Bay/Porter onramp closed for two months
The Bay/Porter onramp to southbound Highway 1 in Soquel has been shut down as part of the ongoing project to construct north and southbound auxiliary lanes and bus-on-shoulder improvements on Highway 1 between the Bay Avenue/Porter Street and State Park Drive.
“As a reminder, starting...
Pajaronian election guide
As voters prepare to fill in their ballots for the Nov. 5 election, they are not just casting their vote for President of the United States. They are also faced with a large array of candidates and local ballot initiatives that can seem daunting....
Community, lawmakers celebrate “monumental achievement” during groundbreaking ceremony
After decades of floods that devastated the communities of Pajaro and Watsonville—and flooded hundreds of acres of farmland—a group of local, state and federal lawmakers gathered near the banks of Corralitos Creek Wednesday to break ground on the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project,...
An interview with the District 2 Supervisor candidates
Several candidates tossed their hats in the ring in early 2024 when Zach Friend announced his departure from the District 2 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.
The top two vote-getters were Kim De Serpa, with 25.2% of the vote, and Brown...
Fire damages business, spreads to surrounding fields
A fire at Bamboo Giant on Freedom Boulevard early Tuesday afternoon damaged a structure, spread into the neighboring field and closed the road in both directions.
According to CalFire spokesman Tony Akin, the blaze broke out just past noon. Firefighters were met with towering flames...
Sheriff: Watsonville man contacted minor for sex
A Watsonville man arrested by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Sept. 3 is suspected of using social media to contact a minor with the intent of sex.
Luis Salas, 35, was charged with false imprisonment, human trafficking, kidnapping, contacting a minor with the intent...
Local artist cuts a new direction
Watsonville artist Elizabeth Williams will show her latest artworks in a new exhibit at Fruition Brewing in Watsonville.
"Folk Art, Assemblage Dolls and Painted Cut-Outs," will feature around 50 works of painted wood sculptures, assemblage, paintings on wood and more.
“This show came about because I...
PVUSD Trustees will appoint Holm’s replacement
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will appoint a trustee to replace Jennifer Holm, who on Sept. 3 announced her early resignation from the board.
The vote fell 5-1 in favor of making an appointment, and rejecting holding a special election to...
Watsonville City Council slams tiny village plan, approves mobile home ordinance
The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday expressed frustration at a new planned tiny village community for homeless people slated for the parking lot of Westview Presbyterian Church at 118 First St.
With the zoning approved on Sept. 20, Monterey County—the lead agency for the village—can...
“A Watershed moment:” PVHCD to purchase Watsonville Community Hospital building, property
Pajaro Valley Healthcare District—the public agency tasked with running Watsonville Community Hospital—announced Wednesday that they plan to purchase the building and surrounding property, a major milestone in a years-long endeavor to return the facility to public ownership.
The unanimous decision came during a closed-session discussion,...
County remembers people who died while homeless
The number of people who died while homeless this year saw a sizable decline from last year, when Santa Cruz County honored 121 people...