Three men arrested after graffiti spree in downtown Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—Three men are facing felony vandalism charges for allegedly defacing more than a half-dozen businesses in downtown Watsonville with graffiti early Saturday.
Richard Betancourt, 40, Javier Alvarado, 29, and Juan Bautista, 23, all of Watsonville, were booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on charges of...
Watsonville Community Hospital faces closure if not purchased by Jan. 28
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Community Hospital will either be sold to a new buyer or—if that fails—close by Jan. 28, CEO Steven Salyer announced Monday.
In a letter sent to employees, Salyer states that the hospital is facing “significant financial challenges,” which have been compounded by decreased revenue...
Two killed in 3-vehicle crash on Green Valley Road
WATSONVILLE—Two people, including a 16-year-old Watsonville boy, were killed on March 19 in a three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Green Valley Road and Pennsylvania Drive.
Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said the 20-year-old driver, identified by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office as...
Watsonville resident takes to the sky on 92nd birthday
Marie Roberts was just 3 years old when she first started to dream of flying.
Born in Nebraska in 1928, Roberts watched her father install a large, multi-unit birdhouse in their home’s yard. She was immediately transfixed.
“I looked up at those creatures and I started...
Gilroy man accused of ‘Boogaloo’ affiliation
By Michael Moore, of the Morgan Hill Times
SANTA CLARA COUNTY—Gilroy resident Alan Viarengo, who taught math at Gavilan College for nearly 20 years, was arrested last week on suspicion of stalking and threatening Santa Clara County’s public health officer, and police say he has...
Man seriously injured after crashing into patrol car
WATSONVILLE—A man was seriously injured late Saturday night after he crashed his vehicle on Beach Road and was hurled into an agriculture field.
The bizarre chain of events started around 10:30pm when the man, who has not been named, was involved in a hit-and-run crash...
Orchard offers u-pick roses, outdoor fun
There is now a new way to assemble your own bouquet of roses, thanks to a pick-your-own rose venue at Birdsong Orchards in Watsonville.
Owner Nadine Schaeffer said she is growing dozens of varieties of roses on her 8-acre parcel where she also tends to...
Photo: Teens stabbed in neighborhood behind Target
Watsonville Police Department officers collect evidence on Harkins Slough Road at Sunset Vista Drive where two people were stabbed Tuesday afternoon.
WPD Sgt. Mish Radich said four teen males attacked two other teen males at 3:22pm in the neighborhood behind the Target store. After...
Quick-thinking pharmacist thwarts armed robbery
Sometimes, armed robbery does not pay off. A pharmacist was working at the CVS store on Rodriguez Street at about 11:40am on Feb. 4 when a man wearing a ski mask demanded Oxycontin.
But instead of giving the man what he wanted, the pharmacist told...
Rountree escapee captured 8 hours later
WATSONVILLE—An inmate at the Rountree Medium Facility on the outskirts of Watsonville escaped Friday afternoon, leading to an intensive search that ended with his capture later the same day.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Ashley Keehn said Christopher Dicochea escaped around 3:45pm from the correctional center on...
Prep Athletes of the Week: MVC’s Boston Ashe; St. Francis’ Maya...
The Pajaronian’s Prep Athletes of the Week were selected based on their performances during the week of Sept. 8-14. Coaches and athletic directors are...
