Local News

WATSONVILLE—The City of Watsonville will use a little more than half a million dollars of federal funding to bolster the community’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. The City will dish $200,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County to support its county-wide efforts during...

Artist Bruce Harman continues work on a new mural in Watsonville Plaza on the exterior of the new self-cleaning pair of restrooms. The artwork includes depictions of graduates, St. Patrick's Church, the Tuttle Mansion, folklorico dancers, Mexican folk art and more. City officials are...

APTOS -- Emergency officials responded to a solo-vehicle crash on Highway 1 at Freedom Boulevard on Saturday.

WATSONVILLE—On Saturday the Watsonville Buddhist Temple will host a special benefit concert featuring Otonowa, a jazz-fusion ensemble led by world-renowned percussionist Akira Tana. In 2012 Otonowa, which translates to “sound circle,” began playing shows to raise money for survivors of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami...

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WATSONVILLE—Seven murals that line the historic Taylor’s Alley, a pedestrian conduit between Main and Union streets in downtown Watsonville, have been given new life thanks to the efforts of local volunteers. Judy Gittelsohn, owner of nearby Studio Judy G, and her sales director Emily Reynolds...

Special events 8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival (Jan. 18-Feb. 9)  The annual 10-minute play festival celebrates its 25th anniversary as the longest-running and most respected short play festival in the U.S. Sixteen awarded-winning short plays, from the annual international playwriting contest, are performed and...

Efforts are underway to help get the auto shop at Watsonville High School named after one of its long time instructors, Bill Sunderland. Following a 47-year career under the hood at the shop, Sunderland retired in 2017.

SOQUEL—More than 1,000 Soquel residents are trapped in their neighborhood after raging waters tore away a huge chunk of Main Street early Thursday morning. According to Santa Cruz County spokesman Jason Hoppin, the damage began around 3am, as Bates Creek, which flows under North Main...