Wednesday evening, the board of the Pajaro Valley Health Care District heard a presentation on the possibility of buying the real estate Watsonville Community Hospital sits on through a future bond measure. Currently, the district pays $250,000 per month in rent for the facility, and it is looking for ways to save money long-term.
Watsonville
Posted inK-12 Education
Pajaro Valley Unified School District in talks for property purchase for workforce housing
As workforce housing rises to the fore in the area’s affordability crisis, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board considered the purchase of housing in a closed session Wednesday. It could join the Santa Cruz City Schools district, which is moving to build such housing, and the Live Oak School District, which is in the early stages of planning.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Filipino fare, Trout Farm Inn and Zelda’s (re)open & exploring the roots of food disgust
Hello eaters! Jessica M. Pasko here. While Lily is out on maternity leave, I’m pitching in on the latest local food news. A little about me — I’m a writer and a native of upstate New York, living in Santa Cruz for over a decade. Our rich food culture is just one of the many […]
Posted inLatest News
Amid more chaos, Santa Cruz County Fair board meets in closed session
Its leadership void growing and with five months to prepare for the fairgrounds’ big annual event, the Santa Cruz County Fair’s board was set to meet Tuesday evening to consider appointing still more interim leadership.
Posted inLatest News
State awards more than $40 million to spur Santa Cruz County public transit and housing projects
Zero-emission buses, groundbreaking on the downtown Santa Cruz transit center and 60 units of downtown Watsonville housing are among the projects to be funded by a grant announced Monday, part of more than $690 million the state of California is spending on transit in 2023.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Santa Cruz County officials eye CARE Court uncertainly as implementation inches closer
In this edition of In the Public Interest, Christopher Neely looks at what’s ahead for Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Courts, the state’s system of courts with the power to compel people suffering from some diagnosed mental health conditions into state-sponsored treatment. Santa Cruz County faces a deadline of December 2024 to implement its CARE program.
Posted inFood & Drink
A (definitely not definitive) guide to lunch in Watsonville
There’s no shortage of options when the noon hour finds you in Watsonville with a rumbly tummy. Laura Sutherland has a few suggestions, from a seafood standby to farm-to-table and airport views to a taqueria/craft beer gem tucked speakeasy-style inside a gas station.
Posted inK-12 Education
Lookout Update: Ceiba College Prep chipping away at Watsonville permit mandates
In approving a special-use permit and changing zoning to allow Ceiba College Preparatory Academy to remain at its Locust Street location, the Watsonville City Council imposed 55 conditions for continued operation. Principal Josh Ripp says Ceiba has fully or partially complied with 44, including on safety and trash issues, even as a group of local residents is challenging the permit process.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Plant-forward Vietnamese cuisine, cocktail crash courses and fab vegan cheese
Hello eaters! Jessica M. Pasko here. While Lily is out on maternity leave, I’m pitching in on the latest local food news. A little about me — I’m a writer and a native of upstate New York, living in Santa Cruz for over a decade. Our rich food culture is just one of the many […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Watsonville’s El Mercado farmers market opens for season
El Mercado, the farmers market operated by the Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley at Ramsay Park in Watsonville, heads into its third year of a mission to improve access to healthy produce.