Home | The Pajaronian | Watsonville, CA

Just over a year ago, a Christmas Day fire damaged El Toro Bravo restaurant in Capitola, forcing the 58-year-old business to close. Rebuilding the much-loved...

‘Wayfinders’ exhibit to open at Cabrillo Gallery

Arts & Culture

Cabrillo Gallery is setting the stage for their first art exhibit of 2026, “Tamera Avery: Wayfinders.” Avery’s paintings explore “enigmatic, surreal situations peopled with young,...

St. Francis boys’ hoops rebounds with league win over NMC | Weeklys Sports Roundup

High School Sports

St. Francis senior Jacob Jimenez put up a game-best 22 points as the Sharks cruised to a 79-37 victory over North Monterey County in...

Gun found at Aptos High tied to ‘off-campus incident,’ authorities say

Local News

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s investigators believe a firearm found on the Aptos High School campus this week is likely tied to an incident that...

CRIME, FIRE & COURTS

Armed suspect shot, run over by San Jose Police officers

January 23, 2026

A man died Wednesday when he was run over by a San Jose Police officer following a crime spree that extended through two counties. According...

UPDATE: Gun, ammo found at Aptos High tied to ‘off-campus incident’

January 23, 2026

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s investigators believe a firearm found on the Aptos High School campus this week is likely tied to an assault that...

Body discovered during search for 73-year-old hiker

January 20, 2026

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office announced the discovery of a body in a densely-wooded area off of Ice Cream Grade on the north...

Photo story: Fire at Resetar quickly quenched

January 20, 2026

Watsonville Fire responds to a report of a fire on the third floor of the five-story Resetar Residential Hotel Monday afternoon. Battalion Chief Chris...

OPINION

Letters to the Editor, Jan. 23–29

January 23, 2026

Passenger rail price estimates too high One can never convince me that restoring the Santa Cruz Branch rail line for passenger rail would cost an estimated $4.2 billion dollars! I am not a transportation planner or consultant however it is obvious something doesn't jive and I feel an investigation is...