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Cannabis License Applications Move Ahead in Watsonville

Johanna Miller

October 26, 2020

Cannabis License Applications Move Ahead in Watsonville

A total of 18 cannabis license applications, spanning all fields of the industry, have been submitted to the city of Watsonville in time for its Oct. 15 deadline.

Community Development Department Director Suzi Merriam said that the process went smoothly, and the amount of applications was close to what they had expected. However, there were a couple of surprises.

“One real eye-opener was … I was expecting the big draw to be mainly in retail,” she said. “But there was a lot of interest in other areas too, like processing and distribution.”

Currently, the city allows cannabis licenses in cultivation (6), manufacturing (15), distribution (2), retail (3) and delivery (7), plus unlimited testing licenses. This includes businesses who are already operating, and the new applicants.

Back in June, the Watsonville City Council approved a number of changes to the city’s cannabis rules, as well as implementing an “equity program” aiming to give small, local and minority-owned businesses a chance by setting them aside one permit per field.

Merriam said that three equity applicants have applied for that single retail license, while other applicants are at odds 9-2. This gives the applicants a fighting chance against the much larger companies.

The city has sent out all of the new applications to its cannabis consultant, HdL Companies, for review. Meanwhile, city staff will also be taking a closer look at the applications. This process will likely take between 3-4 weeks and be completed by the end of November, Merriam said.

Interviews with the remaining applicants will begin sometime in December. Based on those interviews, top scorers will then be invited to apply for usage permits (special use, administrative, etc.) in January.

“We could see people starting up businesses as early as spring 2021,” Merriam said, “depending on how much work they need to do on their end.”

The

Watsonville Film Festival Hosts Virtual Day of the Dead Celebration

Johanna Miller

October 23, 2020

Watsonville Film Festival Hosts Virtual Day of the Dead Celebration

The Day of the Dead—Día de los Muertos—is a Mexican holiday observed across the globe every year in which families honor their deceased relatives with food, drink and celebrations.

For the past few years, the Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) has organized a special community Day of the Dead celebration in the City Plaza, complete with music, food, altars, arts and crafts and an outdoor screening of the Disney/Pixar film “Coco.”

But with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the organization has had to switch gears.

“We knew we had to find a way to celebrate any way we could,” said Consuelo Alba, executive director of WFF. “Everything is different in 2020, but the beautiful Día de Muertos traditions must continue.”

“Fiesta Virtual de Día de Muertos,” organized by WFF, Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA) and Mariposa Arts, will kick off Oct. 28 with five days of online activities, including screenings of both locally produced shorts and other films, virtual music and dance performances, poetry, panels and discussions, and hands-on tutorials.

Everything will stream free online.

“We have been working very hard behind-the-scenes on this program. It’s important, especially now, to highlight the incredible talented and creativity in this community,” Alba said.

On Oct. 16, local artist Venessa Ledesma and her son were at PVA on Sudden Street filming bilingual tutorials on sugar skull-themed face painting and constructing paper marigolds, flowers traditionally used on Day of the Dead altars, or “ofrendas.”

Ledesma’s painting tutorial offers two options: a full-coverage meant for when you are with your shelter-in-place family, and another half-coverage for when you are in public wearing a face mask.

“I really enjoy doing it, seeing the transformation of little kids into little sugar skulls,” she said. “And it’s fun to see them excited about it. It helps them feel connected to the culture.”

In addition to the virtual activity lineup, WFF has also created an official “Fiesta Virtual de Día de Muertos” Coloring and Art Activity Book, with support from PVA. Ten local artists are featured in the 28-page book, which in addition to black and white pieces you can color, also includes word searches, history and writing activities.

“[The book] really was a community effort,” Alba said. “We are very excited for people to see it.”

Families can purchase the book, as well as gift one to a local farmworker family, by visiting watsonvillefilmfest.org/amigos. All proceeds will support the organization.

The Watsonville Film Festival also invites families to take photographs of their own Day of the Dead ofrendas, face paint and outfits. Send them to jo****@*********************al.org by Monday, Oct. 26, and they will be shared during a special virtual event Nov. 1, which will also include a dance performance by Watsonville’s own folkloric dance group, Esperanza del Valle.

“Fiesta de Día de Muertos” coincides with PVA’s annual art exhibition “Mi Casa es Tu Casa,” which also opens Wednesday, Oct. 28.

“[It] was all about creative synergy,” said PVA Board Treasurer Judy Stabile. “While the formats have changed, ‘Fiesta de Día de Muertos’ and ‘Mi Casa es Tu Casa’ will, as in the past, be joyful celebrations of community.”

Ledesma said that finding ways to celebrate Day of the Dead during the pandemic is important, not only as a way to stay connected to living family members, but also with those who have passed.

“It can remind people of the struggles of our ancestors, what they went through … and appreciate what we do have,” she said. “And seeing it all through such a beautiful, colorful celebration … it’s very meaningful.”

Fiesta Virtual de Día de Muertos 2020

Live virtual events:

Oct. 28: Live Calaca painting class with Gilroy-based artist Nacho Moya.

Oct. 29: Day of the Dead poetry featuring internationally-renowned poet Lucha Corpi, local author Adela Najarro and Los Escritores del Nuevo Sol/Writers of the New Sun from Sacramento. Hosted by Najarro and fellow Cabrillo College instructor Shirley Flores-Munoz, and PVA.

Oct. 30: Mi Casa Es Tu Casa Panel: Conversation about the upcoming Day of the Dead exhibition presented by PVA, focusing on the film “Common Ground.” Guests include Carmina Eliason, artists Lucien Kubo and Judy Stabile.

Oct. 31: Panel with Esperanza del Valle: Celebrating their 40th Anniversary, Director Janet Johns and dancers reflect on their history of celebrating dance and culture in Watsonville.

Nov. 1: A celebration with music and dance, including a special dance performance by Esperanza del Valle, songs by local musicians, and short videos made by filmmakers featuring the intimate process of creating ofrendas for loved ones.

Ongoing activities:

Films: Two locally made films (“Macaria” and “Common Ground”), an award-winning film from Mexico (“Music for the Ultimate Dream”), a documentary (“Artbound: Day of the Dead”), and some animated films will be free to view.

Coloring and Art Activity Book: A 28-page bilingual book featuring artwork by Trinidad Castro, Kathleen Crocetti, Paul De Worken, Juan Fuentes, Ome Garcia, Rosa Hernández, Nessa Ledesma, Cindy Nalleli Rodríguez, Augie WK and Gerardo Zambrano.

Community Engagement: Families are invited to take photographs of their home celebrations and send them to the WFF team by Oct. 26. They will be shared during the special celebration on Nov. 1.

Fate of Washington Statue Goes Before Watsonville Parks Commission

October 23, 2020

The Watsonville Parks and Recreation Commission will have a tough decision on its hands at its Nov. 3 meeting, as it is expected to make a recommendation to the city council on the fate of the much-debated George Washington bust in the City Plaza.

Parks and Community Services Director Nick Calubaquib at a Tuesday night virtual town hall revealed the results of a month-long online survey that asked the community for opinions and suggestions regarding the statue. Calubaquib said the City received more than 1,200 responses to the survey and that roughly 60% of respondents wanted the bust to stay. About 35% of respondents wanted it removed, and the rest were indifferent.

Only roughly 500 respondents were confirmed by the City as Watsonville residents, according to Calubaquib. Responses from Watsonville residents mirrored those of all respondents, Calubaquib said, as 59% of residents wanted it to stay.

Those results did little to sway a contingency of both Watsonville and Santa Cruz residents at the town hall from urging for the statue’s removal. Some called into question the math used to present the results and asked Calubaquib to release the raw data. Others had concerns that the survey skewed toward property owners and people with internet access. Those in attendance were also disappointed the survey did not gather information on ethnicity, gender and age, among other things.

There was no action taken during the meeting, which at times became a heated kerfuffle between supporters and detractors of the statue. The results of the survey and a shortlist of recommended decisions will be presented to the commission next month.

Part of a $100,000 gift from the Alaga Family Estate as a dying wish of Lloyd F. Alaga, the bust has called the City Plaza home since 2001. The city council unanimously approved the gift from Alaga in 1999, using $70,000 to create the bust and the rest to help restore the fountain in the historic park. The accompanying plaque on the pedestal reads “George Washington, 1732-1799, Father of His Country” and “First in War, First in Peace, First in the Hearts of His Countrymen.”

For two decades it sat mostly unnoticed at the park, nestled into the center of the city along with a handful of other historic elements. But the debate around the bust began amid a nationwide racial reckoning and as several monuments to presidents, historic figures and the Confederacy across the country were removed—both voluntarily and not.

Revolunas, the group leading the campaign to remove the bust, circulated an online petition and staged a sit-in protest around the bust on July 17 to call for its removal. That group was met by a counter-protest consisting of several local veterans led by former Watsonville Police Chief Manny Solano and his father Alex Solano, a well-known local veteran and community leader.

Soon after that protest, Manny Solano circulated his own online petition and organized a rally on July 31 back at the City Plaza.

That second meeting between the groups was reportedly contentious. Members of Revolunas said one member of Solano’s group shouted “white power” and another told a member of Revolunas to go back to Mexico.

In addition, a photo of a person flashing an “OK” hand gesture, which the Anti-Defamation League has said can sometimes be associated with white supremacy, surfaced from the July 31 rally. That rally caused concerns among several community members that the statue was attracting people who support white supremacy.

Survey responses echoed those concerns. The majority of respondents who want the bust removed said it is a symbol of white supremacy and racism. They also said that it does not reflect the values of the community and that Washington’s support of the genocide of Indigenous people and ownership of slaves were also reasons for it to be removed.

Those who want to leave the statue in its place said in the survey that it honors Washington’s actions that created and improved the country and that it is a reminder of the country’s history that should not be replaced.

Some who replied to the survey said they would be willing to compromise by adding an adjoining plaque to the statute that would put Washington into historical context—flaws and all. But about a dozen speakers at Tuesday’s meeting were not willing to accept that option and wanted it removed and placed elsewhere, a compromise that most supporters of the bust at the meeting said they would not accept.

Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Data Privacy, Cash Bail

The Pajaronian Staff

October 23, 2020

Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Data Privacy, Cash Bail

Editor’s note: This is the final entry in a series exploring the California propositions going before voters in the Nov. 3 election.

California voters will make a decision on 12 propositions in the upcoming election. The initiatives cover various issues, including the California tax code, rent control and voting rights. Here’s a look at three of the 12 propositions:

Proposition 23

When voters cast their vote on Proposition 23, it will not be the first time they have decided on a law governing dialysis clinics. Nearly 60% of voters in 2018 rejected Proposition 8, a nearly identical measure.

The proposed law would require a physician to be onsite at dialysis clinics during treatment and require them to report infections to the state. It would also prohibit them from refusing services based on payment source.

Supporters include the California Democratic Party and the California Labor Federation. They say that the law would improve safety and sanitation at dialysis clinics, and stop patient discrimination based on insurance.

Opposition to Prop. 23 includes the California Medical Association, the American Nurses Association of California and the American Academy of Nephrology PA’s.

They say that the law would threaten the lives of an estimated 80,000 patients by forcing many dialysis clinics to close. The lion’s share of these, opponents say, would be in rural and low-income areas where it is difficult to recruit doctors.

This would worsen the state’s doctor shortage, cause ER overcrowding and increase healthcare costs by hundreds of millions annually, opponents say.

Proposition 24

Proposition 24 would expand the reach of the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), a first-of-its-kind set of regulations that among other things allowed consumers to opt out of having their data collected.

Prop. 24 would also create the California Privacy Protection Agency to oversee the new law.

Under the proposed law, consumers could tell businesses not to share their personal information. In addition, businesses would be required to provide an opt-out option for having their personal information used for marketing.

Companies would have to get permission to collect data for consumers over age 16, and get parental information for those younger than 13. The law would triple fines for companies that violate this provision.

They would also be required to correct inaccurate information upon the consumer’s request.

Prop. 24 would reduce the number of companies that must follow privacy laws. Currently, rules apply to those with 50,000 customers or more. The new law would raise that number to 100,000, and would not apply to devices such as cell phones and tablets.

Analysts say the law would cost at least $10 million annually for the new state agency.

Supporters include the NAACP, Common Sense Media, Consumer Watchdog and several labor unions. They say the law would give consumers an important tool in an era when businesses track nearly every aspect of daily life.

Opponents of the law include the ACLU, the California Nurses Association and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. They say that the law was written by a tycoon, and establishes a pay-for-privacy system that would allow businesses to charge higher fees to stop sharing confidential information.

They also say that the law would place the onus of privacy on the consumer by requiring them to ask each company, instead of relying on automatic settings.

Proposition 25

If passed, this proposition would allow Senate Bill 10 to go into effect. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed that law on Aug. 28, 2018, but it still needs voter approval.

The law would eliminate the state’s cash bail system. Instead, defendants would either be held in jail or released based on their danger to the public and their flight risk. Most misdemeanor offenses are subject to automatic release.

Supporters say the new law dismantles a system in which wealthy defendants can pay to get out of pre-trial detention, while low-income ones suspected of the same crimes languish in jail.

But opponents, including the law enforcement community, the NAACP and, predictably, the bail bond industry, have come out strong against the law, saying that it reduces public safety. They also say the law would rely too heavily on a computer-generated algorithm and predictive models in determining a suspect’s potential for release.

Learn more about all of the statewide ballot measures at the California Secretary of State website.

Click here to see all of our ongoing 2020 election coverage.

Santa Cruz METRO Boosts Safety Measures Amid Pandemic

Tarmo Hannula

October 22, 2020

Santa Cruz METRO Boosts Safety Measures Amid Pandemic

In an effort to meet public transit safety standards set during the Covid-19 pandemic, Santa Cruz METRO officials showcased the safety and precautionary measures they have put in place during a Wednesday press conference.

Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold and METRO Board of Directors Chair Mike Rotkin joined METRO officials in the brief ceremony flanked by two buses that were on display to give a first-hand view of how the buses are geared to protect passengers and drivers.

METRO has installed hand sanitizer dispensers, between-row sneeze barriers and clear plastic operator curtains on its busses. It has also posted all preventative guidelines.

METRO CEO and General Manager Alex Clifford welcomed the crowd of around 30 people.

“Today we relaunch our pledge and welcome back our customers in helping them to feel good about the protective measures that we put in place for both our customers and for our employees,” he said.

On Oct. 12 METRO announced that it joined the American Public Transportation Association’s Health and Safety Commitments Program, tabbed as the industry’s pledge to passengers that transit systems are taking the necessary measures to operate safely during the pandemic.

“By signing the pledge we are joining 150 other transit agencies in the country who are actively working to instill confidence in riders by committing to protect their health and safety,” said Leopold, who is also a member of METRO’s Board of Directors.

The pledge was developed after organizers talked to riders across the country to understand what they needed to feel confident while returning to public transit. METRO also conducted a similar survey.

“If we can avoid things like the tragic outbreak that we had at the Watsonville Post Acute Center and continue to practice the simple rules we can keep our community safe and we can think about other things that might be able to reopen,” Leopold said.

James Sandoval, general chairperson for SMART Local 23, the union representing METRO operators, said the agency and the union have only one goal in mind: “to make sure our employees, our operators and our customers are safe while using our services.”

“We want our community and our customers to know that we are taking all necessary steps to safely transport them while using our services and encourage riders to return back to METRO,” Sandoval said.

For information on METRO’s safety guidelines, visit scmtd.com/safety.

Apple Harvest Wraps Up Following Challenging Growing Season

Johanna Miller

October 22, 2020

Apple Harvest Wraps Up Following Challenging Growing Season

It has not been an easy harvest season for California apples.

When temperatures shot up into the 100s in August and September, sparking wildfires across the state and harming numerous agricultural commodities, apples were one of the hardest-hit crops. The fruit is susceptible to high heat, especially when it lasts for more than a couple of days.

“It’s basically like putting the apples into a convection oven—they literally bake right off the trees,” said Karell Reader, owner of Luz de Valle Farms in Corralitos. “If they’re not protected by enough leaf cover, they just turn brown and fall onto the ground.”

Reader estimates that about one-quarter of their apple crops were lost this season due to the scorching temperatures.

“Really, all we could do was stand by and watch,” she said. “It’s kind of a helpless feeling … but that’s farming. There’s always some sort of pestilence or foul thing from Mother Nature that wants to come get you.”

Reader’s family has owned Luz de Valle Farm since 1880, when her great-grandfather, who was part of the Silva family, settled in what is now Pleasant Valley. After her uncle used the orchard as a retail outlet, it was eventually leased out—leading to it falling into disrepair.

That is until Reader and her husband, Phil Reader took it over in 2012.

“When we inherited [the farm], it was kind of a disaster,” she said. “It hadn’t been maintained … the barn roof was collapsing, the shop was falling apart. We started tossing around ideas about how to renovate and bring it back.”

Luz de Valle now covers about 17 acres of land off of Hames Road in Corralitos and boasts more than 26 varieties of apples, including many rare heirloom varieties. They grow standards such as Fuji and Gala, as well as Newton Pippins, which they mainly sell to Martinelli’s and Santa Cruz Cider Company.

Reader said that they inherited the farm “amongst a multitude of disasters,” from labor shortage issues to high water costs due to the drought. They were also dealing with low soil fertility due to neglect, and switching from conventional to organic farming.

“The orchard had been let go for so long that a lot of the bigger trees were tapped out,” she said. “We’ve had to rip some older trees out, go back in and plant.”

When ash began to fall over Santa Cruz County in August due to the CZU Lightning Complex fire, Reader said she was reminding customers to wash the fruit as much as possible. While ash does not harm the apples, it can affect the taste.

Luz de Valle became a temporary evacuation site for friends of the Readers who had evacuated from the fires, setting up an outdoor kitchen and tents on the property.

“They were here for almost a month,” Reader said. “It was a crazy time … but absolutely the right thing to do.”

Reader said that the Covid-19 pandemic has compelled the farm to focus on its community U-Pick days, which had families coming to the farm for apple-picking and to learn more about the crop.

“People have been looking for positive, constructive things to do,” she said. “We really enjoy meeting and educating people … helping deepen their understanding about their food.”

The 2020 apple season will soon be coming to an end. By the end of October, most apples at Luz de Valle will be harvested, and the Readers will take a short break before jumping into plans for next year.

“Right before Halloween, we take a deep breath,” she said. “We kind of have to force ourselves to take a day off …. The work never really ends on a farm. But we really love what we do.”

Bartolo Wines’ Bold, Fruit-Forward Petit Verdot 2012

Josie Cowden

October 21, 2020

Bartolo Wines’ Bold, Fruit-Forward Petit Verdot 2012

Barry Jackson is the winemaker of this 2012 Petit Verdot. Better known for his fabulous sparkling wines under his Equinox label, he also makes excellent wines under his Bartolo label, often searching out lesser-known grape varieties such as Petit Verdot—rare in both Bordeaux and California.

“Petit Verdot produces rich, dense wines with aromas of cassis and intense flavors of ripe blackberry,” Jackson says. Grapes were sourced from the Mann Vineyard in Gilroy, and Jackson added a touch of Merlot (13%) to this full-bodied red wine, then barrel-aged it for 30 months. Bold and fruit-forward, the Bartolo Petit Verdot ($25) goes well with barbecue, aged cheeses, portobello mushrooms, eggplant dishes and more.

Jackson and his wife Jennifer run a welcoming tasting room on the Westside of Santa Cruz. Check if they are running any specials. The last time we visited, we bought a whole case for an excellent price.

And do taste the Equinox sparkling wine as well as the Bartolo. After all, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before you know it—and we’ll certainly need some bubbly.

Bartolo and Equinox Wines, 334 Ingalls St., Unit C, Santa Cruz. 831-471-8608, equinoxwine.com.

Galante Vineyards’ Halloween Costume Contest

Galante Vineyards in Carmel is doing a Halloween costume contest on Zoom on Oct. 30 at 4pm. There will be spooktacular bingo prizes and frightfully fun giveaway prizes for their favorite costume. The Zoom ID is 664494604. RSVP to ma****@**************ds.com. Galante Vineyards tasting room is open for outdoor tasting Friday 1-9pm, Saturday 1-7:30pm, and Sunday-Thursday 1-6:30pm.

Galante Vineyards Tasting Room, Dolores Street, Carmel-by-the-Sea. 831-624-3800, galantevineyards.com.

Twisted Roots Hallow-wine Party

Wear your favorite Halloween costume and pair some candy with your favorite Twisted Roots wine or cider. Then do a Hallow-wine Zoom meetup on Oct. 29 at 6pm with Twisted Roots Vineyard and share why this combo is your Twisted favorite. To get the Zoom login, just email your receipt or proof of purchase to in**@******************rd.com. There’s a full moon on Halloween night, so have a howlin’ good time!

Twisted Roots Vineyard, 12 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley. 831-594-8282, twistedrootsvineyard.com.

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Enormous, Playful Menu Makes Beach Hut Deli Stand Out

Christina Waters

October 27, 2020

Enormous, Playful Menu Makes Beach Hut Deli Stand Out

The beach theme, outdoor picnic menu, and wraparound sports bar atmosphere make the new Beach Hut Deli at Ocean Street and Soquel Avenue a venue geared up for a summer season in a world where you can pull up a stool and sip your beer while watching a live soccer match.

But this isn’t quite that world, and while it seems odd that this brightly colored sandwich shop opened its doors during a pandemic, you have to applaud the courage involved. The Beach Hut Deli, whose gargantuan sandwiches and salads feature acres of deli meats, cheeses, and condiments, has plenty of well-spaced interior booths, plus a cozy little beer and wine bar that faces one of six screens—all tuned to the World Series when we visited last week.

My buddy Kate spotted the big, bright umbrellas and the ample outdoor dining area and thought it looked like a well-organized place for our next lunch. And it was. The warm autumn afternoon provided the outdoor atmosphere. The enormous menu offers playful salads, beach munchies served on taco chips, hot sandwiches, cold sandwiches—even a few soups of the day. If it can fit on a French roll, it’s on this menu.

So we placed our order next to a barrel filled with umpteen varieties of chips, paid, and took a seat at a corner table that offered my favorite combination of half shade and half sun. Sure, it’s a chain, but our Beach Hut Deli boasted a friendly local staff intent on making us happy.

Kate’s hot Pig Kahuna was an open-faced spectacle of pulled pork slathered with a sweet BBQ sauce heightened by Tabasco, Bulls-Eye, and cheddar, topped with fresh pineapple. Tasty.

My Surfin Pig involved an acreage of ham, avocado, bacon, and cream cheese, with adornments of shredded lettuce, excellent tomatoes, pepperoncini, and a dill pickle. Major.

While I ate steadily during our lunch, I only managed to consume half this baby ($10.50 each). Kate added a green iced tea to her lunch, and I made myself a lemon Coke, which as everyone knows is the perfect foil for a ham sandwich on a warm day ($2.75 each). Pleasantly full of fresh flavors, with good value for the money, we rolled out of Beach Hut Deli with hopes that this amiable coastal diner will attract its share of patrons.

Open daily 10am-8pm. 381 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. 831-431-6921, beachhutdeli.com.

The Inimitable Marianne’s

We followed lunch with a perfect end-of-meal, end-of summer dessert at Marianne’s Ice Cream, where Kate went for the flat-out decadence of caramel ice cream studded with fudge swirl and Oreo cookies—the infamous and justly popular 1020. I opted for something more subdued but just as creamy, a cup of elegant Black Walnut liberally laced with … black walnuts. Each $3.50/cup. Marianne’s Ice Cream serves 105 flavors of peerless ice cream—with appropriate social distancing. Since 1947!

1020 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. 831-458-1447, mariannesicecream.com.

Horsing Around

Mark your calendars Nov. 21 for a unique Drive-Through Harvest Dinner Party hosted by the Agricultural History Project. Horsing Around with History is the event, to be held at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Drive through the fairgrounds from 3-6pm and pick up a hearty meal from Monterey Bay Caterers.

Tickets are $50 and the purchase of four tickets gets you a bottle of wine—your choice of red or white—from Martin Ranch Winery. Don’t forget your raffle tickets! The drawing is for more than $4,000 in cash and prizes. Go online now for info and tickets. Visit aghistoryproject.org/harvestdinner, or call 831-724-5898.

UPDATED Oct. 29, 2020: This story was updated to reflect the correct nearest crossroads for the Beach Hut Deli. GT regrets the error.

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

Driving Hope

From Farm to Tech

World Wide Waves

Guitar Greats Gather Saturday

Street Talk

The Editor’s Desk

Heirloom Tortillas

Oracles Unleashed

Enormous, Playful Menu Makes Beach Hut Deli Stand Out

The Inimitable Marianne’s

Horsing Around

How Local EDM Artist Kr3ture Found His Sonic Path

Plans Advance for New, Larger Aptos Branch Library

Cannabis License Applications Move Ahead in Watsonville

Watsonville Film Festival Hosts Virtual Day of the Dead Celebration

Fiesta Virtual de Día de Muertos 2020

Fate of Washington Statue Goes Before Watsonville Parks Commission

Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Data Privacy, Cash Bail

Proposition 23

Proposition 24

Proposition 25

Santa Cruz METRO Boosts Safety Measures Amid Pandemic

Apple Harvest Wraps Up Following Challenging Growing Season

Bartolo Wines’ Bold, Fruit-Forward Petit Verdot 2012

Galante Vineyards’ Halloween Costume Contest

Twisted Roots Hallow-wine Party

Enormous, Playful Menu Makes Beach Hut Deli Stand Out

How Local EDM Artist Kr3ture Found His Sonic Path

Plans Advance for New, Larger Aptos Branch Library

Cannabis License Applications Move Ahead in Watsonville

Watsonville Film Festival Hosts Virtual Day of the Dead Celebration

Fate of Washington Statue Goes Before Watsonville Parks Commission

Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Data Privacy, Cash Bail

Santa Cruz METRO Boosts Safety Measures Amid Pandemic

Apple Harvest Wraps Up Following Challenging Growing Season

Bartolo Wines’ Bold, Fruit-Forward Petit Verdot 2012