Local News

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...

Four major fires throughout the Central Coast and greater Bay Area have destroyed at least 1,055 structures, various Cal Fire agencies announced Saturday morning. The SCU Lightning Complex, the River Fire, the Carmel Fire and the CZU August Lightning Complex have chewed through 513,305 acres...

WATSONVILLE—Staff of Life has delayed the opening of its Watsonville location until next year, according to spokeswoman Hollie Wendt. The Santa Cruz-based natural foods store was set to open its second location in the East Lake Village Shopping Center sometime in the fall. “After much discussion...

WATSONVILLE—A 150-unit housing development off Ohlone Parkway received a two-year extension from the Watsonville City Council at Tuesday’s meeting. The extension gives developer Lisa Li and new project manager John Fry some time to fix multiple issues that have arisen since it first received approval...