Local News

WATSONVILLE—The U.S. is a country built on the backbone of its roadway system – a vast network of lanes, roads and freeways that connect us to home workplace, and untold adventures. But all of that travel largely depends on vehicles, which in turn rely on...

SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz Police arrested a 41-year-old man who allegedly kidnapped his 18-month-old daughter on Friday morning, ending an hours-long search and standoff in the Beach Flats area of Santa Cruz. Brian Sellen, of Hollister, allegedly kicked in the door of the hotel where his...

Tarmo Hannula: Heavy rain, laced with hail and strong gusts, whipped through the Pajaro Valley before noon Thursday. A friend called me to say he was in the middle of a heavy snow shower on Highway 17 near the summit. Thunderstorm activity could come...

TARMO HANNULA: Temperatures sunk into the 30s overnight. The National Weather Service said rain will drench our region Thursday, starting up before 8 a.m. • More than 17.9 million acres have now burned in Australia’s bush fires, an area larger than Belgium and Denmark combined. So far...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Planning Commission on Tuesday made several recommendations to the City Council on proposed changes to the city’s cannabis ordinances. The body’s recommendations were a near carbon copy of those provided by staff with an additional amendment asking the city to favor local and...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police arrested a man on Jan. 8 for several gun-related charges after he allegedly fired a gun. Irineo Ramirez, 42, was charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place and possession of a gun not registered to him....

Tarmo Hannula: The Watsonville Municipal Airport has for the first time purchased a large 5,000-gallon jet refueler truck that arrived this past weekend, said airport manager Rayvon Williams. • Joseph Keeler, 28, of Watsonville made his first court appearance Tuesday in Superior Court in the company...

The Watsonville Rotary Club Foundation is still fielding grants from organizations serving young people in Watsonville.  The deadline for grant applications is Jan. 31.  Applicants must be a certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit, a tax-exempt organization or a school-based program in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, or...

The Federal Highway Administration recently agreed to reinstate time extensions allowing dozens of emergency winter storm road repair projects in the unincorporated parts of the county to move forward. This time extensions mean projects will remain eligible to receive federal emergency relief funds previously committed...

SANTA CRUZ — The man who allegedly stabbed his brother to death in their home in the outskirts of Watsonville Friday morning made his first court appearance Tuesday, where he delayed making a plea. Joseph Keeler, 28, is facing murder charges, and special allegations that...