COVID-19

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials on Monday ordered all residents to stay home unless engaging in “essential activities, essential governmental functions, or to operate essential businesses.” In addition, all public and private outdoor gatherings are prohibited, as is all non-essential travel. Residents can still go...

The Santa Cruz METRO bus system is maintaining regular schedules during the coronavirus crisis and they’ve bolstered their routine cleaning. They operate a fleet of 98 buses on 26 fixed routes. “While we will try to provide as much service as possible, customers should...

Welcome to the first issue of our new weekly newsletter covering California’s experience with COVID-19, the novel strand of coronavirus currently sweeping the globe. This is a special edition of the newsletter; all subsequent issues will be sent on Tuesday mornings.To help you manage...

WATSONVILLE—Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday afternoon said all bars, night clubs, wineries and breweries should close and that restaurants should move to takeout orders and reduce to half-capacity to halt the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus that has sickened thousands worldwide. He also called...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees in an emergency meeting Saturday unanimously approved a plan to close all district schools for two weeks, and allow most employees to work from home.  Essential staff will provide services such as food, custodial and technology,...

Being in the newsroom at the Pajaronian has been extraordinary these past few weeks with the outbreak of the global pandemic: COVID-19. We are hearing of big changes across the social spectrum, from schools cancelling classes to late night talk shows no longer having...

WATSONVILLE—The City of Watsonville on Friday announced it will close all nonessential services starting Monday because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, a move that will shut the Watsonville and Freedom branch libraries as well as several City offices. City Manager Matt Huffaker...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Starting Monday, thousands of students across Santa Cruz County will be out of school for at least one week after county education officials closed every school in response to the growing threat from coronavirus. But teachers and school employees will be required to...

*NOTE: This story was written prior to Thursday night’s decision to suspend school athletics.  Make no joke about it. The coronavirus is real and it’s slowly making its way into the Pajaro Valley. But the big scare hasn’t affected any of the prep sports in the...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Office of Education on Thursday evening announced that all schools in the county will be closed from March 16-20. The announcement was emailed to parents throughout the county one day after a case was confirmed in a person with...