Man accused of killing girlfriend pleads not guilty
SANTA CRUZ—The man who investigators say stabbed his girlfriend to death at her apartment on Clifford Avenue in July pleaded not guilty Tuesday during a brief hearing.
Alberto Scalant, 33, returns to court for his preliminary hearing on Nov. 17. He is being held in...
Mayor for the Day teams students with Watsonville’s top official
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...
Farm history gets new life
WATSONVILLE—Heavy-duty earth-moving equipment rumbled into gear at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds over the past week, reshaping a chunk of land at the Agricultural History Project to make way for the expansion of the Living History Farm.
Situated near the entrance of the fairgrounds, the...
City Council deems Kmart property a public nuisance
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council at its Tuesday meeting declared the vacant Kmart property a public nuisance, citing “illegal camping, lack of sanitation, inoperable or abandoned vehicles, excessive noise,” and a “violation of the City’s zoning laws.”
The declaration gives the City the right to remove...
Electric Light Rail demonstration set for Watsonville this weekend
WATSONVILLE—This weekend residents will have the opportunity to ride on a clean-energy, accessible streetcar along a section of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line in Watsonville.
Members of Coast Futura, an alliance of people from various other county organizations, organized the demonstration with Roaring Camp...
Hearing begins in Pleasure Point kidnapping, murder case
SANTA CRUZ—The four men who investigators say kidnapped and murdered a Pleasure Point man two years ago appeared in court Tuesday for the first day of their preliminary hearing.
Stephen Lindsay, 28, Joshua Camps, 25, and brothers Kaleb and Kurtis Charters, 20 and 23, respectively,...
Photo: Man hurt after car collides with tree
Emergency workers are shown at the scene of a solo-vehicle crash on Larkin Valley Road where the male driver was seriously hurt.
California Highway Patrol officer Sam Courtney said the man, who was in his early 30s, was traveling north on Larkin Valley Road...
Evening With the Mayor aims to raise money for holiday lights display
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...
Police: Man threw rocks at officers, threatened people with axe
WATSONVILLE—A man was arrested on Oct. 9 on suspicion of multiple counts of assault, including several counts against a peace officer.
Watsonville Police Department Sgt. Mike Ridgway said a group of people experiencing homelessness aided police in tracking down Oscar Partido, 26, around 8am. He...
City asks council to deem Kmart property a public nuisance
WATSONVILLE—City of Watsonville staff at Tuesday’s meeting will ask the Watsonville City Council to declare the vacant Kmart property a public nuisance, citing “illegal camping, lack of sanitation, inoperable or abandoned vehicles, excessive noise,” and a “violation of the City’s zoning laws.”
If the City...
What Makes Watsonville Community Hospital—and America—Great
Thirty-three years ago, while my family was preparing for a birthday party, I decided to arrive early. My mother was shopping for a cake...
