Local News

The Watsonville City Council agreed Tuesday to allow up to five brewpubs in commercial areas, paving the way for what some are calling a new type of social gathering space in the city.

Three law enforcement agencies responded to the west side of Watsonville early Monday afternoon after a man allegedly pelted passing cars with sticks and rocks, and smashed the windows of four vehicles and a building. Martin Cruz Chavez, 33, was taken to Santa Cruz County...

While talk of an approaching atmospheric river stole the headlines at the close of last week, the low pressure system that carried that news has now significantly weakened. Sarah McCorkle, meteorologist with the National Weather Service of Monterey, said folks on the Central Coast will...

The Watsonville Planning Commission on Tuesday allowed a small winery to open a tasting room on Aviation Way.

A group of California lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled a bill they say will make it easier for farmers to build safe, family-friendly housing for their workers.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—President Joe Biden on Saturday declared a disaster exists in the storm-damaged parts of California, freeing up federal aid to help state and local recovery efforts in Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz counties. Biden’s declaration came hours after Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator...

Female-dominated cast puts fresh twist on classic story WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High School drama instructor David Scott believes that author S.E. Hinton would appreciate his stage adaptation of her 1967 novel, “The Outsiders.” Under the suggestion of her publisher, Susan Eloise Hinton had used her first and middle...

Pajaro Valley Unified School District Student Trustee Daniel Esqueda filed a formal complaint against Trustee Oscar Soto on Oct. 25 for remarks the latter made at recent board meetings. The Uniform Complaint Procedure is in place in cases of “unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police have arrested a Pajaro Valley Unified School District student who they say was threatening to commit a shooting at a school.  Neither district officials nor police are providing any information about the suspect due to their age. Also unclear is which school was...

Friday was Juneteenth, a day celebrated with events around the country, including a peaceful march in Santa Cruz to commemorate the historic day. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Senator Elizabeth Warren stacked up the right...