‘A force of nature’: Land conservation pioneer Diane Porter Cooley dies
PAJARO VALLEY—Diane Porter Cooley, whose family history dates back to Santa Cruz County’s infancy, and whose conservation efforts of both farmland and forest helped build the underpinnings of the county’s environmental ideology—and reshape the way the nation viewed agricultural land protection—died Thursday in her...
Five injured in first tornado in Scotts Valley history
At least 5 people were injured in Scotts Valley’s first-ever tornado on record, authorities said.
Matt Mehle, a meteorologist NWS for Bay Area / Monterey Bay region, said based on radar imagery, pictures and videos, and eyewitness accounts, they’d determined a tornado touched down in...
Watsonville Nature Center to host grand reopening Saturday
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Nature Center is opening for visitors this weekend for the first time since the pandemic.
A bilingual open house will be held Saturday from 3-5pm, with a workshop on emergency wildfire preparedness. Numerous organizations and agencies will be on hand for the event,...
Local florist a staple of Watsonville’s Certified Farmer’s Market
For a blast of bright colors, dazzling blooms and a cheerful smile look no further than the Ruvalcaba Nursery flower stand at the Watsonville Certified Farmer’s Market.
Rain, cold move in
Cold rain showers managed to slip in the door before October wrapped up, with temperatures dropping and a dowsing shower early Thursday morning.
Meteorologist Dial Hoang of the National Weather Service of Monterey said the colder, wet system moved into the region from the Pacific...
PVUSD begins its school year
NEW SCHOOL YEAR Steven Ornelas greets his daughter Karissa after her first day of school at E.A. Hall Middle School. All 35 Pajaro Valley Unified School District schools started classes Wednesday.
“I have a great teacher,” said Karissa, who graduated from Mintie White Elementary School...
Group sparks conversation about valley’s pesticide use
WATSONVILLE—A newly formed community group with the vision of reducing the use of pesticides in the Pajaro Valley is taking on international berry giant Driscoll’s.
The Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) recently sent a letter to Driscoll’s CEO Miles Reiter calling for the...
County yoga studios offering live classes online
WATSONVILLE—As the second day of Santa Cruz County’s shelter-in-place order dawned Wednesday morning, Watsonville Yoga, Dance and Healing Arts owner Phoenix Artemisia was busy setting up for class—just not as she normally does.
Artemisia’s mat was unrolled on the ground of her studio on Main...
Letters to the Editor, April 24-30
Keeping our eye on the Clock
My father, an Air Force fighter pilot, and our family, were stationed in Yokohama Japan in 1947 as part...
