Photo story: Aromas Day draws thousands
Tariq Belhaj shows a 2024 Aromas Day T-shirt he purchased at the annual Aromas Day celebration. Between 5,000-7,000 people typically come to the one-day free event. From caramel corn, classic cars, cops arts and crafts, firefighters, sports groups and live music, the event has...
Watsonville community split on removal of Washington statue
WATSONVILLE—More than 100 members of the community voiced their opinions on the possible removal of the George Washington bust from the Watsonville City Plaza at Monday’s Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.
The public forum lasted more than three and a half hours and was littered...
Neighborhood Courts Program seeks volunteers
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Since it was launched in December of last year, the County of Santa Cruz’s Neighborhood Courts Program (NCP) has rerouted 45 misdemeanor criminal cases away from the traditional justice system and out into the community.
A restorative justice-based program of the County District...
Police seek hit-and-run driver
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Police Department is asking for help from the community in finding a driver who fled after running over a man on Saturday night.
According to WPD spokeswoman Michelle Pulido, the 59-year-old victim was hit at 9:16pm on East Lake Avenue between Lincoln and...
Boy airlifted to hospital after being hit by car
A 10-year-old boy was taken to a trauma center after he was struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle.
Man killed in Watsonville crash identified
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville man who died Dec. 15 after he was struck by a car as he walked along West Beach Street has been identified as Abel Elizondo Rodriguez, 42.
Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said Rodriguez was walking partially in the westbound lane in front...
Highway 1 paving project nears completion
A six-month project to improve pavement quality on five miles of Highway 1 through Watsonville, both north and southbound, is moving toward completion.
“We have about three weeks of work remaining on this project,” said Caltrans spokesman Kevin Drabinski. “That timeline is weather dependent. During...
Mariners stay hot midway through the season | HS baseball
WATSONVILLE—Aptos baseball coach Jason Biancardi said it's never easy beating the same opponent twice, especially when the second meeting is at their place.
But a strong pitching performance combined with a nearly flawless defense and a dash of offensive firepower guided the Mariners to a...
Aptos Junior High School robotics wins top award
Teams from schools around the Monterey Bay, Central Valley and San Francisco Bay area tested their skills in engineering, robotics and electronics—as well as their business acumen—at Watsonville High School on April 26.
The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Monterey Bay Regional Remotely Operated Vehicles...
Watsonville Buddhist Temple to host benefit concert
On Saturday afternoon, a special musical performance, “Otonowa,” featuring jazz drummer Akira Tana and pianist Art Hirahara, will be held at the Watsonville Buddhist Temple, with all proceeds benefiting survivors of the 2011 Tohoku, Japan earthquake.
City Council to consider utility rate increases
The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday will consider a series of utility rate increases over the next five years to fund infrastructure upgrades they...





















