Local News

WATSONVILLE—Former Watsonville Fire Assistant Chief Gene Friend, a household name for many in the Pajaro Valley, died March 25 at Valley Convalescent in Watsonville.  Watsonville Fire Station 1 is emblazoned with his name in large letters as the namesake of the Chief Gene Friend Watsonville...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police Sgt. Donny Thul was on patrol recently when he got a harsh reminder of life under coronavirus restrictions. A call came over his radio that a group of young people was gathered at a park playing soccer. Just a few weeks ago, such a...

Tarmo Hannula Wet weather will return to the Central Coast as early as Friday night. Scattered showers are expected to pass through Saturday and then heavy rain with the chance of thunderstorms are expected Sunday. Showers could linger through Tuesday. • A task force has leased 26...

PASATIEMPO—A man and a woman have been arrested in a suspected homicide that took place Tuesday on the 800 block of Graham Hill Road. Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Ashley Kheen said detectives arrested Caitlin Crenshaw and Cody Huynh, both 23-year-old transients, in San...

WATSONVILLE—Scores of restaurants around Watsonville have been hit hard by the outbreak of COVID-19. With shelter-in-place orders in effect, residents are asked to stay inside and limit their time near crowds. This includes going to sit-down restaurants, coffee shops, breweries and the like. As such,...

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A single door was propped open, with a long table placed just inside of Santa Cruz Cider Company’s Apple City Tasting Room Monday afternoon.  A sign directed customers to the makeshift pickup window, which the owners have set up during the countywide shelter-in-place order. Natalie Henz,...

WATSONVILLE—Freedom Bakery owner Anna Liu said her new line of cookies was inspired by her children. Seeing her 9-, 12- and 15-year-olds dealing with school being closed due to the countywide shelter-in-place order is difficult, she said, and made her want to do something for...

Roughly 17 percent of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Santa Cruz County have been hospitalized, according to data released by Santa Cruz County officials on Wednesday. There were 54 confirmed cases in the county as of late Tuesday. Nine of those county...

SCOTTS VALLEY—A 55-year-old Santa Cruz woman was found dead Tuesday inside a home on the 800 block of Graham Hill Road, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Ashley Kheen said.  Detectives are investigating the incident as a homicide and are searching for the suspect(s). At 11:30 a.m. deputies responded to...