Local News

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville pilots, and the city’s municipal airport, are asking for help after several aircraft were struck by laser light. The phenomenon, known as laser strikes, occurs when someone on the ground points a laser light at a pilot. It is a federal offense, with five years...

Special events Clam Chowder Cook-Off (Feb. 22-23) The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk welcomes the 39th annual Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook-Off. The popular fundraiser for Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department is a two-day event, with amateur chefs competing on Feb. 22 and professional chefs the...

APTOS—Lasting memories of loved ones, events, businesses and organizations might now last a little longer in Aptos thanks to the Celebration Brick Program and a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony that unfolded Saturday. About 100 people gathered around one of eight tree wells at the Village Green,...

WATSONVILLE—Cecilia Gonzalez spent a day hollowing out a piece of plastic foam, creating a perfect spot in which to cradle an egg. She wrapped this in cardboard and topped her invention with several balloons. The test came on Wednesday, when it was dropped off the...

Yesterday I walked past a man reading a book on the sidewalk in downtown Watsonville. Curious, I stopped and asked him what he was reading. Annoyed, he looked up and yelled a bunch of things at me in a foreign language and then showed...

SANTA CRUZ—The man who gunned down a rival gang member and killed a 4-year-old girl in the crossfire nearly six years ago was sentenced Thursday to two consecutive terms of life without parole in state prison. Michael Escobar, 36, also received more than 12 years...

When Phoenix Artemisia decided to open a yoga studio in Watsonville in 2016, no other location around the city grabbed her attention more than downtown. That was despite some pushback from friends, who had concerns about her safety and that of her clients.  Artemisia, ever the...

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"Try This" is a weekly column that celebrates local businesses — especially eateries, watering holes, coffee shops and the like. • Tony Nuñez FOOD: Cassidy’s Pizza: Turkey Sandwich I’m a big believer in the beauty of simplicity. An object, idea or food dish can be simple and still...