National Agriculture Day scholarship, contest winners announced
WATSONVILLE—For years the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau (SCCFB) and the Agri-Culture organization have hosted the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon. However, due to the current COVID- 19 pandemic, the March 18 event was postponed, and its future remains uncertain.
Despite this, the two groups...
Fireworks seizure the largest in Watsonville history
Watsonville police arrested two men on July 3 after they were found with more than 4,500 pounds of illegal fireworks.
The bust is the largest in Watsonville Police history, and the biggest on the Central Coast this year, police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said.
Luis Martinez and...
Group to call on Driscoll’s to cease pesticides near schools
A local group is calling on the nation’s largest berry grower to cease the use of pesticides on farm fields located near schools.
The Campaign for Organic & Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) will hold a press conference and community gathering on May 21 to ask Driscoll’s...
Carmageddon: Highway 1 closed for 24 hours
The California Highway Patrol closed north and southbound lanes of Highway 1 in Soquel Saturday at 7pm to make way for Granite Construction crews to demolish the 1948 Capitola Avenue bridge above the highway.
The closure and carefully crafted detour between Bay/Porter and Park Avenue...
Suspect nabbed in school burglary
A man was arrested Feb. 21 for stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronic equipment from Bradley Elementary School.
Travis Clarke, 33, was charged with burglary, possession of a controlled substance and a probation violation. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu...
Group sparks conversation about Valley’s pesticide use
A newly formed community group with the vision of reducing the use of pesticides in the Pajaro Valley is taking on international berry giant Driscoll’s.
The Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) recently sent a letter to Driscoll’s CEO Miles Reiter calling for the...
Watsonville clearing homeless camps along Pajaro River Levee
Watsonville city officials on Monday began clearing a sprawling unsanctioned homeless encampment along the Pajaro River that runs from Sakata Lane to Loughead Avenue.
The work, which includes mowing tall grasses and removing some trees, is expected to last through Aug. 2, Watsonville City spokeswoman...
Strawberries once again take top spot as crop values rise
MONTEREY COUNTY—Monterey County agriculture’s gross production value bounced back by 4.8% in 2021 to just over $4.1 billion, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic that also resulted in supply chain shortages.
This increase represents a $190 million rise from 2020, when the gross production value was...
St. Francis flag football rallies to edge Salinas | Weeklys Sports...
St. Francis sophomore Liliana Whitmeyer accounted for three touchdowns, and the Sharks defeated Salinas 20-19 in Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division flag football...
