Welcome sign gets major update
WATSONVILLE—New metal signs were installed Wednesday on the “Welcome to Watsonville” signboard on Main Street.
The move, headed up by the Sons of Italy, the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture and the Watsonville Woman’s Club, was designed to update the large wood signboard...
Newsom: new stay-at-home order likely to hit Central Coast
SACRAMENTO—New stay-at-home orders issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday will be based on intensive care unit capacity in five regions in California.
Newsom said that much of the state will likely be under the stay-at-home orders within the next few days if ICU capacity...
County plans to reshape public defender office
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials are mulling a plan to retool the county’s public defender’s office, transitioning from its current private delivery system to a public one.
The move comes as the county’s contract with Biggam, Christensen and Minslof (BCM)—which has provided indigent criminal...
Sergeant bids farewell to WPD
WATSONVILLE—As the aroma of sizzling meats, tortillas and salsa wafted across the parking lot of Watsonville Police Department May 11, a swarm of retired and current police officers and WPD staff gathered for a friendly send off to Sgt. Bryan Fuentez on his final...
Gas pipeline rupture stalls city
Riverside Drive was closed to traffic and two homes were evacuated Wednesday afternoon between Union Street and Marchant Street after construction crews ruptured a natural gas line.
Watsonville Fire officials said the pipeline break was reported at 2:29pm in a section of the road that...
Custodian keeps schools tidy for four decades
“This is who I wanted to be; this was my dream and I am where I have always wanted to be,” said Ohlone Elementary School custodian Raúl Gonzales.
He has now put in 42 years at various schools, starting out at Freedom School in 1979....
Man allegedly stabs brother to death in Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—A man was stabbed to death early Friday morning in a rural setting east of Watsonville.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a home on the 1400 block of Green Valley Road at 2 a.m. for a report of a disturbance, Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley...
Watsonville settles wrongful death lawsuit
WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville recently agreed to settle a lawsuit over the 2018 death of a Watsonville man.
Robert Castillo, 44, died after being struck by multiple cars on Highway 1 hours after he was detained on Nov. 23, 2018 by a Watsonville Police Department...
Supervisors pass tenant protection ordinance
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a new ordinance aimed at protecting tenants being harassed by their landlords or property owners when they speak out about bad conditions in their living spaces.
The item was heard for first and second...
A “place of healing”—Tiny home village unveiled
With a small handful of finishing touches still left to complete on a tiny home village in Westview Presbyterian Church’s parking lot in Watsonville,...
