Featured

WATSONVILLE—This Friday the Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) will present its Fifth Annual Día de Muertos celebration at Watsonville City Plaza.  The event will feature a screening of the Disney/Pixar animated movie “Coco,” as well as music, dance and artwork inspired by the traditional Mexican holiday,...

California Attorney General Rob Bonta was in Santa Cruz County on Thursday to announce the arrest of 22 people who are facing a total of 32 felony charges stemming from multiple burglaries of marijuana dispensaries throughout the Bay Area. Dubbed “Operation Sticky Fingers,” the arrests...

By TARA FATEMI WALKER SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB) and its network of more than 70 partner agencies, including nonprofits such as food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters, work hard to combat food insecurity.  But because of new requirements mandated by Senate Bill 1383,...

Zeke Fraser was hired as the new manager of the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, the board of directors announced Tuesday, capping off a search that began when former manager Dave Kegebein was fired in October. Fraser, a resident of Santa Cruz for nearly 30 years,...

After years of holding performances in their school’s wrestling room and in various spaces around campus, students at Pajaro Valley High School now have a new theater—albeit a temporary one—as they await future construction of a performing arts center. District officials—along with elected leaders from...

Aromas Road has been shut down since 11:30am Friday when a huge eucalyptus tree crashed to the pavement. The tree crushed a parked Infinity sedan and damaged a parked Honda SUV. Power is out in the area, said resident Victor Kraft, whose Infinity was...

A large mosaic mural was installed this week on an exterior wall at Tabasa Gardens, a new apartment complex at 1482 Freedom Blvd. The 10-by-30-foot mosaic was created by Watsonville artist Kathleen Crocetti and a team of volunteers at Muzzio Mosaic Arts Center. The topic...

A new 800-foot mural is in the making on a retaining wall along Main Street between Pennsylvania Drive and Clifford Avenue. With a theme of Pajaro Pollination, artists from the Made Fresh Crew of Santa Cruz started the project Aug. 15 and brushed on the...

Live music, dance performances, community altars and family activities filled the afternoon in Watsonville Plaza Friday during the annual Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. Watsonville Film Festival partnered with Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Hospice of Santa Cruz County and Watsonville...

Two Watsonville men serving long prison terms are hoping that a series of new state laws will bring freedom sooner than originally expected. Vincent Marquez, who is serving a decades-long prison sentence for a 2008 burglary conviction, could see his sentence reduced this year due...