Local News

Santa Cruz County will move to the orange tier of the state’s reopening plan tomorrow, the county confirmed in a press release today.  The orange-tier status that takes effect at midnight tonight will mean retail can operate at full capacity. Restaurants, places of worship, movie theaters and...

WATSONVILLE—Felipe Hernandez has taken an early lead on Jimmy Dutra in the race for the 4th District Santa Cruz County Supervisor seat, according to initial results reported by the County Elections Department. Hernandez, the former mayor of Watsonville and current member of the Cabrillo College...

A new art exhibit, which includes workshops and a public tree planting, is set to open at Studio Judy G on Main Street in Watsonville on Jan. 21. “Trees to Be” features works by more than 50 artists and local organizations who deal with the...

SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz Police arrested a woman early Thursday morning after she allegedly set fires in several garbage cans between Ocean and Church streets. Nataliya Zubrilina, 34, has been charged with arson. She was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail and was being held Friday...

PAJARO—One person was killed early Sunday morning when a suspected drunk driver crashed head-on into their vehicle in Pajaro, California Highway Patrol officer Jessica Madueño said. Officers say the suspect, identified as Israel Cruz, 47, was driving east in a Toyota pickup on Hall Road...

SANTA CRUZ—A person was shot while riding in a car just before 2pm in Santa Cruz at the heavily traveled intersection of Ocean Street and San Lorenzo Boulevard. As Santa Cruz Police raced to the scene they learned the victim had self-transported to Dominican Hospital...

After five months of negotiations, nurses at Watsonville Community Hospital have ratified a three-year contract that they say helps to improve patient safety and increase nurse retention. The California Nurses Association, which represents 250 nurses at the hospital, made the announcement on Dec. 9. It...

The first baby born in Santa Cruz County came 44 minutes into the New Year at Watsonville Community Hospital. At 12:44am Wednesday Magali Elias and Josué Reyes welcomed their first child, Ailany Galilea, to the world thanks to the folks at the Hospital’s Labor and...

WATSONVILLE—Drive-thrus got the green light at Tuesday night’s Watsonville City Council meeting. By a 5-2 vote the council rejected a 45-day ban on new drive-thrus, stating there is no current and immediate threat to public health, safety or welfare and that their approval should be...