Watsonville hires ‘matchmaker’ to spur economic development
Watsonville is working with an Alabama-based retail consultant to bring national retailers and restaurants to spur economic development in the city and provide local shopping options for residents.
Watsonville City Council to hear initial plans for making Freedom Boulevard safer for pedestrians, cyclists
The Watsonville City Council will receive a report on conceptual plans to make Freedom Boulevard safer for pedestrians and cyclists at its Tuesday meeting.
Despite partial Murray Street Bridge reopening, businesses continue to hurt
H&H Fresh Fish Co. in the Santa Cruz Harbor has seen an uptick in customers since the city reopened the Murray Street Bridge to eastbound traffic last week. But businesses on the west side of the bridge continue to suffer almost a year into the three-year construction project, and say they’ve lost faith that the city is listening.
Q&A: Matt Mahan on how growing up in Watsonville shaped run for California governor
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who was raised in Watsonville, says his working-class upbringing in the Pajaro Valley — shaped by immigrant farmworker communities, Catholic schooling and parents who lived paycheck to paycheck — informs his bid for California governor.
STATEWIDE UPDATES
‘Little death bombs’: Illegal cannabis farms poison California’s forests. Who’s cleaning them up?
Even after legalization, illicit cannabis grows continue to pollute California’s public lands. And the contamination, new research shows, lingers.
Here’s how Newsom proposes to revamp California’s education department
Gov. Gavin Newsom has put forth his plan to shift responsibility for the California Department of Education from the state superintendent to the governor and state board of ed. Rarely has a proposal to transform a bureaucracy moved so quickly from academia to legislation.
Supreme Court allows new California congressional districts that favor Democrats
The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to use a new voter-approved congressional map that is favorable to Democrats in this year’s elections, rejecting a last-ditch plea from state Republicans and the Trump administration.
California spends billions based on this pollution tracker. Who benefits from its latest update?
California is updating CalEnviroScreen, the influential pollution tracker that helps determine which communities get environmental grants. Advocates say the state should improve the tool and use it more frequently to cut pollution.
LOOKING AHEAD
Santa Cruz City Council: Next meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 3 p.m. at City Hall, 809 Center St.
- The council will consider updating the city’s municipal code to reflect changes to state regulations for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which the city planning commission already approved at its Jan. 15 meeting.
Santa Cruz City Planning Commission: No meeting scheduled for this week.
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors: Next meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 9 a.m., 500 Westridge Drive, Watsonville.
- The board of supervisors will review a proposed 57-unit housing development at 841 Capitola Rd. The project is a “builder’s remedy” project, which means it bypassed local zoning laws with more affordable units when the county was out of compliance with state housing requirements. The development was originally approved by the county planning commission in October, but has drawn consistent resistance from neighbors, who appealed the decision.
Santa Cruz County Planning Commission: Next meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 9:30 a.m. at the County Government Center, 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz.
- Public hearing to consider the 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report, including a report on housing programs and statistics that demonstrate progress toward meeting a fair share of housing needs.
Watsonville City Council: Next meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall, 275 Main St.
- The city council will consider prohibiting federal immigration officers from using city-owned facilities for immigration enforcement activities amid increased enforcement around the country.
- The council will also vote on a ban on parking oversized vehicles on public streets.
- Corey Schaefer will be sworn in as Watsonville’s next fire chief.
- Brian Shab will be sworn in as the next police chief.
Watsonville Planning Commission: Next meeting is scheduled for March 4.
Capitola City Council: Next meeting is Thursday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 420 Capitola Ave.
Capitola Planning Commission: Next meeting is scheduled for March 5.
County Latino Affairs Commission: Next meeting is scheduled for April 1.
