Local News

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County launched a pilot program on April 8 to provide free menstrual products in restrooms in select county facilities, including at the Watsonville center on Freedom Boulevard. The program aims to assist low-income residents who struggle to afford menstrual products, said...

NORTH MONTEREY COUNTY—The North Monterey County Fire Protection District is ushering in a new era. A month after announcing it will promote longtime employee Joel Mendoza to Fire Chief, the North County Fire Board of Directors celebrated the approval of a benefit assessment that will...

WATSONVILLE—Major groundwork has begun on the 144-home Hillcrest Estate subdivision situated on an 11.27-acre hilltop between Ohlone Parkway and Walker Street above Watsonville Slough.  “It’s a great boon that we are going to get an additional 144 units for Watsonville residents,” said Watsonville Community Development...

SAN FRANCISCO—The Ben Lomond man who used a homemade assault rifle to kill a federal law enforcement officer outside an Oakland courthouse nearly two years ago pleaded guilty on Feb. 11 to the charges in Northern District Court in San Francisco. Steven Carrillo, who formerly...

Emergency officials prepare to take a man to the emergency room Monday after his Toyota Camry drifted off of Highway 1 south of Watsonville at Jensen Road.

SCOTTS VALLEY—As the acreage continues to grow in the CZU August Lightning Complex fires, the number of people fighting the blaze on the ground and from the air is also growing. According to Cal Fire, there are 1,611 firefighters fighting the 78,000-acre blaze out of...

WATSONVILLE—A new large mosaic now graces the second floor of the main branch of the Watsonville Public Library. Created by Watsonville artist Kathleen Crocetti, the 10-by-12 work incorporates elements of the original library logo, the Pajaro Valley and the nearby coast. “It’s based on an aerial...

Smoke from the CZU August Lightning Complex fires has been really bad most of the day. We got something of a break Monday and Tuesday, with blue sky dominating the weather picture. Maybe the wind shifted? I spoke with several people in Watsonville and...

Pajaro Valley Pride’s second annual Pride Festival will take place at Watsonville Plaza, 358 Main St., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.