Santa Cruz County takes back flood mitigation funding
Santa Cruz County has withdrawn from an agreement with Pajaro Valley Regional Flood Management Agency (PRFMA) after the two disagreed on how to spend roughly $1 million in funds meant to address flood risk in South County.
PRFMA is made up of the counties of...
Firefighter caps 34-year career in Watsonville
Kirt Vojvoda, Battalion Chief with Watsonville Fire Department, hung up his helmet June 23 and stepped into the world of retirement after 34 years of battling fires, car crash rescues, medical calls, false alarms, hazardous materials spills and more.
The Watsonville native, whose grandfather was...
Cannabis dispensary opens in Watsonville
Watsonville has gotten its newest retail cannabis dispensary.
Catalyst Cannabis, which has 17 other locations statewide, is the city’s third pot shop.
The store opened on June 2, and plans a grand opening for the end of July.
General Manager Jon Kolodinski has roots in Santa Cruz...
Briefs: Mayor’s bike ride; Son con Son performance
Go for a bike ride with the mayor
Friends of Watsonville Parks and Community Services invites the public to join Watsonville Mayor Eduardo Montesino for a short, scenic and family-friendly bike ride along the Pajaro River levee on Saturday from 10am to 11am.
The ride will...
Watsonville Center for the Arts celebrates one year
The Watsonville Center for the Arts announced its one-year anniversary as a thriving arts and culture hub in downtown Watsonville. This milestone marks the realization of a long-held dream for the local community, providing a dedicated space to nurture cultural arts, provide creative opportunities...
Grand Jury looks at Behavioral Health Division
The Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health Division (BHD) is underfunded and understaffed, which hinders its ability to provide services to low-income patients, young people and jail inmates with mental health needs.
A lack of bilingual staff, furthermore, makes delivering mental health services to Latinos challenging.
That’s...
Officials maintain ‘zero tolerance’ for illegal fireworks
“Safe and sane” fireworks are now on sale in Watsonville, but the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is reminding everyone to do their part to have a safe holiday and help prevent fires and injuries caused by fireworks.
So-called “safe and sane”...
Tom Broz named Farmer of the Year
Tom Broz was named the 2023 Farmer of Year by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau June 22 at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
In its 106th annual meeting, the Farm Bureau welcomed dozens of farmers, agricultural workers and others to the open-air event.
Broz and...
Gearing up for the Fourth of July
WATSONVILLE
With a theme of Stars, Stripes and Strawberries, the Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July Parade is set to start at 12:30pm on Tuesday at St. Patrick's Church and roll along Main Street to the Watsonville Main Branch of the Post Office.
Jessica Beebe, Recreation...
Volunteers gather to repair vandalized Black Lives Matter mural
Around 300 people joined forces to repair a giant Black Lives Matter mural Sunday in downtown Santa Cruz.
The work was a community response to the mural being damaged by two men in what prosecutors described as a hate crime for felony vandalism when they...
County Supervisors declare local emergency
In a brief special meeting Friday, three Santa Cruz County Supervisors declared a local emergency, which will allow officials to request state and federal...