Local News

A man who was pulled over for reportedly running a red light was arrested for being in possession of drugs and a gun. According to Watsonville Police, an officer was patrolling the Freedom Boulevard and Davis Avenue area when he saw a blue Corvette driver...

Santa Cruz Fire Department investigators believe that a fire that broke out Tuesday inside the former Garfield Park Church was deliberately set, the department announced on Facebook. According to SCFD, firefighters responded to multiple calls of smoke and flames seen at the now-closed church—also known...

Members of the California Department of Pesticide Regulation presented a plan Monday that aims to strengthen the way the state regulates agricultural pesticides. The seven-page Draft Strategic Plan 2024-28 was presented in Watsonville to a crowd of about 50 people at the Ramsay Park Family...

Meetings to discuss proposed fire district assessment Property owners in the Pajaro Valley Fire Protection District are being asked to vote on a new assessment to maintain the Fire District’s current services and operations. According to the district, this measure will help to ensure adequate staffing...

Continuing a local tradition of honoring Memorial Day, a section of Freedom Boulevard  and area cemeteries were lined with over 300 flags Monday, thanks to the effort of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1716 and of the American Legion Post 121.  Local cemeteries were also...

On both sides of Watsonville Municipal Airport’s two runways lay so-called airport safety zones, where development is either limited or restricted. With limited space left for the city to develop—and with mandates for new housing from the State of California—those safety zones will be at...

With a theme of “Hometown USA,” the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture held its 61st annual Awards Dinner and Auction on Saturday at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. This year’s honorees were Woman of the Year Trina Coffman-Gomez, Man of the Year...

Santa Cruz County officials are considering a plan to borrow money to help pay for costs of the CZU fires, the Covid pandemic, the storms and floods from early 2023 and other federal disasters that have beset the county. County staff will return to the...

The Cabrillo College Board of Trustees voted unanimously Sept. 9 to appoint Manuel Bersamin to the trustee Area V seat.  The area includes the City of Watsonville and the southern portion of Freedom. Bersamin will fill the seat that was vacated in July when Martha...