COVID-19

WATSONVILLE—The demographics of Santa Cruz County’s novel coronavirus cases now mirror those at the state and national level, raising concerns about the county’s response to increasing numbers in Watsonville. Though cases have remained relatively low compared to other counties around the state, Watsonville and its...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz METRO bus system is maintaining regular schedules during the coronavirus crisis but discussions are now underway, based on the county’s shelter-in-place order Monday, that could lead to limiting some service.  In addition, the METRO Pacific Station Transit Center lobby and...

WATSONVILLE—Members of a local car club hope their passion projects will help the community’s farmworkers weather the unknown during the coronavirus pandemic. Watsonville Riders on Saturday will host the Farmworker Relief Cruise in downtown Watsonville from 5-7pm. The automobile showcase will serve as a fundraiser...

Jurisdictions throughout the U.S. have imposed shelter-in-place orders for their residents in an attempt to slow or stop the spread of coronavirus, casting into doubt nearly all day-to-day activities. So what is and is not allowed under the order? Grocery stores and other retail businesses that...

WATSONVILLE—Current positivity rates in Santa Cruz County’s low-income and disadvantaged communities are among the worst in the state and Bay Area region, according to data reported by the California Department of Public Health. The county’s so-called “Health Equity Quartile Positivity Rate” was 22.7% on Wednesday...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Unified School District students will wait at least two extra months to return to their classrooms, the district’s trustees unanimously voted Wednesday. The district was planning to begin a hybrid version of in-person learning starting in January, but a recent surge of Covid-19,...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Since COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in late December, healthcare professionals, elected leaders and everyday citizens around the world have been looking for answers and trying to unsnarl the constantly-changing situation. There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries,...

SACRAMENTO—New stay-at-home orders issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday will be based on intensive care unit capacity in five regions in California. Newsom said that much of the state will likely be under the stay-at-home orders within the next few days if ICU capacity...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—California health officials on Tuesday moved Santa Cruz County into the less restrictive “Moderate” or Orange tier, meaning that several businesses can reopen and welcome in more customers. The move means that the county is seeing 1-3.9 new cases per 100,00 in population....

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials on Tuesday are expected to discuss whether the county will join five other Bay Area counties in preemptively adhering to the regional stay-at-home order recently issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Although the item is not agendized for tomorrow’s Santa...