Local News

Observations from around the Pajaro Valley.

The 2019 Pajaro Valley Quilt show was held this week at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.

A Watsonville man suspected of several armed robberies was arrested Friday after a dramatic chase that ended with a crash involving seven vehicles on San Andreas Road.

A Watsonville woman nearly lost thousands of dollars Wednesday by falling victim to a version of the so-called “grandparent scam.” According to the Federal Communications Commission, scammers posing as a loved one in a crisis call a relative to ask for money, telling their targets...

Aiden Niklaus attended Tierra Pacifica through middle school, graduating with a class of 18. He says it was therefore a substantial culture shock coming to Aptos High School, where his class alone boasts nearly 300 students and the sprawling campus seemed tantamount to a bustling...

SANTA CRUZ—UC Santa Cruz police are investigating a rape that occurred during a party late Friday night in a forest in the Upper Campus area. According to police, the female victim’s friends found her passed out around midnight after a large party, and brought her...

The man who kidnapped, raped and murdered an 8-year-old girl before placing her body in a recycling bin in 2015 will spend at least another two years in prison. After less than a week of deliberations, a jury denied Adrian “A.J.” Gonzlaez’s bid for parole...

SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on Tuesday issued a health advisory urging everyone to refrain from vaping, no matter the substance or source, until current investigations are complete. The advisory followed an executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept....

As a slight sprinkle started to dampen the streets of Watsonville Friday afternoon, Felix Hindahl rolled into Watsonville Plaza on a bicycle laden with panniers, handlebar bags, electronics and other gear. That—and the 20-year-old Hanover, Germany native’s bicycling attire—spoke of someone serious about long road...

UPDATE, Aug. 19: Federal investigation into fatal plane collision underway ORIGINAL ARTICLE: WATSONVILLE—Two men, a woman and a dog died in a mid-air collision between two small private planes above Watsonville Municipal Airport Thursday just before 3pm. One witness, who went by the name Steve, said he...