Local News

SANTA CRUZ—The Watsonville man accused of killing his wife, and then leaving her body in a vehicle near where she worked in Santa Cruz, made his second appearance in Santa Cruz County Superior Court Thursday, where he pleaded not guilty. Cesar Antonio Hernandez, 47, is...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police have arrested three men suspected of participating in a carjacking on Oct. 30. Manuel Hernandez, 18, Joel Vasquez, 29, and Raul Leal, 23, face several felony charges. They were booked into Santa Cruz County Jail. Hernandez is being held in lieu of $200,000...

As the nation awaits the final results of the much-anticipated presidential race, other outcomes at the national and state level have been all but decided. According to results tallied Thursday, 20th District Congressman Jimmy Panetta, a Democrat, had a massive lead over challenger Jeff Gorman,...

WATSONVILLE—Covid-19 restrictions are keeping many people at home, forcing thousands out of work and making day-to-day chores exponentially more difficult. Imagine, then, the added challenges facing families whose children are affected by cancer, says Lori Butterworth, founder and director of Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support...

WATSONVILLE—A Greenfield Police officer was arrested early Thursday on charges of domestic violence. Christian Tapia, 27, was arrested at 8:03am and booked into Santa Cruz County Jail by the Watsonville Police Department on domestic violence-related charges that officers believe happened in Watsonville. The Greenfield Police Department...

WATSONVILLE—The Covid-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for Santa Cruz County renters, property managers and landlords alike. With renters suddenly out of work and unable to pay most, or even the entirety of their rent, threats of evictions have been looming. For some landlords,...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will become the first amusement park in California to reopen after Covid-19 restrictions shuttered them statewide earlier this year, Boardwalk spokesman Kris Reyes said. Rides such as the famous Giant Dipper, which have sat dormant for months, will once...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—This year, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Toys For Tots will not be hosting public collection sites for toy donations for the first time in its history. Normally, the collection points at fire stations and businesses throughout the county are responsible for the...

Collin Travers (from right), Saul Valadez and Juan Trujillo of the Watsonville Police Department join Robert Strong as he carries the torch in the annual Law Enforcement Special Olympics Torch Run in Watsonville Wednesday. Since 1981 the Torch Run, a global movement, has served...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Record numbers of voters nationwide cast their ballots this year, all either hungering for change or hoping for status quo in what is possibly one of the most polarizing political climates in U.S. history. Locally, those numbers likely were a catalyst in driving...