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Watsonville
December 24, 2025

2021 Crop Report released

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo released the 2021 Santa Cruz County Crop Report on Oct. 5, which shows a 3.4 percent increase in overall crop production values over the past year. Strawberries remain the top crop in Santa Cruz County, with...

Festival celebrates Oaxacan culture

Guelaguetza Santa Cruz
SANTA CRUZ—The annual Guelaguetza Santa Cruz festival unfolded Sunday at Branciforte Small Schools, an outdoor event that celebrates the culture of Oaxaca, Mexico. Dazzling costumes and dance, a large orchestra—heavy in brass and woodwinds—food tents, arts and crafts of the region and plenty of sunshine...

Jimmy Dutra denies sexual assault allegations

jimmy dutra
WATSONVILLE—Santa Cruz County Supervisor candidate Jimmy Dutra told a group of reporters and roughly two-dozen supporters that allegations of sexual abuse made against him last week are “completely false and untrue,” and stem from a dispute with his late father’s ex-wife over his estate. Dutra...

Two women honored as veterans of the year

WATSONVILLE—The two women nominated as veterans of the year for the Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 1716 and American Legion Post 121 say they chose to join the military for similar reasons: neither knew what they wanted to do when high school ended. But once...

Police seize guns, drugs at Watsonville mobile home park

Scotts Valley Police officer Forrest Green gun bust
Scotts Valley Police officer Forrest Green shows one of six guns police seized Tuesday while serving search warrants on three homes. Ed Delfin, commander of the Santa Cruz County Anti Crime Team, said members from the California Highway Patrol, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office,...

PHOTO: Preparing for Biden’s Santa Cruz County arrival

us presidential helicopter watsonville municipal airport Marine V-22 Osprey
An armed man keeps watch over the U.S. Presidential helicopter at Watsonville Municipal Airport Wednesday during a practice run for the arrival of President Joe Biden set for Thursday. Two massive U.S. Marine V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor airplanes arrived in concert with two helicopters at...

Remembering David Toriumi

WATSONVILLE—David Toriumi, who ran his eponymous auto repair shop in Watsonville for nearly four decades–starting in a one-bay shop behind his home before expanding to the garage at 38 Menker St.—and who coached generations of young people after discovering an affinity for sports at...

Major injuries reported in Riverside Drive crash

riverside drive walker street crash
A man was seriously injured and a woman and two children suffered minor to moderate injuries in a two-vehicle crash Sunday on Riverside Drive. Watsonville Police Officer Javier Ayala said the man was driving a Honda Civic south on Walker Street with a woman and...

Santa Cruz County Fair Board fires Dave Kegebein

dave kegebein
WATSONVILLE—In a 7-2 vote Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Fair Board terminated Fairgrounds Manager Dave Kegebein’s employment, a decision that generated outcry from members of the public. Board Members Jody Belgard and Loretta Estrada voted no. “This is probably the darkest and most difficult day this...

A photographic journey: Santa Cruz METRO bus murals highlight ecosystem

metro bus mural santa cruz
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A new campaign to showcase the environmental benefits of transit, encourage bus ridership and protect Santa Cruz County’s natural resources, kicked off recently in Santa Cruz.  “One Ride at a Time” launched a pair of METRO’s buses that are emblazoned with massive photograph...
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Letters to the Editor Dec. 12-26

Praise for Watsonville Fire Chief Lopez In 1996, I took my New School students to the Watsonville Fire Department on Second Street for an educational...

ICE becomes an autocratic tool