Watsonville
Posted inLatest News

After 68 years, a new Pajaro River levee is now all but guaranteed, set to begin summer 2024

by Christopher Neely

Nothing is ever guaranteed, but officials say a new Pajaro River levee is as close as government gets after local and federal agencies signed an agreement to spend the money for the first section of the project. The largely low-income communities of Pajaro and parts of Watsonville have been waiting for reinforced flood protection for nearly 70 years.

Posted inOpinion from Community Voices

We have to do more to tighten pesticide regulation in Santa Cruz County

by Woody Rehanek

Santa Cruz County holds an unwanted and embarrassing title, says organic agriculture activist Woody Rehanek: “No other county in California has such a high proportion of fumigant gases to overall pesticides applied.” In short, we continue to use far too many pesticides, he writes. And the state Department of Pesticide Regulation’s draft plan for the use of pesticides for 2024-28 falls short of what we need to protect farmworkers and ourselves.

Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro

Against the odds, Watsonville Community Hospital survived bankruptcy. Will it survive the next few years?

by Hillary Ojeda

While Watsonville Community Hospital recently celebrated a year since its rescue from bankruptcy, it continues to face enormous challenges. Hailed as a success story in how to save a distressed California hospital from closure, the hospital’s leaders point to the changes they are making to keep the doors open. But the hospital’s financial woes still loom large.

Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro

In Watsonville, farmworkers, students and activists demand state reduce pesticide use, boost organic farming

by Hillary Ojeda

Students, farmworkers and doctors urged the state’s Department of Pesticide Regulation to restrict the use of harmful pesticides and push farmers to adopt organic practices during a gathering Monday in Watsonville. Residents shared personal stories of health issues, calling for greater protection for farmworkers and their communities. Some speakers drove from hundreds of miles away to participate in the meeting. The department will consider public comments before finalizing a new strategic plan.

Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro

Watsonville springs to life honoring the dead for Día de Los Muertos

by Wallace Baine

“It’s really important that people know this is not Mexican Halloween,” the director of the Watsonville Film Festival says of Día de Los Muertos, being celebrated this weekend at the downtown plaza and elsewhere. “The essence of each is very different. Halloween is all about being scary and funny, and though Day of the Dead can be funny, too, they just come from different places.”

Posted inEnvironment

Some Pajaro Valley farms are paid to solve California’s water crisis by returning stormwater to the ground

by Alix Soliman

Can agriculture, long considered a drain on the state’s water resources, help solve California’s water crisis? In the Pajaro Valley, some farmers are being paid to return stormwater to the ground. The effort is part of a joint project among local agencies, landowners and UC Santa Cruz to install groundwater recharge basins on some local farms. Participating farms receive cash rebates based on how much water they capture. But while early results are promising, many challenges remain.

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