Watsonville’s Earliest Schools—The Pajaro School and the School for Black Children
In 1853, the Methodist Church housed the first group of school children taught by Seneca Carroll in the village of Pajaro (later known as Watsonville).
The church was on the corner of Main and East Fourth (now East Lake).
Ten years later in 1863, the first...
Factory Sale draws holiday shoppers
Everywhere else has Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, but only Watsonville has the Holiday Factory Sale.
4-car crash snarls morning commute
The California Highway Patrol sorts out a four-vehicle crash on Highway 1 just south of 41st Avenue in Capitola Monday morning.
Paulsen Road to close during rainy season
Nearly every year, a portion of Paulsen Road in Watsonville floods during winter rains, forcing officials to put up temporary barriers to stop motorists from getting stranded in the deep water. And yet numerous people do just that, ignoring the signs and getting trapped...
PHOTO: Alleged stolen pickup stopped
Watsonville Police Sgt. Henry Robles (right) joins other officers to collect information about a 2014 Chevy Silverado pickup that they pulled over on the 900 block of Main Street Monday.
Newman Police hunting suspect who reportedly gunned down officer
Police officers in Stanislaus, Merced, San Joaquin, Tuolumne and Santa Clara counties are looking for a man who reportedly fled after gunning down a police officer in Newman, a small town about 90 miles east of San Jose.
Photo story: Aromas day coming
In this 2023 photo, thousands of people pour into Aromas for the annual Aromas Day. The free event, which runs Aug. 25 from 9am-4pm. will feature yard sales, food stands, live music, arts and crafts, breakfast at the grange, and stage entertainment. (Photo by...
Finding a good match
The Central Coast may have an army of eager volunteers hoping to serve on a nonprofit board, and an abundance of nonprofits hoping to recruit them. The difficulty, however, comes in bringing the two together.
Fort Hunter Liggett soldier goes AWOL, steals Humvee
A soldier stationed at Fort Hunter Liggett in Jolon left base without permission Tuesday morning after taking a Humvee mounted with a machine gun, emergency dispatchers said.
PHOTO: Italy in focus
A woman wanders through the crowd on stilts Saturday at the second annual Salinas Festa Italia, a one-day family street festival that features the food, live music and culture of Italy. “The importance of the festival has been dedicated to the importance of family...
Teen arrested after chase
A routine traffic stop turned into a chase late Tuesday night that ended with the arrest of a 17-year-old suspected gang member and the...




















