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Watsonville
July 6, 2025

Bike organization keeps moving

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville-based Community Bike Collective was set to host an official public launch sometime this spring as it looked to bring bicycle programs to people of all ages across the county. With a shelter-in-place order prompted by the novel coronavirus, however, that fete has been delayed. But...

Man shot near Callaghan Park

WATSONVILLE—A man was shot as he sat in his parked car with his 4-year-old daughter Tuesday evening in Watsonville. Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said a man walked up to the victim's car on the 200 block of Sudden Street shortly before 6pm and...

National Agriculture Day scholarship, contest winners announced

WATSONVILLE—For years the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau (SCCFB) and the Agri-Culture organization have hosted the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon. However, due to the current COVID- 19 pandemic, the March 18 event was postponed, and its future remains uncertain. Despite this, the two groups...

County: face coverings required when shopping

face coverings
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Starting this week, Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel will begin requiring customers and staff at essential businesses such as grocery stores to wear face coverings to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.  The order will follow requirements in place throughout...

Soquel man returns home after three-week quarantine

SOQUEL—Allen Stobaugh and his wife Mary were at the tail end of a 15-day cruise to the Hawaiian Islands—and were on their way for a final stop in Ensenada, Mexico—when their trip was waylaid by the novel coronavirus. Twenty-one passengers tested positive for the coronavirus,...

Two arrested for weapons, drug charges

RIO DEL MAR—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday arrested two men for drug and gun charges after one of them pointed a loaded gun at another driver in a road rage incident. Damian Hernandez, 20, and Israel Ibarra, 18, both Morgan Hill residents, were...

Watsonville Police arrest suspected arsonist

watsonville police
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police on April 16 arrested a homeless man for allegedly setting two fires. Elio Ortega, 41, was charged with arson. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail, jail records showed. Ortega was arrested after officers responded to a report...

Local animal shelters adapt to COVID-19 changes

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—In the first few weeks of the countywide shelter-in-place order, the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter (SCCAS) saw an unprecedented amount of adoptions.  About 126 dogs, cats and rabbits were adopted, including many animals who had been at the shelter for months. “People said...

Aptos New Leaf closes for one day after worker tests positive for COVID-19

aptos new leaf
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—New Leaf Community Market closed its new Aptos location on Saturday for a one-day deep cleaning after an employee there tested positive for COVID-19. Store officials said that the closure was voluntary. “While healthy authorities have not required us to close the store, we...

Three arrested for Soquel burglary

SOQUEL—Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies on Saturday arrested three people after they allegedly burglarized a house in Soquel. Elizabeth Chandler, Colby Jackson and Henry Hansen were charged with burglary, vandalism and resisting arrest. Only Jackson remained in custody Monday in lieu of $25,000 bail. According to the...
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Santa Cruz County celebrates with parades

Thousands of people attended Fourth of July parades in Watsonville and Aptos Friday, lining sidewalks aliog main streets to see hundreds of participants. Below...