News

PAJARO—Scores of volunteers were on hand Monday morning at Marinovich Cold Storage in Pajaro, preparing to hand out gifts to hundreds of local families at Casa de la Cultura’s annual Christmas giveaway. The Casa de la Cultura organization aims to support low-income residents, especially farmworkers,...

ABOVE: Silvia Ignacio is joined by Regina Acosta, 6, and Mateo Acosta, 8, on Carey Street Wednesday during the City of Watsonville Santa Tour. Riding abroad a 1967 Crown fire truck driven by former Watsonville Fire Capt. Matt Ryan, Santa and several leaves and...

WATSONVILLE—The City of Watsonville bade goodbye to three outgoing members on Tuesday, two of them longtime leaders with decades of combined experience between them.  Lowell Hurst and Rebecca Garcia served for years on the council, including stints as mayor. Francisco “Paco” Estrada was elected in...

WATSONVILLE—A new wood-fired pizza restaurant recently opened in the East Lake Village Shopping Center. Sandwiched between the Villager bar and Carmona’s BBQ and Catering, Uncie Ro’s is the latest addition to the busy center. “We’re just happy to be able to open our doors to...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees closed its year Wednesday by swearing in four trustees, three existing members and one of them freshly elected in November. Olivia Flores took her seat after she and Daniel Dodge Jr. were sworn in by former...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Supervisors bade farewell to two longtime members Tuesday, both of whom served as city council members in their respective districts before taking their seat on the Board. Ryan Coonerty joined the Board in 2014 after serving on the Santa...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to purchase a mid-county building which, if it passes inspection, will house the County’s first residential mental crisis program for youth.  The new Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit and Short Term...

APTOS—Local professional musical theater company Cabrillo Stage has appointed Andrea L. Hart as its new artistic director. Cabrillo Stage is a nonprofit musical theater company that presents full scale Broadway musicals every summer at Cabrillo College in Aptos. The company aims to produce a diversity...

CASTROVILLE—Six months after moving from its iconic Moss Landing location, Phil’s Fish Market reopened in its new location in the heart of Castroville. The restaurant has gained a large following of loyal customers and an international reputation for its seafood dishes, most notably the cioppino—a...

Watsonville firefighters attack a fire that broke out in a two-story home on the 400 block East Beach Street Thursday morning. Battalion Chief Jon Goulding said the blaze opened up in a second floor portion of the home that is divided into several units....