Local News

WATSONVILLE — The new Hampton Inn & Suites on Lee Road is slated for an early March opening. Owner Juggy Tut said he is excited about the doors finally swinging open at the 112-room, four-story inn that has largely been constructed during the pandemic. “We’re looking...

A Watsonville man suspected of being a gang member was arrested Tuesday for felony vandalism after allegedly scrawling graffiti on a public mural.

SANTA CRUZ—A federal judge on Jan. 20 granted a preliminary injunction stopping the city of Santa Cruz from closing a homeless camp in San Lorenzo Park that has swelled to nearly 200 residents since people started moving there in July. The order, signed by Magistrate...

CENTRAL COAST—Heavy rain has drenched the Central Coast over the past few days leading to evacuations, road closures and flooding. While the first half of January was dry, leaving the window open for fears of a drought, the powerful rains have ushered in a new...

By Bryan PietschSchools named for historical figures, including Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, as well as current ones, like Sen. Dianne Feinstein, are set to be renamed. Following the unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, which led to the killing of a protester by a...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday fired Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez after a closed-session meeting that delayed the beginning of the public session by more than two hours. The decision came after a 4-3 vote, with trustees Jennifer Holm, Maria Orozco...

WATSONVILLE—Opening a new business during a global pandemic might at first seem like a risky move. But for Christian Diaz, it was also an opportunity. With most fitness centers throughout the state remaining closed to stop the spread of Covid-19, people have been looking for...

WATSONVILLE—A Watsonville woman who was out on bail for allegedly stabbing a woman in August was arrested again on Sunday after allegedly slashing a man’s face with a knife, Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said. Dalilah Yasin, 41, was charged with assault with a deadly...

SALINAS—The  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved more than $2.8 million in funding for the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, Congressman Jimmy Panetta announced Tuesday. The funding will be used to complete the preconstruction, engineering, and design (PED) phase of the project in...

Alex Sandoval oversees a project Tuesday to breach the Pajaro River where it meets the sea. Sandoval said his crew fears upcoming storms might send water levels over Beach Road and over roadways within the Pajaro Dunes community. The County Of Santa Cruz is issuing...