Report: Number of sickened by pesticides increases
Illnesses caused by agricultural pesticide exposure in California rose nearly 50 percent in 2015, according to data released May 31 by the Department of Pesticide Regulation.
Holiday Lights at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds ready to roll
Last-minute fine-tuning is underway at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds to throw the switch for two million lights at the fourth annual Holiday Lights drive-thru, which runs Nov. 24-Dec. 24.
Event coordinator Dave Kegebein said new additions this year, including tulips and poinsettias, large snails,...
Casa de la Cultura hosts annual giveaway
Dozens of families lined up along Salinas Road in Pajaro Monday morning, children’s faces peering from backseat windows, as they waited their turn for Santa Claus to hand them their Christmas gifts.
But the presents were not the only thing the visitors received.
The drive through...
Aptos High students helping preserve monarch butterfly population
Editor’s note: Evie Kinkead is a junior at Aptos High School.
For years, monarch butterflies in California have been endangered.
This is influenced by harmful pesticides infiltrating milkweed, a critical plant in the butterfly's life cycle. This, in concert with rapid urbanization, has led to the...
City asking for public input | Community Briefs
Vote for new public art at Ramsay
The City of Watsonville, Pajaro Valley Arts and Community Arts & Empowerment is asking the public to vote for its preferred artwork to be placed on the entryway of the Community Center at Ramsay Park.
The choices have been...
Police: Man shot into Watsonville home
WATSONVILLE—A Watsonville man was arrested on Feb. 11 after police say he fired a gun into a residence on the 100 block of Hill Avenue.
Several people were in the home, including two children, Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said.
Nobody was injured.
Daniel Zavala, 28,...
Agriculture workers stage rush-hour protest on Riverside Drive
About 50 people, joined by religious leaders from across the U.S., picketed in front of Well-Pict cooler on Riverside Drive Friday. The group was demanding that Premiere Raspberries LLC comply with an Aug. 29 ruling by the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board ordering the grower to implement a union contract for its 550 workers.
Ex-officer found guilty for murder of George Floyd
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The former Minneapolis police officer who was seen in a video killing a Black man by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes was convicted Tuesday on counts of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Derek Chauvin faces at least 12...
St. John’s Helpful Shop finds a new home
St. John’s Helpful Shop found a new home this month at 246A Center Ave., just around the corner from the Episcopal Church in Aptos.
Interim trail will cover rails, for now
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) on Thursday approved a plan to develop an interim bicycle and pedestrian trail on segments 9–11 of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line from San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz to State Park Drive in Aptos.
Thursday’s...
Man found with illegal gun
A Watsonville man was arrested for possession an illegal gun early Sunday morning following a traffic stop by the California Highway Patrol.
CHP officer Israel...





















