Local News

WATSONVILLE—After decades of efforts by local, state and federal officials, plans to rebuild the Pajaro River Levee can now move forward after voters in Watsonville approved an assessment on their annual property tax bills that will pay for the maintenance and operations costs. The Pajaro...

Watsonville Police secure a crime scene around a section of the Pajaro River levee Saturday morning where a passerby discovered the body of a man hanging from a tree around 9am. Watsonville Police said it appeared the man had been hanging from the tree...

Joe Price, who works as a Housing Navigator with Housing Matters, said that when he met Betty Scott, he was impressed with her willingness to help and offer a prayer for anyone who came in to the homeless shelter in which she worked. “If it...

The musical group Nematatlin of Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico, performs Wednesday at Pajaro Valley High School. The group will also perform at the Crocker Theater in Aptos on Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm, located at 6500 Lower Perimeter Road. There will also be a performance...

SAN FRANCISCO—The Orpheum Theater in San Francisco was abuzz with excitement Wednesday afternoon as 1,500 eighth-graders from North Monterey County settled in to experience “Hamilton: An American Musical.” Among them was the eighth-grade class from Pajaro Middle School. “I’m really excited,” said Darlene Valenzuela, who made...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police Department officers on Saturday arrested two teens who they believe took part in a stabbing on March 15. The arrests mark the third and fourth in the case. Two other teens were taken into custody on Thursday. No additional information has been released about...

WATSONVILLE—In the days leading up to the first countywide economic shutdown, Lona Martinez thought the possibility of a mass closure was a rumor sparked by those looking to scare the public. “I thought it was a bunch of hype,” she said. “And then it happened...it...

Watsonville artist Erika Rosendale (center, on ladder) paints a new large outdoor mural at El Vaquero Winery in Corralitos on Friday. The mural depicts the historical stagecoach whip, Charley Parkhurst (1812-1879), known as One-eyed Charley, who drove a stagecoach mail delivery between Watsonville and...

SANTA CRUZ—An unsanctioned homeless camp in Santa Cruz has reopened, this time with a new name, increased security and a set of rules designed to reduce crime and drug use. Now called Camp Phoenix – after the mythological bird that rose anew out of its...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz Gives, an annual holiday fundraising campaign organized by Good Times (GT) and the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County (VSCC), is accepting donations through midnight Dec. 31. Choose from 40 local nonprofit organizations to donate to at santacruzgives.org. Each nonprofit has...