Politics & Government

5 Things You Need to Know About Watsonville: April 27

Cost of Apple Growers blaze tallied, Salud Para La Gente announces new hours, Business Expo is Thursday and other news.

Watsonville has been a news hub lately. Don't miss these stories.

Battling the Apple Growers warehouse fire last week cost more than $226,000, Watsonville Fire Chief Mark Bisbee told the city council on Tuesday night.

But the actual cost to the city was only $39,000. That price tag covers fuel for fire engines, foam borrowed from caches at other fire departments, lighting and generators, as well as the firefighter overtime required to fight the three-day fire, according to Bisbee.

Find out what's happening in Watsonvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We had every single person on duty down at  the incident and we still had to hire six per day to cover our calls," Bisbee said. "It was really important to show we were fully invested to get that mutual aid."

It was extinguished around 6 p.m. Saturday. Investigators said the fire was accidental but have not released what caused the fire.

Find out what's happening in Watsonvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Because of the master mutual aid system, fire agencies from elsewhere in Santa Cruz County, along with Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Alameda counties pitched in. Each 24-hour commitment cost individual departments $40,000 a pop, Bisbee said..

"We don’t have to reimburse," the fire chief told city council members.

The outside crews took 12-hour shifts to control the fire and Watsonville firefighters took 24-hour stint.

“I’m really proud of our firefighters," Bisbee said. "They bucked up.”

Salud Para La Gente, a Watsonville-based health center providing comprehensive primary health care, opened a new Convenient Care Clinic on Monday. The walk-in service is offered at Clínica del Valle del Pájaro, 45 Nielson St.

Hours also have been extended at and its Main Clinic at 204 East Beach St. For an appointment at those clinics, call 831-728-0222.

The new hours are:

  • Convenient Care at Clínica: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for medical care. The service is walk-in only and no appointment is necessary.
  • Clínica del Valle del Pájaro: medical care 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday; dental care 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays for both medical and dental. Appointments are recommended.
  • : medical and dental care 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Appointments are recommended.

The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture will host its 2011 Business Expo on Thursday afternoon.

The event is in the Harvest Building at the from 4-7:30 p.m. will feature food, fun and entertainment, and anyone is welcome. Admission is $5.

The FBI has taken the lead on investigating .

"We're still working on it but they're the leads on it," Watsonville police Sgt. Saul Gonzalez said.

Two robbers, one armed with a gun, scared customers and stole cash from the Bay Federal Credit Union branch on Freedom Boulevard around 1:15 p.m. They fired one shot as they fled.

The robbers may be the same duo that held up a Salinas bank on Friday morning, police have said.

This week is National Infant Immunization Week and county health officials are encouraging parents to immunize their children.

For more information about immunizations visit the California Department of Public Health website or the Health Services Agency website, which lists four clinics in Watsonville that offer low-cost or free immunizations.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here