COVID-19

WATSONVILLE—Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 24 revealed a new temporary housing program that aims to help agricultural workers across the state better protect themselves and their families during the Covid-19 pandemic. Housing for the Harvest will offer temporary hotel housing to workers who need to...

SACRAMENTO—Gob. Gavin Newsom ordenó el Lunes un cierre estatal de los servicios interiores en restaurantes, teatros, bodegas, museos, zoológicos, salas de juegos y centros de entretenimiento familiar. Newsom tambien dijo que las cantinas deben cesar todas las operaciones. Además, 30 condados en la Lista de...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—California Gov. Gavin Newsom at a Thursday press conference announced that 40 percent of the state’s vaccination doses will be prioritized for disadvantaged communities, a move he said was needed to address the disproportionate impact that the novel coronavirus has had on...

A single door was propped open, with a long table placed just inside of Santa Cruz Cider Company’s Apple City Tasting Room Monday afternoon.  A sign directed customers to the makeshift pickup window, which the owners have set up during the countywide shelter-in-place order. Natalie Henz,...

WATSONVILLE—Keeping area streets and sidewalks tidy has become more of a chore since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.  An uptick in disposable rubber gloves and all types of masks dumped on the streets has been commonplace since early March. And they’re building up. These items,...

WATSONVILLE—Several local supermarkets are offering senior-only shopping hours in light of COVID-19, which poses a particular risk to seniors and the medically vulnerable. In Watsonville, Safeway is open to seniors and at-risk shoppers every Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9 a.m.; Target dedicates its first hour...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday approved several changes to its Community Development Block Grant funding plan from the previous fiscal year and accepted an early funding plan for the 2020-21 fiscal year. The amendments to the 2019-20 fiscal year were needed because the City...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Mayor Rebecca Garcia had a request during a conference call with Santa Cruz County leaders: don’t forget our Spanish speaking population. The longtime outspoken community activist now in charge of the county’s most densely populated city and largest Latino community pushed leaders to add...

APTOS—Pajaro Valley Unified School District announced Wednesday it is closing Rio Del Mar Elementary School for two days after a person there tested positive for coronavirus. District officials are not saying what the person’s relationship to the school is. They were last at the school...

WATSONVILLE—The Covid-19 community testing site at Ramsay Park in Watsonville is now open to all residents of Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. First opened to frontline healthcare workers, first responders and employees working in essential services and roles, the site will now test everyone, including...