Incumbent Jimmy Dutra and former city councilmember Trina Coffman-Gomez are competing for the District 6 seat on the Watsonville City Council on the Nov. 5 ballot, only weeks after a jury found Dutra liable for sexual abuse of a minor in a civil lawsuit. It’s the only one of three council seats up for election this cycle that’s being contested.
Tania Ortiz
Tania Ortiz joins Lookout Santa Cruz as the California Local News Fellow to cover South County. Tania earned her master’s degree in journalism in December 2023 from Syracuse University, where she was a Newhouse Diversity News Fellow. In Syracuse, she covered life and culture for Syracuse.com, writing features on local artists and organizations making an impact on the community.
While studying for her master’s, Tania also reported on feminist collectives in Mexico and their efforts to support families of femicide victims as a Pulitzer Center grantee. She’s also written for other publications such as the Charleston City Paper, The South Side Stand and the Los Angeles Journal.
Originally from Oceanside, Tania is excited to be reporting in her home state after living on the East Coast for two years. She looks forward to learning more about Santa Cruz County and connecting with the community through her reporting.
Posted inLatest News
After 70 years and flooding’s havoc, Pajaro River levee work begins
The Pajaro River flood protection project broke ground in Watsonville on Wednesday morning. Construction is expected to officially start in 2025. The groundbreaking marks the culmination of a nearly 70-year struggle to rebuild the Pajaro River levee.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville asks voters to allow service on city boards regardless of immigration status
If Measures V and W are passed in November, Watsonville’s city charter will be updated to eliminate gendered references and other outdated language, and residents who aren’t U.S. citizens will be able to serve on city boards and commissions.
Posted inLatest News
Watsonville OKs ‘tiny village’ for homeless over objections
Monterey and Santa Cruz county officials can now apply for a building permit for a proposed tiny home village for the homeless on the Westview Presbyterian Church property in Watsonville. But some councilmembers said a project update at Tuesday’s city council meeting left them with more questions than answers.
Posted inLatest News
Dramatic shift in homeless from Santa Cruz to Watsonville has officials scrambling to provide services
A dramatic shift in Santa Cruz County’s homeless population, with more being counted in Watsonville this year than the city of Santa Cruz, has officials scrambling to provide more shelter beds and services in the southern part of the county. Watsonville will consider a tiny home village project at its city council meeting on Tuesday, and is convening a community meeting on the broader issue of action to confront homelessness on Oct. 5.
Posted inLatest News
Last year’s storms hurt Santa Cruz County’s strawberry production, other crops
The severe storms and flooding that hit the region in 2023 had a significant impact on the production of berries and other crops in Santa Cruz County, according to a report the county released Friday. In 2023, the total estimated gross production value was $654,710,000, a 1.8% decrease from 2022.
Posted inLatest News
Aptos power outages, PG&E response are frustrating residents
Power outages in Aptos have been an issue for years, and have become more frequent in the past year. Residents have grown frustrated with the lack of communication from PG&E about outage causes and why they continue to happen. Part of the issue is how at-risk Aptos is for wildfires and how that triggers an automatic shut-off system when fire dangers are detected.
Posted inLatest News
Capitola Wharf grand reopening marks end of yearlong renovation project
The Capitola Wharf is set to reopen to the public on Sept. 25 following a yearlong renovation project. The community has invested heavily in the rebuild, raising $425,000 for additional features and participating in an art installation for the wharf’s gate.
Posted inLatest News
As homeless population shifts from Santa Cruz to Watsonville, officials aim to invest in South County services
Santa Cruz County officials on Tuesday pointed to a shift in the population of people experiencing homelessness from Santa Cruz to Watsonville and said that a new shelter and other services were needed in the southern part of the county before homeless encampments could be targeted as encouraged by an executive order by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
