Local News

Watsonville Police detectives are investigating a stabbing that occurred Friday night on the 100 block of Rodriguez Street.

SOQUEL—A Soquel woman was arrested Friday after allegedly hitting a motorcyclist while driving under the influence of drugs. Karen Veninga-Zaricor, 31, was charged with DUI causing great bodily injury. She was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail, jail records showed. According...

In the wake of last year’s rains that battered the Santa Cruz Mountains, Stephanie and Dave Casper of Aptos were eager to bring a bit of light to their community this holiday season. Unfortunately, someone chose to intervene.

Thousands attend on first day of weekend-long event.

Roughly 800 people showed up to the inaugural Nerdville, a comic-con-style event organized by Friends of Watsonville Parks and Community Services, on Sunday at the Gene Hoularis and Waldo Rodriguez Youth Center in downtown Watsonville. Organizers said they are already planning the second installment—tentatively...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Mayor Jimmy Dutra says he clearly remembers the light displays that once lined downtown every holiday season.  As a kid, Dutra would see the sparkling candy canes, snowflakes and more that adorned the street lights, poles and storefronts as he and his family walked...

Editor's note, this story was updated at 3pm on Sept. 30, 2026 with a statement by Digital NEST founder and CEO Jacob Martinez. The Digital NEST tech nonprofit settled a sexual harassment lawsuit centered on allegations against Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Gabriel Medina,...

An elderly man was struck and killed after he was hit by several vehicles early Wednesday morning around 6:35 a.m.

Two artists have come together to present “Continuum & Flux,” a new art exhibit opening at the Cabrillo Gallery in Aptos on Monday.