Local News

Workers with Granite Construction construct a new concrete walkway at the rear of Ramsay Park Monday as part of an ongoing major renovation. The $3.6 million project, which has been in the works for several years, has led to the demolition and rebuilding of...

WATSONVILLE—A woman survived a solo-plane crash at Watsonville Municipal Airport Sunday afternoon after reportedly smashing into power lines and a utility pole upon approach to the runway just before 3pm. Cal Fire Capt. Bryan Whitaker said the pilot appeared to have suffered minor to moderate...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Four new battery-electric buses will be ready to roll through the county by fall 2021 as part of METRO’s public transportation fleet. The first two electric buses of the quartet will be used for the Zero-Emission Watsonville Circulator Operating Project. Through the project,...

WATSONVILLE—Author Stephanie Sabatinelli was inspired to write her first children’s book, “The Spittle Spattle Bug,” by her aunt’s enthusiasm for science and the environment.  The book features a spittlebug, a type of hemipteran insect best known for sucking moisture out of plants and encasing themselves...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council at its Tuesday night meeting will take its first look at the proposed restructured budget for the 2020/21 fiscal year, which includes seven layoffs and the elimination of all sports programs. The council is also expected to make major changes to...

When classes started on Tuesday for Watsonville Prep School, 180 middle-school students had their own space, a newly renovated building at 18 West Beach Street.  The new space is adjacent to the school's original location in the old Gottshalks building at 407 Main Street, which...

Near the terminus of the new bike path along South Green Valley Road—at the entrance to Pinto Lake County Park—lies a construction site that, by the end of the year, will be Watsonville’s second skatepark. It will also be the only one of its kind...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the Downtown Complete Streets Plan, a $27 million project that proposes sweeping changes to the corridor’s structure. The plan presented at Tuesday’s meeting included the much-debated lane reduction on Main Street, which the public was strongly opposed...

Tarmo Hannula: The Watsonville Municipal Airport has for the first time purchased a large 5,000-gallon jet refueler truck that arrived this past weekend, said airport manager Rayvon Williams. • Joseph Keeler, 28, of Watsonville made his first court appearance Tuesday in Superior Court in the company...

SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz Police on Thursday arrested a man for attempted robbery, one week after he allegedly brandished a knife and demanded money from someone at an ATM. Jesse Tapia, 33, was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail. He was not in custody Friday afternoon,...