Local News

Parts of Watsonville changed into a plywood canyon early Thursday after a bizarre poster started circulating on social media threatening "barbaric" protests in the Overlook Shopping Center. Though Watsonville Police took the threat seriously, no violence erupted over the night. However, scores of businesses...

APTOS—The stabbing attack that killed an Aptos High School senior Tuesday occurred nearly one year after the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees ended the district’s School Resource Officer program, which placed law enforcement officers on high school campuses. The district opted instead...

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday ended its policy of bringing drug-sniffing dogs into classrooms, a decision sparked when several people spoke against the practice during the twice-monthly meeting.

WATSONVILLE—A candidate for Watsonville City Council is calling for Councilwoman Ari Parker to resign for abuse of power after she challenged his standing as a teacher on his candidate statement, and asked City officials to scrub his designation. But Parker is saying that she...

Agape Dance Academy is giving a boost to two organizations that support families during difficult times.

WATSONVILLE—David Schartow was a retired ironworker living in Paradise with his young daughter when the 2018 Camp Fire destroyed the entire town, including his home. Now homeless, Schartow, 64, has since bounced through several temporary shelters, including his current accommodations, the Comfort Inn in Watsonville....

The County of Santa Cruz on Friday released a draft ordinance that would regulate the development of future Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). By crafting the ordinance, the county seeks to maintain local control over where BESS facilities are located, and how they are operated. The...

WATSONVILLE—A 23-year-old man was arrested late Saturday night after he led police from multiple agencies on a low-speed chase around Watsonville and Pajaro. The string of events started around 7:35pm when Watsonville Police got a call regarding a possible carjacking at gunpoint in the McDonald’s...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to purchase a mid-county building which, if it passes inspection, will house the County’s first residential mental crisis program for youth.  The new Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit and Short Term...

SACRAMENTO—Outdoor dining and other services can resume after Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday ended the state’s regional stay-at-home order based on intensive care unit (ICU) capacity.  In its place, the state has returned to the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and the color-coded tier system...