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Watsonville
December 23, 2025

COVID-19 Daily Update: More than 70 cases in Santa Cruz, Monterey counties combined

Watsonville coronavirus
A majority of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in Monterey County are in people 49 years old or younger. That’s according to data released by county officials Saturday, which provided new details on the age, gender and region of residence of the county's 34 confirmed cases. Twenty-one...

County begins to open

Covid-19 watsonville
Conchita Gonzalez, owner of Conchita's Ice Cream in Plaza Vigil, said she was glad to reopen recently. Gonzalez, who has been open at the same spot for 22 years, said she cried for a week straight when she first had to close. "Now that...

County officials: Reduce plastic use

Santa Cruz County is asking residents to reduce their use of plastics after reduced global demand has made recycling much of it unprofitable.

The history of downtown Watsonville|Try This

Try this is a weekly column that celebrates local businesses — especially eateries, watering holes, coffee shops and the like. Tarmo Hannula Food Blaze Pizza I had a late lunch recently at a new (for me) pizza spot on the West Side of Santa Cruz—Blaze Pizza, 1901 Mission...

Sandra Day O’Connor, first woman on the Supreme Court, dies at 93

sandra day'oconnor diane cooley
Sandra Day O’Connor, the retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, died Friday morning in Phoenix, Ariz. of complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness. She was 93.  O’Connor, who was a close friend of the late Diane Porter...

Photo: Watsonville Brillante moves ahead

Watsonville Brillante
Sam Ruiz (left) and Jose Ruelas team up with Emanuel Garcia (not shown) of Rinaldi Tile & Marble to install a mosaic tile sheet to the exterior wall of the parking structure at Rodriguez and Second streets Monday. Watsonville Brillante, a multiphase mosaic outdoor project...

PHOTO: Community lights up menorah for Hanukkah

hanukkah town clock santa cruz menorah lighting
Leila Veitch lights up the first candle of a menorah Thursday evening at the town clock in downtown Santa Cruz in honor of her friend Ziva Mitnick on the first night of Hanukkah. The gathering, headed up by Temple Beth El of Aptos, included...

Watsonville man arrested in 16-year-old Miami murder case

Raul Mata
SANTA CRUZ—A Watsonville man was arrested Monday on suspicion of homicide in a 16-year-old case regarding the death of his stepdaughter, Dilcia Mejia, in Florida.  Raul Mata, 46, has been charged with first-degree murder, the Miami-Dade Police Department said. The Homicide Bureau, Cold Case Unit,...
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Watsonville names new Police Chief

The city of Watsonville has selected Brian Shab as its next police chief, city officials announced Tuesday. Shab, who has more than 27 years of...