Local News

Nov. 20, 2019 Tarmo Hannula: Someone called 9-1-1 Wednesday morning after they spotted a man prowling around their carport on Harper Street in Live Oak. An SC Sheriff deputy arrived within minutes and located a suspect at 3:40 a.m. When the deputy confronted the man...

SALINAS—The County of Monterey on Tuesday joined several neighboring jurisdictions in approving a prohibition on no-fault evictions through the end of the year. It was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors and went into effect immediately. The prohibition comes on the heels of multiple reports...

WATSONVILLE—During a recent cleaning of her house, Aromas author and artist Joyce Oroz discovered a set of acrylic paintings tucked away in a corner of her attic.  She had painted the pieces about 20 years prior and almost forgotten about them.  “I knew I couldn’t just...

WATSONVILLE—Cool, rainy weather did not deter Watsonville residents from stopping by East Lake Shopping Center on Saturday to celebrate Small Business Saturday. As part of the nationwide movement known as Shop Small, created in 2010 by credit card giant American Express, Small Business Saturday aims...

WATSONVILLE—Every year, Santa Cruz Toys for Tots – and the numerous volunteers that support it – make sure children across the county have a surprise on Christmas. Last year, the organization provided more than 11,000 toys, games, bikes and other gifts. On Tuesday, when a rainstorm...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Unified School District plans to install a water bottle filling station at Ohlone Elementary School over the upcoming winter break, a move that will bring the school in line with many others that are seeking ways to reduce their production of plastic...

WATSONVILLE—Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health Services showed off its new South County facility Friday, a building that has allowed the agency to more than double its space and bring an expanded offering of mental health services to the Watsonville area. The building at 1430 Freedom...

SANTA CRUZ—After Santa Cruz County Assistant District Attorney Johanna Schonfield displayed for a jury a photo of 4-year-old Jaelyn Zavala dying from a bullet wound – and as jurors and the girl’s family members wept at the sight – she turned to the man accused...

WATSONVILLE—After years of waiting, advocating, fighting and fretting, people who live near the Pajaro River – and in the community around it – can breathe a sigh of relief. That’s after a feasibility report released Thursday by the Army Corps of Engineers, and a separate...

A weekly column that celebrates local businesses — especially eateries, watering holes, coffee shops and the like. Tarmo Hannula Food: Bantam  My wife Sarah and I recently had a great dinner at Bantam on the west side of Santa Cruz. Opened in 2012 Bantam, 1010 Fair Ave.,...