Local News

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency has entered agreements with two engineering firms to help plan for a project that will help the area achieve sustainable groundwater resources by 2040. The College Lake Integrated Resources Management Project will use rainfall runoff to replace a portion...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Planning Commission at its Tuesday meeting rejected a gas station’s application for a beer and wine alcohol license and also recommended the City Council deny a permit for a proposed large propane storage facility. An Arco AM/PM convenience store currently being constructed adjacent...

WATSONVILLE—The City of Watsonville has established a survey in hopes of gathering community input on the future of the George Washington bust in the City Plaza. The three-question survey asks the public for opinions about the statue in its current state, and if they have...

WATSONVILLE—Last year, Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) spokeswoman Alicia Jimenez was looking for a way to get the community more involved in local public education.  When visiting other cities such as Gonzales, she noticed they were creating and installing banners in their downtowns, featuring...

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...

SCOTTS VALLEY—The CZU August Lightning Complex fire has destroyed 1,490 structures as of Thursday, making it the ninth-most destructive fire ever recorded in the state. According to Cal Fire, 925 of those structures are single-family homes. Most of those homes once stood in the Santa...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Planning Commission on Tuesday is expected to make a recommendation to the City Council on the proposed propane storage and transfer facility set to be constructed at 950 W. Beach St. The item was originally on the commission's July agenda but City of...

SANTA CRUZ—A Santa Cruz man was arrested Saturday after allegedly setting a house on fire while people were still inside. Ryan Lee Brand, 45, was charged with attempted murder and arson. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bail, jail...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency is looking for volunteers to be part of a newly conceived committee focused on groundwater sustainability in the Pajaro Valley. The 17-member Sustainable Groundwater Committee which will meet up to 10 times through fall 2021, will focus on updating PV...

SCOTTS VALLEY—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office arrested a 34-year-old Boulder Creek resident in connection to explosive devices found earlier this week while responding to the CZU August Lightning Complex fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains. SCCSO Chief Deputy Chris Clark in a Saturday evening...