County dipping into reserves to cover Covid-19 deficit
SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County Chief Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios told the Board of Supervisors Monday that it should spend $20 million in reserves to fill a deficit for the 2019-20 fiscal year caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
That move will be a sizable slice of...
PVUSD Trustees approve Virtual Academy positions
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday unanimously approved new job descriptions for several teachers, administrative workers and a principal that will staff the new Virtual Academy, an all-online school approved July 23.
The trustees also heard a budget report that...
City postpones levee clean-up after homeless advocates raise concerns
WATSONVILLE—Scheduled clean-ups of the Pajaro River Levee have been postponed indefinitely after homeless advocates raised concerns about displacing people living there, according to Watsonville City Manager Matt Huffaker.
Huffaker said a regularly scheduled clean-up of the levee was set for Tuesday and Wednesday. That was...
Body found on Carlton Road
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office is investigating the discovery of a dead man found in a rural setting along Carlton Road Sunday.
Around 8:30am, deputies responded to a call for a man’s body found near the 100 block of Carlton Road in Watsonville.
Detectives and...
WPD: body cameras refute suspect’s abuse claim
WATSONVILLE—Footage from two body-worn cameras – and from the dashboard of a police vehicle – has disproven a claim by a man that Watsonville police officers hit and threw his 3-year-old son to the ground during a traffic stop.
Officer Matt Williams stopped Jhony Argueta,...
Walgreens to pay fine for overcharging, selling expired items
Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell on Tuesday announced the settlement of a civil law enforcement action against Walgreens Company.
City sets guidelines for public art
The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved guidelines for murals and other public art, but rejected the idea of a $200 application processing fee.
Georgeann Eiskamp dies
Georgeann Cowles Eiskamp, a Watsonville native known for her volunteerism and steadfast dedication to her community, who successfully ran Cowles Berry Farm, and who helped shape the Down To Earth Women Luncheon as co-founder and the first board co-chair, died Sept. 22 of natural...
Letters to the Editor, Jan. 23–29
Passenger rail price estimates too high
One can never convince me that restoring the Santa Cruz Branch rail line for passenger rail would cost an...
