Local News

In a brief special meeting Friday, three Santa Cruz County Supervisors declared a local emergency, which will allow officials to request state and federal assistance for the damages from the heavy surf, winds and storm surge on Dec. 23 and 24. The waves broke away...

WATSONVILLE—Residents who reported a strong odor in parts of Watsonville recently helped county officials create an “odor map” and track down the source of the smell, Santa Cruz County spokesman Jason Hoppin said. According to Hoppin, the odor that some likened to sewage and others...

Paola Fregoso (left) and Lorelai Oliveira are joined by their dog, Luna, Monday in a promotion of their fireworks for sale at the Watsonville High Junior Wildcatz stand. Their temporary fireworks stand, at 716 East Lake Ave., is one of close to two dozen...

In my travels about town, I’m always on the lookout for something different, original, funny for the camera. One such find was on Cutter Drive the other day. It was the front half of a motorcycle emerging from the front of a garage. Different,...

WATSONVILLE—A Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge on Oct. 14 sided with the residents of a mobile home park who had been battling a giant rent increase since 2017.  Attorneys for the residents say the decision supports a County ordinance governing rent increases, and has...

SANTA CRUZ—A 19-year-old Watsonville man pleaded no contest to charges of involuntary manslaughter Wednesday for allegedly firing a gun that killed his reported friend on S. Green Valley Road Jan. 7. Santa Cruz County Assistant District Attorney Ilia McKinney said that Ricardo Jesus Garcia could...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police have arrested five gang members believed to be responsible for two separate violent attacks that left several people injured, WPD spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said. The first attack occurred on March 26 outside of a liquor store on the 1100 block of Freedom Boulevard....

LODI—A 57-year-old Watsonville woman who died April 17 after her parachutes failed to open while skydiving in Lodi has been identified as Sabrina Call, the San Joaquin Sheriff-Coroner confirmed. Witnesses said that both her main and reserve parachutes became tangled. The incident occurred at about 2:30pm...

Patrick and Teresa Royan were living in Los Gatos when they first discovered Pleasant Valley, a rural area in Aptos permeated with rolling hills, orchards, vineyards and pastures. The couple had been looking for a place to settle relatively close to the beach yet...

WATSONVILLE—The long-vacant Gottschalks building in downtown Watsonville will come to life on Oct. 17 for Uncorked in Downtown, an evening of wine, food and fun put on by Pacific Coast Development.  The event, spearhead by Neva Hansen, will feature wines from Anatum Winery, Wargin Wines,...