17-year-old in critical condition following stabbing near Boardwalk
Santa Cruz Police on Sunday arrested a man in connection with a stabbing near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk that left a 17-year-old Watsonville male in critical condition.
Extended Learning Program dishes thousands of bags to area students
WATSONVILLE—A huge program is underway in Watsonville to help keep students finely tuned and focused on education through the summer.
Jen Bruno, a curriculum coach, said the Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s Extended Learning Programs (ELP) over the past few weeks has loaded more than...
Repairs on Soquel Drive in Aptos
The Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works has reduced traffic flow along Soquel Drive at Aptos Street to one lane to repair the road damaged by winter storms.
Smaller classes, fewer days lead district’s plans for fall semester
WATSONVILLE—Many students unable to return to class when school starts on Aug. 14 due to Covid-19 restrictions will attend a virtual academy, an all-online option created by Pajaro Valley Unified School District as it plans for the coming academic year.
The PVUSD Board of Trustees...
Central Coast, Bay Area fires have leveled more than 1,000 structures
Four major fires throughout the Central Coast and greater Bay Area have destroyed at least 1,055 structures, various Cal Fire agencies announced Saturday morning.
The SCU Lightning Complex, the River Fire, the Carmel Fire and the CZU August Lightning Complex have chewed through 486,305 acres...
Arts Now working with districts to spark students’ creativity
WATSONVILLE—As lunchtime drew to a close Wednesday, fourth- and fifth-grade students at Starlight Elementary School began to gradually filter into the classroom of art teacher Meredith Branan Freeman.
They were there to learn about stop-motion animation and create their own movies. Some students worked individually,...
Michael Watkins, longtime county superintendent, to retire
“At the end of my term, I will have led the organization for 12 years,” he said. “I believe in giving others a chance to bring new ideas and leadership to any organization.”
County joins lawsuit to halt oil, mineral extraction
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 agreed to allow the county to join a lawsuit that would stop the federal government from issuing leases for fossil fuel extraction within its borders.
The lawsuit would in essence help preserve local...
Evacuation center at Lakeview Middle School opens
WATSONVILLE—An additional evacuation center for Santa Cruz County residents fleeing the CZU August Lightning Complex Fires opened Friday night at Lakeview Middle School in Watsonville.
The center is a partnership between the County of Santa Cruz, the City of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley Unified...
Santa Cruz Bee Company promotes regenerative beekeeping
During the winter of 2006-2007, beekeepers across the country began noticing a steep decline in bee populations.
It was Colony Collapse Disorder: a phenomenon in which a large percentage of a hive’s worker bees disappear, leaving behind their queen and a handful of bees to care for everything. Often, the hive will eventually perish.
Emily Bondor of Santa Cruz Bee Company thinks that the collapse which occurred a little over a decade ago is what kickstarted a sort of “beekeeping renaissance” in North America. People began noticing the inactivity and decline of honeybees and were inspired to take action.
