Briefs: Elks Lodge collecting teddy bears; Deep Roots Dance Fest returns
Elks Lodge collecting teddy bears for first responders
Watsonville Elks Lodge members are collecting teddy bears to donate to Watsonville’s first responders that will be handed out to children whom have been in a critical situation for comfort.
The lodge will host a dinner to present...
Farm store and cafe opens at historic Five Mile House
CORRALITOS—Late Monday morning the Five Mile House in Corralitos was bustling with activity for the first time in 12 years.
Blossom’s Farmstore & Coffee Shop now occupies the landmark Spanish-style building on the corner of Freedom Boulevard and Corralitos Road, which has housed various businesses...
Newsom sworn in as state's 40th governor
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was sworn in Monday and immediately drew sharp battle lines with President Donald Trump, pledging to enact "progressive, principled" policies as the antidote to the White House's "corruption and incompetence."
PHOTO: Watsonville Community Band celebrates 72 years
The Watsonville Community Band celebrated its 72nd anniversary recently with a birthday cake.
Organic produce sales up 9%, tops $2B for the quarter
Total organic fresh produce sales for the first quarter of 2021 saw a continuation of last year’s growth, increasing by 9.3% from the same period in 2020 and topping $2.2 billion for the quarter, according to the Q1 2021 Organic Produce Performance Report released...
Fire academy to bring two aboard at WFD
WATSONVILLE—Nine trainees with hopes of becoming new firefighters or paramedics in Santa Cruz County are three months into the 16-week fire academy.
Six of them are aiming to join the Santa Cruz Fire Department, one plans to go to Central Fire District and two hope...
State seized enough fentanyl to potentially kill North America, twice
CALIFORNIA—In 2022, authorities in California say they seized 28,765 pounds of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
The Department of Drug Enforcement said it is enough to kill hundreds of millions of...
Watsonville City Council receives update on goals for next two years
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council met Saturday to get an update on the current Strategic Plan, which was adopted in June 2021.
The council adopts a new plan every two years and the 2021-23 plan outlines seven long-range priorities, which are housing, infrastructure and the environment,...
Two die hours apart in separate Hwy 17 crashes
SCOTTS VALLEY—Two people, including a 28-year-old Santa Cruz man, died in separate Highway 17 crashes mere hours apart.
Around 10pm on Friday night, the Santa Cruz resident involved in a two-vehicle crash near Scotts Valley was ejected from his 2016 Toyota Tacoma after the truck...
Internet company, educators work to bridge ‘digital divide’
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A team of local educators is teaming up with a Santa Cruz internet provider to bridge the so-called digital divide and bring broadband service to families who have been unable to access it.
The Equal Access Santa Cruz County (EASCC) fund is a...
Santa Cruz, Monterey counties to test wireless emergency system Thursday
Officials in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties will conduct a test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system on Thursday, sending emergency messages to mobile...


















