Local News

WATSONVILLE—A Watsonville man was taken into custody on suspicion for firing off two shots from a handgun near Watsonville High School as classes were letting out Tuesday. The suspect has since been identified as Rene Alamillo, 27, according to WPD’s spokeswoman Michelle Pulido. Watsonville Police...

Lakeside Organic Gardens owner Dick Peixoto will receive the seventh annual Grower of the Year award at the Organic Grower Summit, which runs Dec. 4–5 in Monterey. Organizers said Peixoto leads the largest family-owned and operated solely organic vegetable operation in the United States and...

WATSONVILLE—Plans to build a four-story, 80-room hotel at the busy intersection of Main Street and Freedom Boulevard have once again stalled. Watsonville Community Development Department Director Suzi Merriam says that the permits granted to the developer, Kamalesh Patel, expired last fall. If the project is...

WATSONVILLE—Juan Herrera has been keeping busy since he graduated from Watsonville High School (WHS) in 2021. After landing a job with K&D Landscaping while still in school, Herrera rose up through the ranks, starting in the maintenance crew and finally working on larger residential and...

The annual World’s Biggest Garage Sale, which was held at Twin Lakes Church May 13, was the most successful to date, raising about $68,000 for two local nonprofits.

El Mercado farmers market is up and running at Ramsay Park every Tuesday from 2-6pm. Market Manager Jesus Madrigal said about a dozen vendors, from prepared food to fresh produce and other goods, were on hand Tuesday alongside information tables from hosts and sponsors. Ana...

PAJARO VALLEY—Open Farm Tours returns this Saturday and Sunday to the greater Pajaro Valley, with eight local farms participating in two days of events.  Originally started in 2014 as the Corralitos Open Farm Tour, the event has continued to grow and add more farms from...

SALINAS–Law enforcement officials have arrested a man suspected of using a slingshot to shoot glass marbles at dozens of vehicles traveling on highways 156 and 101 in Prunedale and San Benito County since February. Charles Kenneth Lafferty, 52, has been charged with 21 felony counts,...

Watsonville has gotten its newest retail cannabis dispensary. Catalyst Cannabis, which has 17 other locations statewide, is the city’s third pot shop. The store opened on June 2, and plans a grand opening for the end of July. General Manager Jon Kolodinski has roots in Santa Cruz...

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) recently notified Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency that its Basin Management Plan (BMP) was approved and considered functionally equivalent to a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP).