Local News

WATSONVILLE—Francisco Elcanto schleps a five-gallon bucket into the back seat of his car. A peek under the lid reveals an assortment of neatly packed cleaning supplies. Today, all he needs is some cleaning supplies, which he is borrowing from the Santa Cruz Volunteer Center.  The...

WATSONVILLE—After 41 years on the job, Robert “Rolo” Leonardich drove away from the Watsonville Police Department for the last time Friday in his pristine 1978 Pontiac Firebird, the very car he drove to work on his first day on the job. A festive farewell party,...

APTOS—A man was taken to a Bay Area trauma center Sunday afternoon after the car he was in crashed into a ditch along Valencia Road, causing a collision that drove a large branch through the windshield. According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver of...

Watsonville, incorporated in 1868, was selected for its “historic nature” and its many historical societies and museums that celebrate “everything from the region’s rich agricultural heritage to its fire department,” according to the State Library’s website.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Massage therapy, nail salons, tattoo parlors and other personal services can reopen in Santa Cruz County on Friday, the county announced Monday. The county said those businesses should follow state guidance released by the California Department of Public Health June 12 which requires...

Before hundreds of people began a march Monday morning in downtown Santa Cruz to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a solemn hush fell over the crowd as political chanting briefly ceased and the good-natured whooping died down.  “Finally,” 6-year-old Brianna Hodgkins said, sitting astride...

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help from the community to find a man who allegedly took inappropriate photos of a woman as she shopped in a Soquel department store on Oct. 4.

WATSONVILLE—One of the pillars of the Watsonville Fire Department, Capt. Matt Ryan, will soon retire. That means on July 27 a mountain of experience in the world of fire and rescue will walk out the door. It also means a departure of a giant player...

More than 400 area students were given a running start for the upcoming school year when they were presented with free backpacks loaded with school supplies Saturday in an upbeat gathering in Watsonville Plaza.  Thanks to the Salvation Army in Watsonville, Freedom Rotary Club, Scouting...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Recycling is an idea that has become deeply embedded in modern culture, so much so that many don’t think twice before placing cans, bottles and cardboard into the appropriate bins. Beginning this year, a new law will let California residents do the same...