80 F
Watsonville
September 21, 2025

PHOTO: SUV rolls into ag field on Holohan Road

suv rollover holohan road
The California Highway Patrol investigates a solo-vehicle crash on Holohan Road Saturday. Sgt. Atty said the male driver of a Nissan Murano SUV was traveling south at an "unsafe speed" when he lost control around 2:50pm. The Watsonville man, in his early 20s, careened...

Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez leaving

Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez has been named as the new City Manager for the City of Salinas, just two years after starting his position. The Salinas City Council on March 19 approved his contract. He will begin on May 28 and receive a base salary...

Robert Rivas sworn in as State Assembly Speaker

robert rivas gavin newsom pajaro
Robert Rivas was sworn in as the 71st Speaker of the California State Assembly during a special session Friday at the Capitol. “California is still the greatest state in the union,” Rivas, a Hollister Democrat who represents the 29th Assembly District, said. “But if we...

24-hour Highway 1 closure coming March 23

Caltrans is scheduled to close both directions of Highway 1 for a 24-hour block on March 23/24 to make way for the demolition of the 1948 Capitola Ave. overcrossing.  Kevin Drabinski, spokesperson for Caltrans, said the work is the second phase of the three-phase project...

Supervisors approve new building, program to serve youth

Santa Cruz County
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to purchase a mid-county building which, if it passes inspection, will house the County’s first residential mental crisis program for youth.  The new Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit and Short Term...

Farmers market opens for season at Ramsay Park

ruvalcaba nursery ramsay park el mercado farmers market
El Mercado farmers market is up and running at Ramsay Park every Tuesday from 2-6pm. Market Manager Jesus Madrigal said about a dozen vendors, from prepared food to fresh produce and other goods, were on hand Tuesday alongside information tables from hosts and sponsors. Ana...

Pajaronian named best small weekly newspaper in California

pajaronian front page planes collide
The Pajaronian was named the state’s best small weekly newspaper in its division Friday, earning top marks in the 2022 California Journalism Awards. The Watsonville newspaper placed first in the General Excellence category, beating out other publications of similar size throughout California. The award, handed out...

Watsonville Center for the Arts celebrates one year

Watsonville Center for the Arts Ballet Folklorico Ollin dancers
The Watsonville Center for the Arts announced its one-year anniversary as a thriving arts and culture hub in downtown Watsonville. This milestone marks the realization of a long-held dream for the local community, providing a dedicated space to nurture cultural arts, provide creative opportunities...

Man tied to Bay Area shootings arrested after Santa Cruz County chase

sirens
A man described by police as a person of interest in a shooting that left nine people hurt in San Francisco June 9 was arrested in Santa Cruz Wednesday evening following a high-speed chase that started in Watsonville. Javier Campos, 22, was taken into custody...

Watsonville murder suspect arrested after standoff

sirens
Watsonville Police on Tuesday arrested a murder suspect after an hours-long standoff in a strawberry field near Trafton and McGowan roads, just outside Pájaro. Hector Rocha, 44, of Watsonville, has been charged with first-degree murder. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail, where he...
7,695FansLike
4,949FollowersFollow
2,895FollowersFollow

Man arrested in Capitola assault

A Capitola man was arrested after he allegedly assaulted two people with a metal pipe on Sept. 18. Antwain Tiliman, 55, was charged with attempted...