Local News

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police arrested a teen male and recovered two loaded handguns Tuesday evening after responding to a report of a group of teenagers smoking and drinking at a park in a quiet suburb. Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said police got a call about...

Santa Cruz County-based healthcare providers Dientes and Salud Para la Gente recently received a $5 million grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation. The organizations were added to the foundation’s Senior Oral Health Coalition Program, which was launched in 2022 to address the oral...

APTOS—The man who allegedly shot to death a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputy before engaging in a short but violent crime spree on June 6 was stopped by a resident who tackled him and held him down until law enforcement officials arrived, Sheriff Jim...

Santa Cruz County has opened two emergency cold shelter sites in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. Unhoused residents needing a warm place to stay for the night are welcome to stop by. The shelters are located at the Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building, 215 E. Beach St.,...

SANTA CRUZ—A Santa Cruz man who shot a male victim to death in 2018 was sentenced on Oct. 6 to 35 years to life in state prison. Miguel Castañeda, 43, was convicted in May of killing Victor Vasquez Lopez, 36, of Santa Cruz.  The dispute that...

Tarmo Hannula: When my friend Noel, a family attorney, dropped me off in downtown Watsonville early Wednesday I walked into the Second Street Café for a coffee. For years I’ve carried my own reusable thermos to save on throw-away cups. In line I got...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustees who miss meetings without providing notice will lose their monthly stipend under a set of new bylaws approved by the board on Wednesday. The trustees also heard a budget report that shows some positive financial news that is tempered...

U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents on May 27 arrested a longtime Watsonville resident as he walked behind the Target store near the intersection of Harkins Slough Road and Ohlone Parkway. The man’s nephew, who asked to be called Brandon, confirmed the arrest,...

A San Jose woman was arrested Thursday after ramming a California State Parks ranger’s vehicle with her car and then leading police on a short pursuit.