Local News

SALINAS—A man convicted two decades ago of trying to kill two Watsonville Police officers was denied parole this week after a hearing at Salinas Valley State Prison, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell announced Wednesday. Manuel Murillo, 42, was also convicted of dozens of...

WATSONVILLE—Residents of Watsonville’s older adult communities can now get advanced notice when dangerous agricultural chemicals will be applied to fields near their residences. Santa Cruz is one of four counties taking part in a pilot notification program in conjunction with the California Department of Pesticide...

WATSONVILLE—The U.S. is a country built on the backbone of its roadway system – a vast network of lanes, roads and freeways that connect us to home workplace, and untold adventures. But all of that travel largely depends on vehicles, which in turn rely on...

WATSONVILLE—The City of Watsonville at a Dec. 15 public meeting will release the results of a recent survey that asked the community about its views and vision for the downtown corridor. The virtual gathering is part of the City’s Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan (DWSP) endeavor,...

Event drew about 200 youths from Monterey Bay colleges and universities.

WATSONVILLE—After 33 years of service behind badge number 251, Watsonville Police Sgt. Henry Robles put in his final shift last week.  The San Diego native was surrounded by a swarm of officers, city officials, friends and family in the Squad Room for a farewell sendoff...

PAJARO VALLEY—Long-standing realtor Renee Mello was recently named Realtor of the Year for 2021 by the Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors. A broker associate with Keller Williams, Mello, a third-generation Watsonville native, said she was stunned and “truly honored” to have been picked out...

WATSONVILLE—In November Uriel Mendoza of Watsonville will mark 21 years of being a bus driver for Santa Cruz METRO. When asked what he liked about his job, he plainly responded, “My job.”  His preferred bus route? “I like all of them,” he said. He said his customers are...

MONTEREY BAY—After 16 years of drawing birders from around the globe, with its wide array of guided field trips with expert birders, lectures, workshops and samples of local foods and drinks, the Monterey Bay Birding Festival has reached its end. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic,...

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,...