Local News

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Just as he did with the 2016 presidential election, President Donald Trump is making accusations of a rigged and fraudulent election in 2020.  But how easy is it to “steal” an election? Ask Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin. She’s been the head of...

WATSONVILLE—In a historic move at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the City of Watsonville officially apologized to the local Filipino community for the 1930 anti-Filipino race riots, which ended in the death of one man and ignited unrest across California.  It did so in a resolution...

WATSONVILLE—Two men accused of stealing an SUV were arrested Monday after an off-duty Watsonville Police officer spotted the pair casing vehicles in a neighborhood off of Lighthouse Drive. Christian Torres, 18, and Jesus Torres, 19, face charges for vehicle theft, petty theft, and for obstructing...

WATSONVILLE—Two local organizations are hoping to shine a brilliant holiday light during troubling times. The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation and the Agricultural History Project are in the midst of crafting the first-ever Holiday Lights Drive-Thru event as an alternative celebration for the holiday season...

Do you have a recent photograph you’d like to share? Send it to us for consideration by emailing it to [email protected] or mailing it to 21 Brennan St., Suite 14, Watsonville, CA 95076. Please include a brief description of the photo as well as the name...

WATSONVILLE—Second Harvest Food Bank volunteer Paul Garcia knows the importance of giving back to his community. “I was a heroin addict for many years… I tore this town up,” he said. “So now I’m giving back.” Garcia has been a volunteer for Second Harvest for 11...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—After nearly three decades running the county’s elections department, Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin will retire at the end of the year. Pellerin made the announcement Thursday, a little more than a week after what many are calling the most significant election...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a plan to move the county’s public defender services from a private law firm to one run by the County. The plan has garnered support from the current public defenders, as well as...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday approved several changes to its Community Development Block Grant funding plan from the previous fiscal year and accepted an early funding plan for the 2020-21 fiscal year. The amendments to the 2019-20 fiscal year were needed because the City...

WATSONVILLE—With the Covid-19 pandemic—and the restrictions on businesses that have come with it—sticking around for the foreseeable future, the City of Watsonville is hoping a new program will allow restaurants and shops to better handle the hurdles currently in front of them. The Parklet Program...