Dancing in the streets for La Rama
Members of the local 45-year-old dance company Esperanza del Valle treat the public to the annual La Rama parade in downtown Watsonville Dec. 19. Joined by members of Estrellas de Esperanza, the dancers brought traditional attire and dances to the streets around the weekly...
Executive Order 9066 uprooted Japanese community overnight
Editor’s note: This is the second entry of a weekly four-part series about the Pajaro Valley’s Japanese community. The series will culminate on Aug. 14, coinciding with this year’s celebration of the Obon Festival, a cultural and religious Japanese event honoring one’s ancestors. Read...
Watsonville crew joins Park Fire
The Park Fire in northern California continues to burn in Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties and is stacking up to be among the state’s largest. So far, more than 392,480 acres have burned, more than 200 buildings have been destroyed—with around 1,000 threatened—and...
A photographic journey: Santa Cruz METRO bus murals highlight ecosystem
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A new campaign to showcase the environmental benefits of transit, encourage bus ridership and protect Santa Cruz County’s natural resources, kicked off recently in Santa Cruz.
“One Ride at a Time” launched a pair of METRO’s buses that are emblazoned with massive photograph...
Contagious diseases force temporary closure of Watsonville Animal Shelter
The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter in Watsonville at 580 Airport Blvd. will be closed to the public until at least Oct. 29 after doctors diagnosed cases of canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia.
Both diseases are highly contagious and can be deadly.
Shelter veterinarian Maris Brenn-White...
Watsonville man wins Drive for Schools drawing
Drive for Schools raised $702,000 for local schools this year.
Watsonville Public Library cancels overdue fines
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Public Library (WPL) opened a new chapter last week by canceling its overdue fine system and forgiving all pending overdue fines.
At a meeting on Aug. 18, the Library Board of Trustees unanimously voted to make the change after library director Alicia Martinez...
Monthly benefit for families with children starts Thursday
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...
Human trafficking symposium draws hundreds
Standing in front of a large audience at Santa Cruz County’s first human trafficking symposium, Deborah Pembrook said that, when she was a young girl, a trusted family friend brought her to truck stops and seedy motels to sell her for sex.
Newly-elected Estrada becomes mayor
Francisco Estrada was sworn in alongside newly-elected and returning councilmembers Rebecca Garcia, Lowell Hurst and Ari Parker Tuesday during the council's last meeting of 2018.
PVUSD board to mull ‘stay-away letter’ for Medina
Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board Trustee Gabe Medina could be restricted from entering the Pajaro Valley High School campus after a confrontation with...



















