Local News

WATSONVILLE—Juan Herrera has been keeping busy since he graduated from Watsonville High School (WHS) in 2021. After landing a job with K&D Landscaping while still in school, Herrera rose up through the ranks, starting in the maintenance crew and finally working on larger residential and...

WATSONVILLE—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Coroner has identified the three victims in a midair collision between two airplanes on Aug. 18 above Watsonville Municipal Airport.  Carl Kruppa, 75, and Nannette Plett-Kruppa, 67, both of Winton, Calif. were aboard the Cessna 340 twin-engine plane, while Stuart...

WATSONVILLE—The National Transportation Safety Board has begun its investigation into a Thursday mid-air collision between two airplanes above Watsonville Municipal Airport that killed three people and one dog. NTSB Airsafety Investigator Fabian Salazar said during a Friday afternoon press conference that the probe into the...

WATSONVILLE—Since the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1716 was founded nearly a century ago, it has been a place for vets to find the camaraderie of shared experience, as well as a gathering spot for friends. More importantly, the Watsonville organization—and others like it nationwide—offer...

UPDATE, Aug. 19: Federal investigation into fatal plane collision underway ORIGINAL ARTICLE: WATSONVILLE—Two men, a woman and a dog died in a mid-air collision between two small private planes above Watsonville Municipal Airport Thursday just before 3pm. One witness, who went by the name Steve, said he...

WATSONVILLE—Kristal Salcido says that she had for months planned to spend the final weeks leading up to the Nov. 8 election walking door-to-door throughout Watsonville’s Fourth District to drum up support for her city council run. On Wednesday, Salcido received the news that whether or...

Watsonville Police Cadets collect information from Linda Bernabe, Director of Dual Enrollment at Cabrillo College, Friday evening at the Watsonville Youth Center during a free Watsonville Pop-Up event. The three-hour gathering featured around 30 resource tables, raffle prizes, music, games and a dance performance....

A firefighter from Cal Fire chases down flames in a wild land fire that ignited on sloping terrain off of Harkins Slough Road behind Pajaro Valley High School Wednesday. Cal Fire Battalion Chief Sam Filson said the 2pm blaze burned about a half acre...

WATSONVILLE—Two teens were arrested Aug. 11 on suspicion of armed robbery just minutes after they fled a business on Freedom Boulevard. Noe Rocha, supervisor of the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team, said officers initially spotted two suspicious teens who appeared to be tucking something into...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Pride (PVP) will hold its annual in-person march and celebration Sunday at the Watsonville YWCA, for the first time since 2019. PVP, an organization aiming to support South Santa Cruz County’s LGBTQ+ community, had been holding Pride events in Watsonville since 2016. Throughout...