Local News

Enter for a chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate to Hula's Island Grill and Tiki Room in Santa Cruz. Drawing Date is August 20, 2026.

Top 10 exciting job opportunities in Santa Cruz County – Apply today!

Are you searching for your next career move in Santa Cruz County? Look no further! We’ve curated a list of the top 10 job opportunities recently posted to our job board, spanning various industries and roles. Whether you’re a recent graduate, seasoned professional, or someone seeking a fresh start, Santa Cruz has something to offer for everyone.

1. Pastry & Kitchen Manager at The Penny Ice Creamery
2. Assistant Manager of Operations at The Quail
3. Maintenance Engineer at The Quail
4. Caregiver for Seniors – Part Time at Home Senior Care, Inc.
5. Accounting Technician at County of Santa Cruz Human Resources Department
6. Shop Manager at The Penny Ice Creamery
7. Short Term Camp Bus Driver at Camp Ramah in Northern California
8. Forest Stewardship Manager at Sempervirens Fund
9. Project Manager 1 at MYNT Systems
10. Residential Community Service Supervisor at UC Santa Cruz

Why work in Santa Cruz County?

Santa Cruz County boasts a vibrant community, picturesque surroundings, and diverse career opportunities. From academic roles at UC Santa Cruz to impactful positions in healthcare and local government, the perfect place to support both your professional growth and work-life balance.

Ready to take the next step?

Apply for these exciting job opportunities in Santa Cruz County today!

FIND MORE ON THE LOOKOUT JOB BOARD >> Looking to hire? Build your team with us

• List your open positions: Amplify your job listings to reach engaged Santa Cruz County job seekers – post your job today.
• Save with job bundles: Purchase a job board bundle of 4 or 8 listings and save 25%. Redeem your jobs anytime. Bundles never expire. Get Your Bundles Here.
• Exclusive discounts for Marketing Partners: Are you a Lookout Marketing Partner? Contact your representative today to access your exclusive discount.

Questions about the job board? Reach out to Brittany at brittany@lookoutlocal.com.

The post 10 Hot Jobs in Santa Cruz County: Week of June 12 appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

As Capitola continues its switch to district-based elections, the city council approved the creation of four districts plus an elected mayor with a two-year term. The first districting maps are expected to be publicly shared by June 17.

Enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate for Rosie McCann's Irish Pub & Restaurant in Santa Cruz. Drawing Date is September 3, 2026.

This post is updated throughout the day to reflect the latest incidents. It was last updated at 6:31 a.m..

Here’s what’s happening on the roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents   ▼︎ long-term incidents

Road incidents as of 6:30 a.m. on June 12

• Highway 9 at Cascade Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley has one-way traffic due to ongoing work. This closure will last until 7:01 a.m. on August 31.
   
• South Highway 1 at Park Avenue in Capitola / Soquel is facing closures for roadway excavation. The closure is expected to end at 7:01 a.m. on August 19.
   
• There will be alternating lane closures on Highway 9 at Pool Drive in San Lorenzo Valley because of bridge work. The closures will continue until April 30 at 6:59 a.m.
   
• A lane on westbound SR-152 at Clifford Drive/Ohlone Parkway in Watsonville and Pajaro is closed for asphalt paving. The closure will last until July 3 at 5:59 a.m.
   
• CHP helped Caltrans with maintenance on SR152 at Pennsylvania Dr in Watsonville/Pajaro. As of 6:10 a.m. today, one lane was closed, but it was not clear which lane.
   
• A dark, old car with its right blinker on was reported as a traffic hazard in the left turn lane at Elkhorn and Hall in the Watsonville / Pajaro area today.
   

Long-term projects

These have been going on for a while, but are still worth keeping in mind.

• Thurber Ln near 4672 Thurber Ln in Santa Cruz (Eastside / Live Oak) will be fully closed for tree trimming and vegetation management by county crews from June 8 to today during work hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
   
• Single lane closures are in place on Soquel Drive between Huntington Drive and Jaunell Road in Aptos from June 11 to today, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., for County crews to do overhead tree trimming.
   
• Overnight roadwork to improve bridges and ramps on Highway 1, Highway 9, and Highway 17 in Santa Cruz County will start Tuesday, May 26. There will be occasional overnight closures at different spots along these routes through July.
   

Disclosure: Traffic incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

The post Friday morning traffic: Highway 9, Hwy 1, SR-152 lane closures; tree work on Soquel Dr, Thurber Ln appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Watsonville High School students participate in a nationwide walkout on Jan. 20. The action is in protest against the killing of Renee Good and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s tactics. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/CatchLight Local)

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY>> Local leaders announced they’re joining a lawsuit against a planned federal immigration enforcement facility near Gilroy.

The suit was first brought by the California Attorney General and Santa Clara County, which they jointly filed on June 10. It is alleging the project was undertaken without required local review and permitting processes. Despite the proposed location not being within county boundaries, Santa Cruz County leaders warned the impacts would be felt throughout the Central Coast region.

“Santa Cruz County communities are deeply connected to those throughout the region,” said Supervisor Monica Martinez in a Thursday press release.

A private developer leased the property to the federal government for use by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in January 2025, possibly as an Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) office, according to a June 10 press release by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. ERO’s have come under fire and have been the subject of multiple lawsuits under President Donald Trump’s administration. They’ve been criticized for overcrowding, long-term confinement and inhumane conditions, Bonta’s office stated.

(function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [], forms: { on: function(evt, cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt, callback: cb } ); } } } })(); Stay informed on Santa Cruz County’s biggest issues. Santa Cruz Local’s newsletter breaks down complex local topics and shows residents how to get involved. Email address:
mc4wp.forms.on('subscribed', function(form) { // gtag.js if(form.id == '6954') { gtag('event', 'subscribe', {'event_category': 'newsletter_prompt', 'event_label':'top_of_story'}); } }); Leave this field empty if you're human:

“President Trump’s mass detention and deportation campaign has led to cruel, inhumane, and unacceptable conditions at immigration holding and detention facilities across California. But instead of working to improve conditions at these facilities — instead of enforcing ICE’s own detention standards — the Trump Administration is trying to jam through a new facility on a community that doesn’t want it,” Bonta stated.

Supervisors Felipe Hernandez and Martinez created the SHIELD ad hoc subcommittee in January to address local immigration concerns. SHIELD – Safeguarding Health, Inclusion, Essential Services and Local Defense – coordinates closely with county staff and community organizations serving immigrant residents to come up with possible next steps and solutions as fears rise nationwide.

In March, supervisors supported a proposal brought by the subcommittee to ban federal agents from using county property for civil immigration enforcement. County leaders said joining this lawsuit is a natural extension of the work SHIELD is already doing for immigrant communities. 

“Many residents throughout our region are experiencing uncertainty and fear regarding federal immigration enforcement activity,” Hernandez said in the press release. “We have a responsibility to understand and prepare for the impacts these actions may have on local families, schools, healthcare systems and community organizations. Our participation reflects that commitment.”

ICE notified local law enforcement of activity in Santa Cruz County 23 times between Jan. 25, 2025 and Jan. 26, 2026. Santa Cruz Local is tracking this activity to help give communities affected by immigration enforcement more information about what’s happening in their community, and help separate facts from rumors.

Questions or comments? Email info@santacruzlocal.org. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.

Learn about membership Santa Cruz Local’s news is free. We believe that high-quality local news is crucial to democracy. We depend on locals like you to make a meaningful contribution so everyone can access our news. Learn about membership

The post Santa Cruz County leaders join lawsuit against planned immigration facility appeared first on Santa Cruz Local.

After “The Lost Boys” first transformed Santa Cruz into Santa Carla, fans from around the world still make the pilgrimage to the Beach Boardwalk and Atlantis Fantasyworld. The final installment of Lookout’s series explores the movie’s enduring cult following, the return of Frog Brother Jamison Newlander and why the annual beach screening has become a summer ritual.

UC Santa Cruz move-out week often transforms into a massive treasure hunt, with students rescuing items like vintage tech and gaming chairs from donation bins. It’s a campuswide scavenger hunt for free, high-value gear.

David Hockney, a treasured British artist whose paintings of shimmering pools and colorful iPad drawings became icons of contemporary art, has died, his publicist said Friday. He was 88.

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for its newsletters.

California Senate Democrats want to put the brakes on a new program by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration that steers free pollution permits to oil refineries and other major polluters — and they’re using the state budget to force the issue.

In the spending proposal they released last month, the senators moved to block the program until the state funds a three-party climate deal the governor struck with the Legislature last year, an agreement they say Newsom is now breaking. They call their counterplan “Deal is a Deal,” signaling a standoff that could stretch through the summer.

“We really need to stay to the deal,” said Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, a San Bernardino Democrat and chair of the Senate’s climate budget subcommittee.

At stake are billions of dollars earmarked for public transit, safe drinking water and affordable housing raised from climate market auctions. The Senate is also threatening to hold up many of Newsom’s own priorities, including funding for high-speed rail and wildfires, electric-car tax credits and a clean jet fuel subsidy.

At issue is a new incentive program created last month by the California Air Resources Board, which overhauled the state’s carbon market under pressure from Newsom and heavy lobbying by the oil industry. It offers free pollution permits worth as much as $4 billion to companies that pledge to invest in clean energy and efficiency initiatives, with half slated for the fossil fuel industry.

That program threatens to drain funds for a series of air quality, housing and transit programs that lawmakers and Newsom agreed to fund last year, when they extended the state’s carbon market through 2045, rebranding it “cap and invest.” The overhaul also puts up to $1 billion guaranteed to the Legislature for discretionary projects in jeopardy.

A climate bargain under threat

California’s carbon-trading program, launched in 2013, is California’s way of putting a price tag on greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change.

Last year’s late-session deal set a new pecking order for the billions of dollars the program raises by auctioning pollution permits.

Under the deal, high-speed rail gets $1 billion a year before many other climate programs are funded; another $1 billion annually is dedicated to lawmakers’ priorities. 

Last in line are the programs that turn carbon-market money paid by polluters into tangible benefits for some of California’s most burdened communities: affordable housing projects near transit, cleaner buses and rail, safe drinking water, wildfire protection and neighborhood air monitoring. 

Last month, following intense lobbying by the oil industry and ballooning gas prices, the air board adopted rules to cut the number of auctioned pollution permits drastically through 2030 with Newsom’s blessing. It also created a new incentive for oil and gas refineries and other industries investing in decarbonization.

“It’s unfortunate that the state of California empowers the oil industry to freak everyone out and adopt bad policies,” said Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office projects the changes could cut annual auction revenue for state climate programs from roughly $4 billion to $2 billion, which would wipe out community-focused programs.

Newsom spokesperson Anthony Martinez said the changes keep the carbon market “durable” while helping consumers and industry.

“That is not a retreat from climate leadership — it’s how California keeps leading while the federal government is retreating,” Martinez said.

Senate holds Newsom priorities hostage

Senate Democrats have countered with their own plan. It would protect the $1 billion lawmakers control, then steer as much as $2 billion to the housing, transit, clean air and drinking water programs. Newsom’s priorities would move to the back of the line, meaning if the climate fund brings in only $2 billion, Cal Fire, high-speed rail and other programs would get little or nothing.

“Why, at this time … would we take away critical funding to build affordable homes in California?” said Sen. Jesse Arreguín, an Oakland Democrat and chair of the housing committee.

Construction on the high-speed rail project over a ramp above Highway 99 in south Fresno in 2023. Credit: Larry Valenzuela / CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Wiener said public transit should not have to fight for survival. “Every year, transit funding becomes a political football.” 

Meanwhile, Assembly Democrats are mum on the rule change in their budget plan and have not proposed any alternatives.

Assemblymembers Jacqui Irwin and Cottie Petrie-Norris, Democrats who chair key climate and energy committees, have supported the air board’s plan, saying the changes reflect the Legislature’s focus on affordability, including potentially more money for Californians’ electric bills. 

The governor and the Legislature have until June 30 to agree on a budget deal before the new fiscal year starts. But much of the climate funding tied up in negotiations is not bound by the deadline and can be hashed out before the legislative session wraps in September.

The Senate’s opposition is threatening to hold up many of Newsom’s priorities.

One is his January proposal to spend $200 million on electric vehicle incentives, $115 million of which would come from the climate fund. Senate Democrats have deferred negotiations on it and talks could last through the summer. 

The Senate also rejected Newsom’s proposed sustainable aviation fuel tax credit, which Newsom argues would encourage the production of greener fuel and boost refinery jobs. The initiative, which would allow eligible producers to pay less into the state’s road repair funding, followed intensive lobbying by petroleum refining company Phillips 66, the only company that has publicly announced it would benefit from the credit.

The climate funding dispute turns on the idea that California may be using its carbon market to soften the rules for some of the state’s biggest polluters.

Air regulators say the permits created through its new program, the Manufacturing Decarbonization Incentive, will go only to companies that cut their own emissions. They say the program has guardrails, including requirements to return the permits if companies fail to deliver. They argue the program will help keep refineries and other major industries in California while sustaining clean-energy investment as President Donald Trump withdraws federal support.

“The cap-and-invest program was updated to do what it was always designed to do: reduce pollution cost-effectively, protect ratepayers, and keep businesses operating in California,” Lindsay Buckley, a spokesperson for the board, said. “The program was never designed to maximize auction revenue.”

Critics of the new program see only a subsidy for polluters that does not guarantee emissions reductions. They argue the new program could threaten California’s ability to meet its legally mandated 2030 emissions targets. 

Several board members shared concerns. The overhaul passed 10-3, but only after the board required further review before the new incentive program launches.

The Senate plan would block climate-fund spending unless the Department of Finance certifies that last year’s deal can be funded. It would also stop the air board from handing out the new industrial permits unless state officials show they align with California’s climate targets, lower gasoline prices and leave enough money for threatened climate programs.

The budget fight could have political consequences for Newsom as he defends his climate record beyond California, said Katie Valenzuela, a policy advocate who focuses on environmental justice issues.

“If this [rule] goes forward and isn’t fixed, this is a huge stain on his climate legacy,” Valenzuela said. “He is showing loud and clear that the most vulnerable residents who are most impacted by climate change are not his priority.”

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

The post California Democrats threaten to block Newsom priorities over imperiled climate deal appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

My proposal for Renaissance High School students 

Last year in a PVUSD Board Meeting I opposed moving Renaissance High School to Pajaro Valley High School in order to move Ceiba students to the current Renaissance High School site.  After I supported Ceiba continuing to operate on their current site  In 2023, 2024, and 2025,  I have advocated  in the Board meetings of both PVUSD and Ceiba for restructuring Ceiba to help financially struggling PVUSD schools .

I was surprised when I heard  the idea  of moving the students of Renaissance High School to the site of Duncan – Holbert School and the students of the latter school to an elementary school because of  safety concerns about the water.  I thought it was too rushed.  

I would like to ask the students of Renaissance High School whether you would consider moving to the site of Lakeview Middle School temporarily until a suitable site is found. You might remember that the students of Pajaro Middle School moved to the site of Lakeview Middle School for one school year at the time of the devastating flood in 2023. 

Takashi Mizuno

Watsonville

The Establishment Clause is the first of two religion clauses in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

This clause forbids our government from establishing an official religion, and also prohibits government actions that unduly favor one religion over another, preferring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion. As a general matter, the Supreme Court has long recognized that the Establishment Clause’s prohibition of laws “respecting an establishment of religion” not only prevents the government from establishing an official religion, but also bars other types of support “respecting” an establishment.

The “Establishment of Religion” clause, at a minimum, means that neither a state nor the federal government can set up a church, neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. (See e.g. “Everson v. Board of Education ” (1947)).

In short: the amendment appears to have been firmly cemented in constitutional law.

Enter the Trump Administration, Project 2025 and Christian Nationalism. Christian Nationalism is a political ideology which advocates for a legal and cultural fusion between Christianity and a nation’s government. In the U.S., its adherents believe the country was founded on Christian principles, that the government should actively promote these values, and that Christianity should hold a privileged place in public life. It excludes some Americans following other religious traditions, or those who are not religious at all.

The explicit aim of Project 2025, which has guided much of the early work of the Trump administration, is to infuse biblical principles across the federal government. Calls to protect Christianity, make America more Christian, and align this country with the Bible are all common phrases associated with Christian Nationalism. It is generally understood that conservative Christians behind this point of view form the bedrock of President Trump’s Republican support.

A prominent—though awkward—focus of the movement’s pursuit of its objectives has been its insistence on removing the concept of empathy, a deeply-rooted Christian value, from our government’s decision making process.

The conflict surfaced prominently during Mr. Trump’s high profile clashes with Pope Leo XIV, which centered on questions of empathy and leadership, specifically sparked by the Pontiff’s vocal opposition to the war in Iran, mass deportation and military conflict.

The debate over empathy has become a prominent focal point for many Christian Nationalists. The latter’s critique is rooted in some specific ideological, cultural and theological beliefs. Among others: The fear of moral compromise—the thought that untethered empathy can blur the lines between right and wrong, that fully identifying with someone’s pain might lead to condoning or validating actions the Bible defines as sin, i.e. LGBTQ+ rights, abortion access, etc.; Priority of objective truth – the belief that truth, defined by biblical scripture must always take precedence over feelings, which may replace scripture as the ultimate moral guide; and “Woke politics,” the thought that empathy may be weaponized as a progressive political tool.

The Trump administration has gone “all in” in support of Christian Nationalist ideology, and has actively worked to expand religious expression in public life and loosen restrictions on faith organizations. Some key policy and cultural actions include: establishing Executive branch task forces like the White House Faith Office, the Religious Liberty Commission and a task force to eradicate anti-Christian bias. Efforts also include targeting  LGBTQ+ and gender identity issues, curbing abortion access and engaging in cultural battles with universities, the Smithsonian Institution, and Public Broadcasting all the while singling out opposition to DEI programs. These moves, while celebrated by the religious right, eroded the separation of church and state.

To some the growing prevalence of Christian Nationalism in our government is innocuous, harmless. However, the movement’s objective no longer simply focuses on the defense of liberty, it targets the accumulation of power. As such, it endangers constitutional values, impregnates governmental policy, and provides a justification for the lack of empathy in our government’s pursuits. It is using its enhanced influence to impose its will on Christian organizations it identifies as “woke” or opposed to President Trump’s agenda, as exemplified by its role in defunding religious groups that have been providing life saving care to many of the most vulnerable people in the world.

If we are not careful, while we appear intent on demolishing a theocratic regime in the Middle East, we could end up gradually easing into the semblance of one right here.

Two Santa Cruz County supervisors and several local community organizations have joined a regional coalition of elected officials and advocates reaffirming support for immigrant communities as the Bay Area prepares to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The joint statement, released Monday, was signed by supervisors Felipe Hernandez and Monica Martinez, along with representatives from Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, The Watsonville Law Center and YARR (Your Allied Rapid Response) of Santa Cruz County. MariaElena De La Garza of Community Action Board and Adriana Melgoza of The Watsonville Law Center were among the local signatories.

The statement said the region’s diversity is one of its strengths and acknowledged concerns among immigrant families amid ongoing immigration enforcement actions.

“As we welcome the world to the Bay Area for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we want to send a clear message: everyone belongs here,” the statement reads.

The coalition said the international soccer tournament presents an opportunity to bring people together and urged residents to avoid spreading fear or misinformation. The statement encouraged community members to use local Rapid Response Networks for verified information and resources.

The statement was signed by supervisors and community leaders from counties throughout the Bay Area and Central Coast, including Santa Clara, Monterey, San Mateo, Alameda, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Contra Costa and Solano counties.

Watsonville residents will have two opportunities this month to help shape the future of public safety services in the city.

The Watsonville Police and Fire departments are hosting community town hall meetings to gather public input on priorities for emergency response, public safety services and community programs.

City officials said feedback from the meetings will help guide future planning efforts as Watsonville works to strengthen public safety and community services.

The meetings are scheduled for:

• June 24 from 5:30pm to 7pm

• June 29 from 3:30pm to 5pm

Both meetings will be held in the Community Room on the top floor of Civic Plaza, 275 Main St. in Watsonville.

The city will provide pizza, childcare and Spanish interpretation services. The first 50 attendees at each meeting will receive a free bicycle helmet for children. Participants are asked to know their child’s helmet size before attending.

Advance registration is required. Residents can register online at https://bit.ly/4vjx7AV.

According to city officials, the meetings are intended to bring community members and public safety leaders together to discuss current needs and future priorities for Watsonville’s police and fire services.

On May 8, the staff of Pajaro Middle School formally declared a vote of no confidence in Principal Nicole Killian in a letter to Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) Superintendent Heather Contreras. 

According to the letter, the decision was reached following an affirmative majority vote of 14 out of 17 full-time certificated union members, as well as an additional anonymous affirmation from classified staff. 

The vote was primarily attributed to Killian’s alleged failure to provide a safe school environment for students and teachers, as well as to a lack of communication and transparency.  

“Pajaro Middle School has long been a school with a foundation of collaboration between the administration and both classified and certified staff,” reads the letter to Contreras. “Nicole Killian has not only ignored this foundation, but dismantled it.”

Killian has been the full-time principal at Pajaro Middle School since the fall of 2024. She previously served as the principal at Main Street Elementary for one year during the 2023-24 school year.  

“The District takes all reports related to school operations and safety seriously,” said PVUSD Public Information Officer Alejandro Chávez in a statement to the Pajaronian. “We remain confident in the site leadership’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe, supportive, and positive learning environment.”

Chávez maintained that the events were not newsworthy and that “there’s nothing there,” and declined to answer specific questions about the allegations against the district, principal Killian, or the events on campus. 

Killian and Superintendent Heather Contreras did not respond to requests for comment. 

Complaints about Killian’s leadership at Pajaro began to emerge only a few months after she took the role of principal, said Brandon Diniz, president of the Pajaro Valley teachers union. With teachers and staff citing a lack of student discipline and communication. 

Throughout the 2024-25 school year, the concern across the site continued to grow, said Tim Powers, one of the two PVFT site representatives and a teacher at Pajaro Middle School.

These concerns grew, especially after a notable incident in which a teacher was allegedly kept in the dark about a physical threat a student had made against them, which the district intercepted via an internal language-monitoring algorithm. 

“What the student wrote was said to have been, ‘change my grade or else.’ So pretty vague,” said Powers. “When the teacher finally got Ms. Killian to show the actual statement written by the student, the statement was ‘change my grade or else I’ll shoot you.’”

According to Ben Waite, the other PVFT site representative and a teacher at Pajaro Middle School, it wasn’t until five days after the incident that Killian finally showed the teacher the original message, and that the staff member who was threatened initially learned of it the same day from another staff member. However, this incident was not officially reported in a grievance to the district.   

According to the letter to Contreras, five staff members filed a grievance against Killian in the 2024-25 school year. 

During that time, Killian didn’t have a vice principal, said Diniz, “as a result of that first grievance, they did assign a vice principal to the school site.”  

At the beginning of the new school year, the staff were hopeful for change, explained Powers, adding that he and Waite additionally spoke with Killian and set up regular meetings with the principal for the 2025-26 school year to address on-site issues as they arose. 

However, despite these meetings, Powers and Waite felt that the concerning behavior and leadership remained unchanged. 

“We brought up several times to her like, ‘hey, we need to get better about the communication, about what’s going on with students and discipline, and follow up,’” said Powers, “and that continued to not stick.”

Throughout, the incidents on campus—along with the lack of communication and disrespect towards teachers—continued, alleged Diniz, who also described multiple incidents in which he alleges that Killian downplayed the severity and disregarded the Ed. Code procedures.

There was one such case where a student threatened another student with a kind of homemade dagger, said Diniz, “when the student brandishes a dirk, dagger, or knife Ed. Code requires the principal to recommend that student for expulsion, and she [Killian] just basically covered it up.” 

Around the fall of 2025, Powers and Waite were approached by a few staff members to conduct a vote of no confidence. 

Powers maintains that, throughout the process, staff remained willing to attempt to work with Killian.

“We were initially reluctant at that point to pursue that,” said Waite. “We probably held out the longest in terms of trying to work with her.” 

For Powers, this changed in March, referring to a lockdown mentioned in the letter to Contreras, during which Killian was allegedly unresponsive to multiple radio calls during a police chase on March 5, which had prompted the school to initiate a lockdown. 

An event that Powers referred to as “the final nail in the coffin.” 

“At this point, there was a lack of trust,” said Powers. “The breakdown causes us to kind of retreat internally and try to solve problems with students more so than we should. And so over time, it impacts our ability to even teach on a regular schedule.” 

Finally, in early May, Diniz said he informed Contreras of the plan for the vote of no confidence. 

“[Contreras] gave me the assurance on May 5 that she was going to remove her as principal,” said Diniz. “She said not to even go through with the vote [of no confidence] because she hears us and she’s willing to act. ”  

The site decided to continue to move forward with the vote regardless, said Diniz. 

It was then that PVUSD Area III Trustee Gabriel Medina learned about the vote when the resolution letter to Contreras landed in his inbox a few weeks ago. 

“It doesn’t feel like the district is doing their due diligence,” said Medina. “I’m hoping that it gets addressed. But the way that I’ve seen leadership kind of take these complaints, I’m not going to be holding my breath.”

However, according to Diniz, on May 22, following an unsuccessful meeting with district representatives, Contreras began to walk back on the promises. Following that, the union decided to make the events and the vote of no confidence public, said Diniz. 

Since then, Diniz, Waite and Powers feel that there has been no progress, instead “only doubling down by the superintendent,” according to Diniz.

“It just sort of has spiraled to the point where we feel there’s no future for that site under Principal Killian, and she’s lost her staff,” said Diniz. “Trust is lost in buckets, but earned in drops, and she has lost buckets’ worth of trust with that staff.”

Santa Cruz County plans to support a lawsuit challenging a proposed federal immigration enforcement facility near Gilroy by joining an amicus curiae brief alongside Santa Clara County and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, county officials announced Thursday.

The lawsuit seeks judicial review of a facility that public records indicate is intended to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Plaintiffs contend the project moved forward without required local review and permitting processes.

Although the proposed facility would be located in neighboring Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County officials said its effects could extend throughout the Central Coast region.

“Santa Cruz County communities are deeply connected to those throughout the region,” Board of Supervisors Chair Monica Martinez said in a statement. “Our immigrant families deserve transparency, public accountability and compliance with established legal processes.”

Martinez said the county’s participation is consistent with ongoing efforts to understand and prepare for the impacts of federal immigration enforcement activities.

Supervisor Felipe Hernandez said many residents are experiencing uncertainty and fear related to federal immigration enforcement actions.

“We have a responsibility to understand and prepare for the impacts these actions may have on local families, schools, healthcare systems and community organizations,” Hernandez said. “Our participation reflects that commitment.”

County officials described the move as a continuation of broader efforts by the Board of Supervisors to address the local effects of federal immigration policies. In January, the board established the S.H.I.E.L.D. (Safeguarding Health, Inclusion, Essential Services and Local Defense) Ad Hoc Subcommittee, which developed an ordinance prohibiting the use of county property for immigration enforcement activities and policies intended to protect residents accessing healthcare, education, public benefits and other services.

The county said additional information about its immigration preparedness efforts is available through the County of Santa Cruz website.

Field workers harvest a strawberry crop along San Andreas Road in Watsonville in 1954.

Watsonville Fire Battalion Chief Almita Schaefer hung up her helmet June 4 on her final day as a firefighter with Watsonville Fire Department.     

The Watsonville native has spent her adult life helping others, a reflection of how her family brought her up. 

After attending the now shuttered Moss Landing Middle School and graduating from Watsonville High School in 1994, she worked for 10 years as a paramedic, and then switched over to be a firefighter in 2007. 

She said she initially hoped to be a doctor, but a stint volunteering in a hospital emergency room convinced her that being a paramedic was more fitting.

“I decided I wanted to do something as well as medical,” she said. “I found that on calls I was only able to assist in one dynamic, and I wanted to do more.”

“Since Watsonville is my hometown I pursued it here,” she added. She is the first full time woman to hold positions of firefighter/paramedic, Captain and Battalion Chief. 

“This career has been more than I could have ever asked for,” she said. “Any good recipe, anything worth enjoying has a lot of ingredients. It takes years and years for this particular moment to come to a point where I feel like it’s complete, where I feel like it’s not just something I’m doing. I started for a different reason. And I’m happy to say that I’m leaving with that accomplished.”

She added that she is leaving with “a continued sense of family. Being able to be welcomed by the fire department, the fire family at that age was really, really important to me. And through the years, that’s been the constant thread, that anytime I need something, they’re here for me. No one second guesses me here, or puts me down and it isn’t a competition.”

She says that one of the most “inspiring and special things” about being a firefighter is that no matter where you go on the fire engine or the fire truck, “someone’s always waving at you. I love to be friendly and so that was probably one of the most special things that this career gave me.”

She also noted that there have been “some really amazing women before me that were in the reserve program. Nobody signs up because they’re short or tall or gender or a certain kind of cultural background. That’s not what we sign up for: We sign up to help people and each other in that time of need. From week one, this department has always said, ‘She’s one of our family and that’s what we’ll always think of her as.”

The City of Watsonville invites the public to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a full day of community activities, and events. 

The day begins July 4 with the Spirit of Watsonville Parade at 12:30pm that runs along Main Street from Street from Patrick’s Church, 721 Main St., to First Street. This year’s parade will once again feature a flyover by the West Coast Ravens. Street Closures include Main Street between Freedom Boulevard and 1st Street, along with adjacent streets, closed from 8:30am to 4:30pm. 

The Fire in the Sky Open House at the Watsonville Municipal Airport opens at 11am.

The schedule includes: 

11am – Community Car Show with Dynometer
4:30pm – Gates Open to the Public
6:00pm – Skydive Aircraft Departures
6:20pm – Skydive Jump and National Anthem Performance
6:30pm – Flyover (tentative)
8:30pm – Fireworks Show Begins

As summer edges in, the folks at Corralitos Market & Sausage Co. and Freedom Meat Lockers are dealing with rising meat prices as the industry and customers across the nation adjust to higher costs, soaring gas prices and more.

“I feel like the prices have gone through the roof,” said Sarah Lewis, general manager at Freedom Meat Lockers. “And to top it off, I feel like there’s a big supply and demand shift happening right now. Even with skirt steak; we’re trying to get the product that we like and are really comfortable with that we want to serve our customers. And then we get a sample case from a new company and it is simply not what we want, so we send it back. It’s harder to find the level of quality that we want at a reasonable price.”

Lewis added that the price hike is “denting into what products” are out there.

“We’re fortunate enough to have wonderful suppliers, and they’re doing the best they can to get us the price we feel comfortable with,” Lewis said. “It’s challenging. We’ve been running into a lot of folks trying to get that quality that customers want with the price that they can afford,” 

Victor Silva at Freedom Meats said that ”everything’s going up.”

“Everything across the board—beef, pork products or chicken, chicken breast. For example, we’re charging 50 cents less than what we paid. Who else does that?”

In response, one adjustment the company offers, Lewis says, is the business’s ever-changing Variety Bag for $99. 

“It easily has $120 to $150 worth of products,” she said. “It’s one way to get people high quality stuff that they can use, but that won’t break the bank. And it’s easier on the customer because it means fewer trips to the store. So buying in bigger numbers saves you.” A typical bag features chicken, skirt steak, ribs, Cornish game hens, ground beef — a list that changes each month.

One big plus, Lewis added: “We won Best of Show for our Italian mozzarella basil sausage. That’s something folks are coming in and asking for. It was at the California Association of Meat Processors. It won best out of the entire convention.  Also new at the counter is our marinated butter chicken thighs. And we have a brand new marinade, mango habanero. We think it’s sensational.”

Meanwhile, at Corralitos Market & Sausage Co., owner  Dave Petersen, said he has been adjusting to spikes in meat prices.

 “My first highest cut of meat is filet mignon,” he said. “Now number two, unbelievably, is skirt steak. Number three is prime rib. It used to be vice versa. Prime rib was a cheaper cut, but now it’s supply and demand because they’re shipping it overseas.” 

READY TO GRILL Dave Petersen, owner of Corralitos Market and Sausage Co., shows a tomahawk steak and their new whiskey bourbon marinade. (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian)

He explained that a butcher can only get about four pounds of skirt steak out of an 800-pound “hanging, dressed beef.” 

“And people don’t realize that,” he said. “They think there’s 20, 30, 50 pounds of skirt steak there. But there’s not. And so people are saying ‘you guys are charging so much money.’ It’s not us. That’s the way it is; it’s the whole chain.’”

He added that meat companies are also tacking on higher gasoline prices by charging a “fuel fee” just for a delivery. This is brand new. And you’re seeing that everywhere, too. Cause your cereal, spices, whatever—everything gets here by gas.” 

Petersen added that in earlier times, people would come in and “it’d be nothing to buy 20 pounds of skirt steak for a family party. Well, you can’t do that anymore. And it’s just not me. It’s everywhere.” 

Peterson said that on the upside, he’s featuring a new Harbinero pineapple sausage.

“We also had a chicken mango and we’re doing that one with a Harbinero too; it almost sounds hot, but it’s really not. It’s just got a nice kick to it.”

He said that he’s just introduced new pork riblets.

“They are so easy to grill,” he said. “And we’ve got a whiskey bourbon marinade that we came up with. It’s really, really good.”

Corralitos Market & Sausage Co. is at 569 Corralitos Road in Corralitos, and Freedom Meat Lockers is at 160 Hi Grade Lane in Watsonville.