By 3 p.m. Wednesday, about 50 job-seekers were lined up outside the Watsonville Career Center on West Beach Street. During the next 90 minutes, 278 people passed through the doors in hopes of finding work at a job fair sponsored by Workforce Santa Cruz County.

"For me, I feel so happy. There's a lot of opportunities," said Maria Murillo.

For 10 years, Murillo operated La Azteca, the restaurant she and her husband owned in Corralitos. But with three small children at home and her husband working as an electronics engineer in Silicon Valley, the couple decided to sell the business. Three months later, he was laid off.

"I wish somebody would hire me," Murillo said as she left clutching a stack of fliers. "I'm looking for any type of job."

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Connie Corbett, manager of the career center, said Wednesday's job fair was designed to attract local residents, and since space was limited, only 10 companies were represented.