Man who tried to kill officers denied parole
SALINAS—A man convicted two decades ago of trying to kill two Watsonville Police officers was denied parole this week after a hearing at Salinas Valley State Prison, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell announced Wednesday.
Manuel Murillo, 42, was also convicted of dozens of...
Documentary about students’ trip to ‘Hamilton’ airs Saturday
PAJARO—Last year, every eighth-grader in Monterey County was given the gift of a lifetime: A chance to see the Tony Award-winning musical “Hamilton: An American Musical” live in San Francisco.
Thanks to a generous donation by the Dan and Lillian King Foundation, 9,000 kids from...
Honoring nurses
Today is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who was born in 1820. She was a British social reformer and statistician, and the founder of modern nursing. She rose to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War where she...
Santa Cruz County facing dire financial picture
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County will dip into its budgetary reserves to cover an estimated $20 million deficit in this year’s budget, which stems from revenue losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the request by County Administrative Officer Carlos...
Man seriously injured after shooting himself
WATSONVILLE—A man in his 30s was seriously injured Tuesday when he shot himself in the parking lot at Motel 6 in Watsonville.
Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said two men were inside a Honda Civic at the motel, 125 Silver Leaf Drive, just before...
Watsonville Film Festival receives grant from California Arts Council
WATSONVILLE—The California Arts Council (CAC) recently announced the allocation of a record-breaking $30 million—the largest investment in the council’s 40-plus year history. A total of 1,534 grants have been awarded to nonprofit organizations and government programs across the state in support of the arts.
Watsonville...
Beach closed after shark attack
A Santa Cruz man died after a shark attacked him at Sand Dollar Beach, which is part of Manresa State Beach.
Ben Kelly, 26, was pronounced dead on the shore in front of Cañon del Sol, a gated community of 97 townhome units on...
PVUSD seniors opt for virtual, drive-thru ceremony
WATSONVILLE—Graduation for Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s 1,179 seniors this year will look drastically different than it has at any time in its history.
That is because the school closures imposed April 1 by state education officials have required students to learn from home for...
Man dies in custody at Main Jail
SANTA CRUZ—A man in custody for domestic violence-related charges at Santa Cruz County Main Jail was found dead inside his cell Sunday, Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn announced.
According to Keehn, correctional officers found Tamario Rashawn Smith, 21, unresponsive inside his cell around 6pm.
The officers performed...
Flyover honors first responders, essential workers
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A team of six pilots took the sky over Santa Cruz County Saturday in a first-ever local aerial tribute to those giving to their community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lightning Formation Airshows (LFA), with support from Watsonville Municipal Airport, painted the sky with...
Monterey County Sheriff: ‘Bomb’ was lost computer
A suspicious bag left leaning against a California Highway Patrol vehicle in Prunedale Monday—which prompted a response from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad...
