News

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaronian this year has jumped on the growing digital giving movement Santa Cruz Gives, the first crowdsourcing website for multiple Santa Cruz County nonprofits. The campaign, which launched for its fifth holiday season Wednesday, raises funds for 37 selected nonprofits via SantaCruzGives.org, where donors...

SANTA CRUZ—A 24-year-old woman died early Thursday morning when she was struck by a vehicle as she and her 4-year-old daughter crossed Highway 1 in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz Police Department spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke said the woman was crossing Highway 1 at River Street around...

WATSONVILLE—Santa Cruz County Fair Board President Don Dietrich has taken over as CEO in the wake of the Oct. 4 dismissal of Dave Kegebein, and says he’ll stay at the helm as the Board recruits a replacement. It is unclear how long that could take,...

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District is asking the public to help in its search for a new superintendent. In a series of trilingual input sessions lasting through Thursday, the district will ask what characteristics the new superintendent should have to best meet the needs...

By Abigail Acosta, Special to the Pajaronian WATSONVILLE—The owners of Corralitos Coffeehouse will be closing their doors in Corralitos on Aug. 22 and moving their operations to downtown Watsonville. Greg Bobeda and Lacey Dent will take over the location formerly occupied by Second Street Cafe between...

WATSONVILLE—A 26-year-old Santa Cruz County man died Saturday after he was mauled by a great white shark near Manresa State Beach.  The victim has been identified as Ben Kelly, a prominent surfboard maker and a well-known figure in the surfing community. According to California State Parks...

Organizers at the Santa Cruz County Fair are asking the public for ideas for a theme for the 2026 County Fair. Anyone who has a “phrase that pops” or a “rhyme that shines” is invited to submit it. “Imagine your words splashed across every poster and...

CAPITOLA — A new art exhibit at the Jade Street Community Center in Capitola is serving as an appetizer for the upcoming fifth annual Capitola Plein Air Art Festival. Four artists have two works in the show that were winners from previous Plein Air events, said...

California State Parks announced last week the selection of 26 local park projects that will receive grants totaling $4.1 million from the California Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF) Grant Program, including one in Watsonville and two others in Santa Cruz County.