News

On a drive along San Andreas Road, Reach Road and Riverside Drive this morning I noticed more field workers harvesting and grooming fields that I’ve seen in a while. I noticed they were wearing masks and gloves. • An early morning fire tore through Master Car...

WATSONVILLE—For the past eight years, Nikki Lewen has been writing and releasing a trilogy of novels—all the while being a full-time teacher and coach at Watsonville High School. This year, all that hard work has paid off as Lewen celebrates not only the release of...

Dancers from Estrellas de Esperanza prepare to take the stage in Watsonville during the Calle Libres and Dia de Los Muertos event Sunday. Music, food, information tables, bicycle events, Zumba and more filled out the 5-hour gathering.  Organizer Kimberly LaCrosse said the entire event “revolves...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Parks and Community Services Director Nick Calubaquib says since he was hired in 2018 that he has seen county officials make a stronger effort to reinvest in South County’s parks. That same year, the County of Santa Cruz finalized its parks strategic plan,...

Tarmo Hannula: Genaro Garcia Luna, Mexico’s former public security secretary, the very man who brazenly took on Mexico’s chief drug traffickers, has now been arrested and charged with taking millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel, the New York Times reported. His...

WATSONVILLE—The 11th Annual Watsonville Film Festival rolls out the red carpet March 3-12.   Co-Founder and Director Consuelo Alba said the festival will have screenings at the Mello Center and the Watsonville Public Library as well as online viewing opportunities.  “This year’s Festival presents an exciting line-up...

A grassroots movement of citizens concerned about the construction of a new battery storage facility in Watsonville held a public meeting on Monday evening to discuss the dangers of such a project and rally local residents by passing around petitions and encouraging citizens to...

WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville is asking the City Council to deem a troubled housing development off Ohlone Parkway a public nuisance at its July 6 meeting. Pacific Sunshine Garden at 1773 Santa Victoria Ave. has for more than three years failed to make various corrections...

WATSONVILLE—Nearly every business, school and agency in Santa Cruz County has been affected by the outbreak of Covid-19—but perhaps the hardest hit have been nonprofit organizations. With stay-at-home orders still mostly in place, nonprofits cannot hold fundraisers. And as much of their government funding and...