“It’s been a tough year,” David Sanford says of 2023 for Santa Cruz County farmers and farmworkers. Sanford, who took over as county agricultural commissioner earlier this from Juan Hidalgo, talks about how local growers are tackling the variety of issues stemming from climate change, the effects of inflation and more in a Q&A with Jessica M. Pasko.
Watsonville
Posted inCity Life
What’s happening where this Halloween season in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz is a terrific place to be in the black-and-orange season, from the beautiful and family-oriented cultural richness of Dia de Los Muertos in downtown Watsonville to the whack-a doodle spectacle and abandon of Halloween night in downtown Santa Cruz. Wallace Baine brings you a selection of the best ways to have some spooky fun.
Posted inK-12 Education
Survey shows majority of PVUSD voters would support bond measure
Pajaro Valley Unified School District board members are considering whether to pursue a bond measure on the November 2024 ballot to fund repairs to schools and classrooms and potentially build staff housing. A survey shows they likely have the support they need.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Two downtowns, two new visions in Watsonville and Santa Cruz
As Watsonville embarks on an ambitious long-term downtown makeover and Santa Cruz’s continues, both cities are aiming to boost housing density and make those areas more livable while also focusing on events and experiences at a time when e-commerce has made brick-and-mortar retail less of a downtown driver.
Posted inFood & Drink
A bountiful fall: 23 foodie events happening in Santa Cruz County this month
Local calendars are filling up with food-themed fall events. Lookout food and drink correspondent Lily Belli collected them all in one place, and notes her picks for the best events of the season.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
A new era for downtown Watsonville begins after unanimous city council vote
Watsonville’s city council unanimously voted Tuesday night to approve a new 30-year vision to reinvigorate the city’s downtown. The goal is to transform the area into a vibrant hub of culture and commerce, complete with bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly streets and opportunities for new development. That vision rests on a plan for Caltrans to reduce Main Street from four lanes to two.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Watsonville downtown planning, Onewheel recall & small biz resources
In her weekly roundup of news and notes from the Santa Cruz County business community, Jessica M. Pasko details Watsonville’s Downtown Specific Plan ahead of a city council vote and notes a recall affecting Santa Cruz-made electric skateboards, plus milestones for local businesses, dates to save and more.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville city leaders weigh vision for downtown’s future
With the goal of creating an active, vibrant and walkable downtown featuring a mix of shops, restaurants, housing and office spaces that still maintains the area’s historic character, the downtown plan goes to the Watsonville City Council for a vote next Tuesday.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Let’s hold our state accountable for pesticide regulation: Urge Gov. Newsom to sign AB 652
California likes to brag about its robust environmental laws, writes local activist Woody Rehanek, but it rarely talks about the troubling pattern of pesticide use and public health. A September “People’s Tribunal on Pesticide Use and Civil Rights in California” helped illuminate disparities in exposure. It also highlights problems in our state’s decentralized regulatory system, which allows county agricultural commissioners to wield unchecked power. A proposed solution, Assembly Bill 652, aims to establish stronger rules to hold the Department of Pesticide Regulation accountable for these practices.
Posted inLatest News
News roundup: Coast Classic, Aptos Village project, student robotics, Scotts Valley library
New Leaf Community Markets brand manager Lindsay Gizdich said the store is moving from Pacific Avenue in order to have…
