Local News

WATSONVILLE—Despite the economic shutdowns resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the city of Watsonville’s overall sales tax revenues have held steady thanks to a myriad of reasons, including a sharp rise in online and local shopping. That’s according to Administrative Services Director Cindy Czerwin who at...

Michelle Pulido of the Watsonville Police Department said the first police to arrive at the older style, two-story home found three people who were suffering from gunshot wounds.

Less than two years after he was hired to run the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Zeke Fraser announced his resignation from the post. Fraser was hired as CEO/Fair Manager in June 2023.  The 14th District Agricultural Association/Santa Cruz County Fair Board of Directors  has accepted Fraser's...

Founded as The Pajaronian on Mar. 5, 1868, the newspaper has an illustrious history. It became the nation’s smallest daily paper to earn a Pulitzer Prize for public service in 1956 after its photographer caught the county’s district attorney participating in illegal gambling.

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police on Monday arrested a man suspected of a shooting Sunday night that left a woman and a teen girl in critical condition.  Detectives tracked down Raul Morales, 35, to Los Banos where he lived. The Merced County Sheriff’s Office and Los Banos Police...

Tarmo Hannula and Todd Guild contributed to this story Jerry Castro has lived in the same house on Cayetano Street in Pajaro all his life. His parents owned it before him, he then bought it off of them. His children and their children were also...

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the $1.1 billion proposed budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, including a $731 million General Fund. While the county’s financial outlook takes into account slowing revenue growth, it funds community priorities such as the...

CHP will be on full alert for Memorial Day The California Highway Patrol will conduct a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) starting at 6pm on Friday and continuing through 11:59pm on Monday, which is Memorial Day. During that time, all available CHP officers will be out...

Santa Cruz County has opened two emergency cold shelter sites in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. Unhoused residents needing a warm place to stay for the night are welcome to stop by. The shelters are located at the Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building, 215 E. Beach St.,...

A man wanted on suspicion of murder in the San Francisco Bay Area was stopped and arrested Friday evening in Santa Cruz. According to Israel Murillo of the California Highway Patrol, officers on patrol spotted the suspect’s vehicle—a Hyundai Elantra—traveling in the area of Seabright...