Local News

SANTA CRUZ—Young spellers from across the county descended upon UC Santa Cruz Jan. 25 to participate in this year’s county-wide spelling bee, organized by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (SCCOE). Students grades 4-9 took part in the competition in two separate divisions. Overseeing...

George Ow Jr. and his family provided $500 scholarships to 106 high school seniors during a June ceremony at Cabrillo College.

WATSONVILLE—More than 100 members of the community voiced their opinions on the possible removal of the George Washington bust from the Watsonville City Plaza at Monday’s Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. The public forum lasted more than three and a half hours and was littered...

Monterey County Sheriff’s investigators have linked a March 3 mass shooting in King City to the Feb. 4 killing of two cousins in Soledad.  Law enforcement officials recently served search warrants related to both incidents. On March 3, 11 people were shot at a birthday party...

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Circus Alegria, a Las Vegas-based circus entertainment group that has been around since 1912, kicked off their 2025 performance Thursday evening in Watsonville. With their massive big top tent dominating the entrance to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, the shows will run Thursday through...

Watsonville Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a 25-year-old woman after she was reported missing Saturday night after her partner threatened police and was shot. WPD spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said Lizbeth Arceo Sedano has not been seen since Saturday night. Her partner, Joshua...

WATSONVILLE—All major City of Watsonville events have been canceled through the end of the year, City Manager Matt Huffaker said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. That includes the annual Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July Parade, the Watsonville Strawberry Festival and the Wine, Beer and...

I rode my bike to the Santa Cruz Farmers Market in downtown Santa Cruz today. It was a surprise to see Nick Prevedelli of Prevedelli Farms in Watsonville running a stand there with one of his workers. They had about 14 kinds of apples...

WATSONVILLE—For the owners of The Slough Brewing Collective in Watsonville, beer is much more than just a drink, or a lucrative business—it’s a community. The brewery, formerly Elkhorn Slough Brewing Company, even reflects this in its motto: “Beer is people.” “Beer is a way of bringing...