Local News

WATSONVILLE—In December, the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (PVWMA) Board of Directors approved a $1.2 million water conservation program aimed at further bolstering the efforts already in place by farmers. PVWMA is partnering with the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County (RCD) and the...

WATSONVILLE—Two people were shot and killed in a span of just more than 48 hours in Watsonville, raising concerns about an uptick of violence in Santa Cruz County’s southernmost city. Watsonville police are investigating the shooting deaths of 19-year-old Fancisco Mora and 30-year-old Octavio Varela...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Planning Commission at its first meeting of the year Monday recommended the City Council move forward with a mixed-use apartment complex in downtown. If approved, the proposed four-story, 50-unit apartment building at 558 Main St. would be nestled into the historic corridor near...

SACRAMENTO—California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Dec. 30 released a plan under which schools could reopen as early as February. The plan, which streamlines the process of applying for a waiver to bring students back for in-person instruction, is bolstered by a $2 billion package of...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A man was arrested on suspicion of driving a stolen truck and trying to evade police after he charged past their blockade on Highway 1 Monday. California Highway Patrol officer Sam Courtney said the incident began when the CHP had to shut down...

SANTA CRUZ—Five young people were rescued from giant surf Sunday after their sailboats were knocked over during a High Surf Advisory at the mouth of the Santa Cruz Harbor. The incident started when two groups of six small sailboats from the Santa Cruz Yacht Club’s...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Brillante, the ongoing community mosaic project spearheaded by Community Arts Empowerment (CAE), has extended its deadline for art submissions to Feb. 10. Organizers are looking for local artists’ work to be featured on the six-story parking garage on Rodriguez Street, which is attached...

The Santa Cruz Warriors will get the opportunity to play some basketball this year.  The NBA’s development league announced the 2020-21 season will start as soon as February. But they’ll be doing so nearly 3,000 miles away from the Santa Cruz team’s normal home of...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police are investigating the second deadly shooting in three days, after a 19-year-old died of a gunshot wound Saturday night near the Pajaro River levee.  Watsonville police around 7pm responded to the dead end of Walker Street near the levee after a caller...

SOQUEL—A Soquel woman was arrested Friday after allegedly hitting a motorcyclist while driving under the influence of drugs. Karen Veninga-Zaricor, 31, was charged with DUI causing great bodily injury. She was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail, jail records showed. According...