Local News

California Highway Patrol officers on Tuesday arrested a Monterey woman after a 30-mile pursuit down Highway 1 that ended when her minivan became stuck, and she climbed in the back to drink a bottle of cognac, CHP Officer Sam Courtney said.

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville officials issued expanded evacuation warnings late Thursday night as floodwaters have shut down numerous streets in the city. The expanded evacuation warnings include E. Front and White streets south of Riverside Drive, and near the intersection of Green Valley and Holohan roads. The City of...

WATSONVILLE—A 17-year-old Salinas male was arrested Sunday for driving while intoxicated after a crash that injured his three passengers, California Highway Patrol officer Julieta Trenado said. According to Trenado, the driver was traveling in a gray Nissan Altima west on Beach Road approaching Clearwater Lane...

APTOS—Pajaro Valley Unified School District announced Wednesday it is closing Rio Del Mar Elementary School for two days after a person there tested positive for coronavirus. District officials are not saying what the person’s relationship to the school is. They were last at the school...

Area youths tested their engineering skills Friday in downtown Watsonville at the 2026 Egg Drop Challenge.  The 23rd annual contest celebrates National Engineers Week, which aims to honor engineers as well as inspire future generations to join the field.  Groups from local schools, community programs and...

Art students at Watsonville High School have pooled their talents into a new exhibit at the Pajaro Valley Arts Porter Building. “Wildcatz Art Show,” with the theme of “Who Are the Students of Watsonville High,” showcases more than 100 artworks, including painting, drawing, photography, print-making...

CENTRAL COAST—Recent heavy rains, ushered into the Central Coast from the Gulf of Alaska, have helped alleviate low water levels in an otherwise dry winter. Ryan Walbrun, meteorologist with the National Weather Service of Monterey, said that since October Watsonville has taken in 9.7 inches...

Watsonville Police are looking for a couple that scammed a woman out of thousands of dollars after claiming to have a winning lottery ticket they couldn’t cash in. Surveillance footage shows the man and woman approaching the victim in a shopping center parking lot on...

Construction has started on a new rooftop cafe at the Watsonville Public Library on Main Street, a $2.7 million project that aims to give patrons a place to read and city residents a new place to grab a cup of coffee. The cafe, slated...

Santa Cruz County will move to the orange tier of the state’s reopening plan tomorrow, the county confirmed in a press release today.  The orange-tier status that takes effect at midnight tonight will mean retail can operate at full capacity. Restaurants, places of worship, movie theaters and...