Local News

A man was arrested Wednesday at his Watsonville home on suspicion of arranging for sex with a minor, according to the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (SDPS).  Officials at the SDPS received information that Pablo Taskey, 27, used an online social media application, and arranged...

WATSONVILLE—Empower Watsonville, a youth leadership group that aims to amplify young voices in local government, hosted its annual conference at the Gene Hoularis and Waldo Rodriguez Youth Center on Dec. 2. Empower Watsonville is a health policy program of Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance...

WATSONVILLE—While trying to recap the first half of their day with Watsonville Mayor Jimmy Dutra, high school students Jennifer Fernandez and Maurice Moreno both thought back to their stop at Watsonville Fire Department headquarters and a conversation they had with Fire Capt. Almita Schaefer.  Her...

A shoulder-widening project on Highway 1 in Santa Cruz County is expected to be completed by the end of August.

The Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust (PVCHT) announced Thursday that it will not purchase Watsonville Community Hospital, after the organization failed to secure financing. The decision will allow Los Angeles-based Halsen Healthcare Group to make the purchase, PVCHT Executive Director DeAndre James said.

This story has been updated from a previous version. A cascading wave of fiscal challenges such as the election of President Donald Trump, his One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and a cyber attack, has Watsonville Hospital’s leadership team worried that it will not have...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a transition plan to create a county-run public defender’s office, which includes hiring staff and a chief public defender. County officials are now in talks with attorneys working for Biggam, Christensen and Minsloff (BCM),...

With sunshine interspersed with scattered showers expected to last through Monday, another storm anticipated to hit the Central Coast early Tuesday will bring up to eight inches in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and at least three inches to the rest of Santa Cruz County. The...

CAPITOLA—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday arrested a man during a traffic stop in the area of 40th Avenue and Clares Street after they found two loaded handguns, pills, more than two pounds of marijuana, a scale and other cannabis products in his...

Encompass Community Services in Santa Cruz announced Wednesday that its Head Start and Early Head Start programs are facing an immediate funding crisis due to sudden federal policy changes.  Unless funds are restored, the organization said, Encompass will be forced to close 15 classrooms and...