About Town

Nov. 6, 2019 Tarmo Hannula: Nine people were shot and killed, some burned beyond recognition, in a remote mountainous region of northern Mexico Monday by what officials are saying are a band of drug cartel members. Three mothers and six children died in the attack...

Dec. 4, 2019 Tarmo Hannula: In the midst of all this rain there have been a few incredible sunrises and sunsets. On Monday as I stepped off the 69A METRO bus in Santa Cruz the evening sky was opening up into an explosive bouquet of...

Tarmo Hannula: Genaro Garcia Luna, Mexico’s former public security secretary, the very man who brazenly took on Mexico’s chief drug traffickers, has now been arrested and charged with taking millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel, the New York Times reported. His...

Tarmo Hannula: Two new police officers will officially hit the streets this weekend in Watsonville to begin their 20-week Field Training phase. When they are done, they will join four others in their various stages of training, which will eventually add up to a...

Charles Lafferty, the suspect in the bizarre projectile case in Prunedale that since February has left dozens of vehicles with shattered windows and damaged paint, was back in court Monday. The 52-year-old, who was arrested Jan. 22, is now facing 79 charges, 74 of...

Today is Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day, is typically a day when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. The holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia. The festival was largely created to celebrate the coming of spring. At the...

A light sprinkle fell over Watsonville Tuesday but for only about 15 minutes. The National Weather Service said there is also a chance of rain tonight. After that, the next chance of rain isn’t until Saturday. • A 5.8 earthquake rattled a portion of Northern California...

Tents and a line of chairs have been set up outside Loaves and Fishes awaiting the normal Mon-Fri lunch for needy people on Second Street in Watsonville. • Of the 200 people tested for coronavirus at Natividad Medical Center, a 172-bed acute-care teaching hospital in Salinas,...

Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel issued a new order closing parks and beaches throughout Santa Cruz County beginning today through April 15th, 2020, a period that includes Easter weekend and much of Passover. The order is necessary to reduce the public health...

My wife Sarah and I drove through Watsonville today to take a few photos for the Pajaronian and get a sample of how the city feels as we aim toward the fourth week of the stay at home order. Signage was posted at Watsonville...