Local News

WATSONVILLE—Should Watsonville expand outward in an effort to meet mounting housing and economic needs? Or will it continue to restrict its growth, and increase its housing density in favor of protecting every inch of the rich surrounding agricultural land? These are the questions Watsonville voters...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) on Friday announced it has named Michael Tree its new CEO/General Manager. Tree has nearly three decades of experience in the public transit industry and city management, most recently as Executive Director of the Livermore Amador Valley...

WATSONVILLE—Since the state opened its Covid-related rental assistance program roughly a year ago, 889 Watsonville residents who have fallen behind on their monthly payments have submitted an application for help. But only around half of those people have received funds, putting them in a precarious...

MICHOACÁN, MEXICO—A Watsonville mother of four was killed—and her sister critically injured—in a mass shooting in Michoacán, Mexico on March 28. Melissa Silva was 36. She leaves behind four children, 20, 17, 12 and 10, two of whom attend Calabasas Elementary School. Her 16-year-old sister...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council will consider appointing Rene Mendez, the current chief executive for the city of Gonzales, as Watsonville’s new city manager during its Tuesday evening meeting.  Mendez has three decades of experience in state, county and city government and has spent the last...

WATSONVILLE—A father and son who have faced numerous marijuana-related charges in the past were arrested again on April 19 after a California Highway Patrol officer found nearly five pounds of marijuana in their vehicle. According to CHP officer Sam Courtney, Elias Ayala Gutierrez, 50, and...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday night approved a resolution in opposition to Measure D, the divisive June 7 ballot measure that, if approved, would remove language from Santa Cruz County’s guiding planning document that relates to rail services, both freight and passenger. Watsonville Mayor...

WATSONVILLE—For the first time in 10 years, Watsonville’s Esperanza del Valle (EDV) will be returning to the Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts for a weekend of dancing, music and cultural celebration. The nonprofit folklórico dance group was founded in Watsonville in 1980...

WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville hired Katie Nuñez in March of last year to supervise the Watsonville Senior Center. Her tasks then were to bring the community hub into the 21st century, and create a slew of programs for the area’s older adults. But just two...

WATSONVILLE—Two Watsonville men were arrested early Tuesday morning on suspicion of fatally shooting a man and a woman in Gonzales on Oct. 23. David Ireta-Reyes, 24, and William Garcia-Fuentes, 25, were arrested on $2 million warrants, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said. On Oct. 23 gunfire...