Local News

APTOS—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies have a new tool to help them arrest uncooperative suspects without serious injury. Dozens of sheriff’s office personnel on Wednesday were training on the use of the Bola Wrap, a handheld device that fires an 8-foot cord with barbed hooks...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police Department officers on Saturday arrested two teens who they believe took part in a stabbing on March 15. The arrests mark the third and fourth in the case. Two other teens were taken into custody on Thursday. No additional information has been released about...

I see the rail trail system is moving forward off of Ohlone Parkway. I’ve ridden my bike along a nearly complete section of the trail on the westside of Santa Cruz where it flanks the railroad track near Almar Street. It’s great. Plenty wide,...

The staff at Freedom Meat Lockers and Corralitos Market and Sausage Company are in high production mode as they prepare for Thanksgiving. Dave Peterson, president of Corralitos Market at 569 Corralitos Road, said he has 450 smoked turkeys on deck, on top of their in-house...

WATSONVILLE—Cesar Chavez Middle School student Regina Molina recently wrote a screenplay for “Forever Young,” about a girl who is reluctant to grow up and move on in her life.   “I think moving on is hard for a lot of people,” she said. “But sooner...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police Department is warning residents about a scam in which a caller pretends to be a police officer and asks for a callback to discuss “confidential legal matters.”  The caller reportedly falsely claimed to be WPD Sgt. Michael Ridgway. The person who received the call...

Michael Gaither has been performing mostly as a solo singer-songwriter for the past 15 years.

SANTA CRUZ—A man was shot and killed as he sat in a car on the westside of Santa Cruz Tuesday afternoon. He has been identified as Juan Antonio Ruiz, 28, according to the Santa Cruz County Coroner’s Office.  The initial call to emergency dispatchers reported a...

WATSONVILLE—A new outdoor mural is taking shape thanks to three local artists and the backing of a business owner at the heavily traveled intersection of East Lake Avenue and Brennan Street. Jessica Carrasco, Mateo Gonzalez (aka Primo) and Paul De Worken started work on the...

"Try This" is a weekly column that celebrates local businesses — especially eateries, watering holes, coffee shops and the like.