endeavor to return the facility to public ownership. The unanimous decision came during a closed-session discussion,...

Roughly 50 people gathered in the cafeteria at Landmark Elementary School Monday night for a forum featuring four candidates running for seats on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees for the Nov. 5 election. Jessica Carrasco, who is running against incumbent Adam...

Several thousand people showed up for the reopening ceremony of the Capitola Wharf on Wednesday, celebrating its survival after it was cleaved in two by heavy storms. The wharf, founded in 1857, now boasts new lighting, side rails, benches, permanently mounted viewing scopes,  several art...

The 39th annual Open Studios Art Tour is on deck to invite the public into the studios of local artists Oct. 5-20. The tour spans across the county over three weekends during the North County, South County and final All County tours. The 2024 tour includes...