Local News

WATSONVILLE—For the first time in more than two decades, the Watsonville First United Methodist Church (UMC) has a new pastor. Rev. Jon Song, who has been practicing ministry for the past 35 years, took helm of the church earlier this month. He follows Rev. Robin...

SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz police arrested two men suspected of vandalizing a large Black Lives Matter mural in Santa Cruz on Saturday by making a series of long, sinuous skid marks over it with a pickup truck carrying the United States flag. Brandon Bochat, 20, of...

WATSONVILLE—More than 100 children in bright yellow T-shirts were at Pinto Lake County Park Friday morning, laughing, shouting and running through various soccer drills as part of the Aztecas Summer Soccer Camp. The camp, launched seven years ago to give young people a constructive “pro-social”...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A Watsonville man wanted on suspicion of attempted homicide for a drive-by shooting in Live Oak was arrested Monday in Idaho. Patrick Diaz, 29, was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 13 shooting of a man on Soquel Drive...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday approved a plan to use a package of federal funds to repair roofs on buildings district-wide, in addition to other maintenance issues. The district will also use part of its $52.76 million in Elementary...

WATSONVILLE—During the next school year, every student in Pajaro Valley Unified School District can get a free breakfast and lunch, nutrition director Linda Liu said. Students and their families will not be required to fill out applications for free and reduced lunches to participate, she...

WATSONVILLE—A new outdoor mural is taking shape thanks to three local artists and the backing of a business owner at the heavily traveled intersection of East Lake Avenue and Brennan Street. Jessica Carrasco, Mateo Gonzalez (aka Primo) and Paul De Worken started work on the...

SANTA CRUZ—A group of high-ranking medical care providers and officials on Thursday gathered at Santa Cruz’s Emeline health complex, a press conference convened to get a single message out to the public. “We want to drive home the importance today of everyone eligible in our...

WATSONVILLE—Willy Elliott-McCrea, who has led Second Harvest Food Bank for more than three decades, will retire in July 2022, the food bank announced Thursday. McCrea started as a driver for the center in 1978 and was promoted to director 10 years later. Under his tenure,...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Strawberry Festival will return on Aug. 8, a year after the pandemic forced the cancelation of the event in 2020. With it comes all the usual excitement—strawberry treats, live entertainment, vendors and more—as well as the selection of this year’s official poster...