Local News

WATSONVILLE—It was 37 years ago that Larry Chin became a reserve firefighter with Watsonville Fire Department, inspired by television shows such as “Emergency!” and the glamor of the profession. He joined the department eight years later. On Wednesday morning, he signed off from his final...

Christian Youth Theatre (CYT) will bring its version of Roald Dahl's “Matilda, the Musical” to the Crocker Theater at Cabrillo College Oct. 27-29.  Organizers say the performance promises to be a “magical experience for theater enthusiasts of all ages.” “Matilda,” based on Dahl’s 1988 novel, tells...

WATSONVILLE—A new exhibit will soon open at Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA), aiming to explore people’s relationship with their ancestors, the natural world and themselves.  “Alma Sagrada: Cultivando Ritmos Naturales” (Sacred Soul: Cultivating Natural Rhythms) opens on April 6 in partnership with the Amah Mutsun Tribal...

Groups of elementary students, many in their Halloween costumes, gathered in Starlight Elementary School’s quad Wednesday for the annual “Un Libro a La Vez” (“One Book at a Time”) reading event.

A man was arrested Saturday following a string of felony crimes while reportedly armed with a loaded handgun. Joyce Blaschke, spokeswoman for Santa Cruz Police, said the rash of crimes began when the suspect, Adam Henry Roberts, 43, reportedly robbed a bank on Ocean Street...

WATSONVILLE—Three shootings in Watsonville inside of 48 hours have left law enforcement investigators with their hands full. Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said the first shooting happened early Saturday morning on the Pajaro River levee at the end of Walker Street. That shooting left...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville artist Guillermo Aranda sat in his second-floor studio on West Lake Avenue last week working on a new painting of a heron. The unfinished work was spread out on a table covered with various paints, sketches and several drafts of birds in flight—one...

WATSONVILLE—The spark for Kristopher Neil Bayog’s award-winning invention occurred when his grandmother—who suffered from dementia—got briefly separated from the family at a crowded graduation ceremony. The Bradley Elementary School third-grader’s idea was cemented when he saw his father locate his car using the remote key...

WATSONVILLE—Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB) Santa Cruz County is hosting five more drive-thru food distributions throughout the holiday season. The distributions are being held every other Monday, rain or shine at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave. in Watsonville. The organization reported Oct....