Good morning! It’s January 9 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Corralitos / Freedom news
Here are Watsonville Public Library’s top checked-out books of 2025
By Hillary Ojeda
January 9, 2026
Property code violations
County officials cite property owners for issues such as substandard housing, illegal uses of buildings, property maintenance, abandoned appliances or furniture, construction without permits, and other issues that affect public safety and quality of life.
- A code violation notice has been issued for the property at 1120 Whiskey Hill Rd, Watsonville 95076-9646, under case number NV25325, processed on 12/30/2025. The violation concerns the conversion of an existing barn into a 2-bedroom dwelling without obtaining the necessary building permits or approvals from the County of Santa Cruz. Local building codes require that any change of use or residential conversion, such as this barn-to-dwelling project, must go through proper permitting and inspection processes to ensure safety and compliance. The lack of permits for this conversion constitutes a violation of these regulations.
New local businesses
- A new business named ENHANCED BY DREAA was registered at 444 Airport Blvd. Ste 101, Watsonville CA 95076 on December 26. The business was registered by Andrea Rocha-rocha as an individual business.
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- There is a one-way traffic closure on South Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley because of emergency work. The closure is expected to end at 3:59 p.m. on April 1.
Farmers’ market Sunday
The Corralitos Farm & Garden Market is a small, friendly, open air market made up of local farmers and gardeners who grow within about a five mile radius of Corralitos. Seasonally is has strawberries, blueberries, cherries, lemons, tomatoes, herbs, squash, potatoes, carrots, peas, beets, and avocados, as well as a variety of other fruits, vegetables, lettuces and salad greens. Bakers offer treats, along with a table full of beautiful potted flowers. You may find expertly handmade natural soaps, and homemade jams and preserves.
Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Corralitos Cultural Center, 127 Hames Road, Year Round Read more
Restaurant inspections
County officials regularly inspect food facilities to ensure compliance with state laws. Here, Lookout Santa Cruz reports both those who have passed the inspections and those that the county deems to have a “major” issue. The county’s full ongoing report can be accessed here.
- The Home Depot #1069 at 355 S Green Valley Rd, Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 29 with no critical issues.
No crimes to report today
We checked with local police and there were no new incidents to report.
Disclosure: Traffic incidents and code violations are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.