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Aptos
April 15, 2025

New housing program helps farmworkers during Covid-19 pandemic

housing for the harvest
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...

County unveils vendors for senior meal program

Santa Cruz County
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The County of Santa Cruz announced that five local food businesses have been chosen to deliver fresh, nutritious meals to hundreds of local seniors during the Covid-19 pandemic. Great Plates Delivered serves food to vulnerable older adults through a federal economic stimulus for...

Gov. Newsom to close beaches, parks statewide Friday

covid-19 beaches
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday is expected to announce the closure of all beaches and state parks starting Friday, multiple national news agencies reported late Wednesday night. The news comes days after Gov. Newsom expressed concern over numerous photos of people crowding beaches throughout the...

Bus operators push back on METRO’s rider increases

Santa Cruz METRO covid-19
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz METRO has increased its passenger capacity by 50% in an effort to accommodate more riders, but that decision has raised concerns within the union representing the bus operators still working during the Covid-19 pandemic. METRO CEO Alex Clifford announced on June...

Officers balancing enforcement, education of COVID-19 orders

COVID-19 orders
Additional reporting by Todd Guild SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—With the onset of warmer, sunny days, droves of people have been showing up at area beaches and parks, especially on weekends, even as the shelter-in-place order has hit day 41.  And beginning April 25, Santa Cruz County also...

Cabrillo sees enrollment drop following fires, pandemic

Cabrillo College enrollment
APTOS—When Covid-19 began to sweep the U.S.—and brought with it an economic recession—Cabrillo College officials expected a jump in enrollment that typically comes with a battered economy. But the college is now seeing a significant drop in those numbers, which it pins on the double...

Santa Cruz METRO steps up disinfecting routines to keep rolling

Santa Cruz Metro
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Deep cleaning is now routine at Santa Cruz METRO to not only keep their fleet on the road, but to assure riders that busses are squeaky clean. Every day since early March, before the first person in Santa Cruz County was diagnosed with...

Cabrillo students wrestle with academic, economic uncertainty

By Jazmin Juarez, Special to the Pajaronian SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The coronavirus has brought many changes to people’s everyday lifestyle. Among them, the transition from in-person to online classes for students. In Santa Cruz County, Cabrillo College switched to online courses on March 16. The school has...

Santa Cruz County to revise rules for retail

Santa Cruz County
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel said she will revise her shelter-in-place order later this week, after Gov. Gavin Newsom releases information about slightly loosening statewide restrictions. Newsom is expected to launch Stage 2 of his “Reopening Roadmap,” which will allow retail...

Dominican Hospital gets $1M donation for workers

Dominican donation covid-19
SANTA CRUZ—Dignity Health Dominican Hospital announced Monday that it has received a $1 million donation, which will be dispersed to hospital employees who have helped fight the coronavirus. The anonymous donor is a “long-time friend” of the hospital who wanted to thank the workers specifically...