Local News

A little more than two years after the former Kmart store on Freedom Boulevard closed its doors, the space will soon have a new tenant.  Vallarta Supermarket, which has more than 50 locations throughout California—the most recent one in Salinas—will occupy half of the 100,000-square-foot...

WATSONVILLE—Mas Hashimoto, a devout defender of civil rights whose name became synonymous with his hometown after decades of service in education, community volunteerism and historic preservation, and whose unrelenting willingness to speak, write and teach about the plight of Japanese Americans during World War...

After researching and running multiple pop-up venues, Eve Ayala and her wife, Teresa Madrigal, have swung open the doors to their new shop, TBH (To Be Honest). “We're locals, born and raised in Watsonville,” Ayala said. “We are second generation Mexican women. Our shop comes...

CONDADO DE SANTA CRUZ—La Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Santa Cruz aprobó una ordenanza temporal que permitirá el condado emitir multas a las personas que violen las órdenes de salud, incluido no usar una cubierta facial donde sea necesario. El nuevo código del condado...

Nov. 20, 2019 Tarmo Hannula: Someone called 9-1-1 Wednesday morning after they spotted a man prowling around their carport on Harper Street in Live Oak. An SC Sheriff deputy arrived within minutes and located a suspect at 3:40 a.m. When the deputy confronted the man...

SACRAMENTO—Gob. Gavin Newsom ordenó el Lunes un cierre estatal de los servicios interiores en restaurantes, teatros, bodegas, museos, zoológicos, salas de juegos y centros de entretenimiento familiar. Newsom tambien dijo que las cantinas deben cesar todas las operaciones. Además, 30 condados en la Lista de...

Two people were shot Thursday night in the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor, and police from several jurisdictions are looking for the suspects. Watsonville police were among several law enforcement agencies on the scene. Santa Cruz Police officers found two victims who had been shot.  Both victims...

WATSONVILLE—After more than seven decades in business, Yamashita Market—Santa Cruz County’s only store dedicated to Asian cooking supplies—is set to close its doors for good, likely sometime in July. The store’s owner Goro Yamashita says that business was steadily declining even before Covid-19 forced businesses...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Community Hospital has a new owner. Halsen Healthcare announced Tuesday that the $30 million sale was finalized at midnight. “This is the first day that Halsen actually owns Watsonville Community Hospital,” Chairman and CEO Dan Brothman said. Halsen was holding a celebratory afternoon barbecue for its...

A long-standing fitness center—Toadal Fitness—has opened a new location at 25 Penny Lane in Watsonville. With other locations sprinkled around the county including downtown Santa Cruz, Live Oak, Westside Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, the Watsonville location threw a soft opening Monday. “While the previous...