Grant to help bring vaccines to County’s hard-to-reach communities
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—As the delta variant of Covid-19 sweeps across the world, and as health care providers urge everyone to get a vaccine, a new grant is expected to help several local organizations reach people who are hesitant to do so, or who are...
Suspect in recent Watsonville murder case arrested
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police on Tuesday arrested a Watsonville man for a fatal shooting near Ramsay Park from last year.
Julio Sanchez, 22, has been charged with murder. He was already in custody in Santa Cruz County Jail for vehicle theft and other charges. He is being...
Santa Cruz’s Charlie Hong Kong serves lunch to local farmworkers
WATSONVILLE—About two dozen farmworkers settled in on picnic tables at a Lakeside Organic Gardens field Wednesday for a fresh, healthy lunch featuring the very crops they harvest.
The meal was prepared by Charlie Hong Kong, a Santa Cruz Asian fusion restaurant that was Lakeside’s first...
PVUSD will reconsider school officer program after fatal Aptos stabbing
APTOS—The stabbing attack that killed an Aptos High School senior Tuesday occurred nearly one year after the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees ended the district’s School Resource Officer program, which placed law enforcement officers on high school campuses.
The district opted instead...
Aptos High student dies after being stabbed on campus
LIVE OAK—A 17-year-old Aptos High School student died Tuesday after he was stabbed multiple times, and two other students—14 and 17—are facing murder charges for the attack, which occurred on the school’s campus.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart made the announcement during a press...
Career-focused Watsonville school wins national award
WATSONVILLE—Diamond Technology Institute in Watsonville was recently honored for its programming promoting college and career readiness.
The school is the recipient of a Gold Medal for its work with the Career Choices Series curriculum and My10yearPlan.com, created by Academic Innovations, an award-winning educational publisher.
The Career...
Three Watsonville men arrested in connection with Santa Cruz shooting
SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz Police on Sunday arrested three suspected gang members after one of them fired a shot into a residence on Blaine Street.
Gustavo Garcia, 19, and Jose Lopez, 28, were charged with attempted homicide. Both face weapons and gang charges. They were booked...
Police: Teen on probation had stolen handgun at Watsonville football game
WATSONVILLE—An 18-year-old was arrested at the Belgard Kup high school football game by officers with the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team (SCCACT) who say he was carrying a loaded, stolen handgun.
An SCCACT detective saw Adrian Ayala during halftime of the annual game between Watsonville...
City restarts bulky items collection program
WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville has reinvented its Bulky Items Collection Program.
Abandoned years ago, the program now offers Watsonville residents a free chance to unload mattresses, appliances, some furniture, tires, carpeting and more.
Gabe Gordo, Solid Waste Division Manager, said the program is available to residents...
Equestrian competition back in the saddle
WATSONVILLE—The annual Summer Fun in Watsonville Outback Cutting competition is unfolding at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
Around 280 horses arrived mid-week for the five-day event that drew folks from around California, Arizona, Colorado and Texas.
Cutting is a western-style equestrian competition where a horse and...
Thousands attend No Kings rallies
Thousands of people crowded into Watsonville Plaza and surrounding streets Saturday as part of the nationwide No Kings protest against President Trump, his administration...
