Local News

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville officials on Tuesday questioned the validity of an anonymous letter sent to various local media outlets and past and present city officials that accused City Manager Matt Huffaker of trying to bury an investigation into Fire Chief Rudy Lopez Sr. Promoted to the department’s...

A man was arrested Feb. 21 for stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronic equipment from Bradley Elementary School.  Travis Clarke, 33, was charged with burglary, possession of a controlled substance and a probation violation. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu...

Tarmo Hannula: On Sunday there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Laundry Day Laundromat, 35 East Lake Ave. in Watsonville. The ceremony is from noon to 2 p.m. • Are you ready for a new cell tower embedded in a towering fake tree on...

A large mural recently painted on the exterior wall of the Family Center at Ramsay Park was celebrated Friday. City officials, student artists and others were on hand for the ribbon cutting for the 65-by-15-foot work, titled "The Bigger Picture.” It was created by 11...

On Tuesday morning, seven days after he began his post at Pajaro Valley High School, Watsonville Police Officer Saúl Rodriguez walked through the campus, greeting a handful of students who were making their way to their next class. Rodriguez is PVHS’s new School Resource Officer...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council is at last expected to make a decision on the future of the George Washington statue that currently inhabits the City Plaza. A hot-button issue since the death of George Floyd in May 2020 sparked national social unrest, the fight over...

More than 100 people lined up along Main Street in downtown Watsonville Saturday as part of a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump. Waving signs such as "Hands Off,” “Question Authority,” and “Only You Can Prevent Fascism” the crowd drew hoots,hollers and blaring horns...

WATSONVILLE—The Young Farmers and Ranchers (YFR) will host the 14th annual Testicle Festival at Estrada Deer Camp in Watsonville on Aug. 27. The annual event is a fundraiser for YFR, a program of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau. Guests are invited to enjoy live...

Since the housing market rebounded in 2013, median home prices and rents have risen exponentially at the state and local levels, outpacing wage increases and housing production by a wide margin. The state identified an annual housing need of 180,000 units between 2015 and 2025, yet California has produced less than half of that number each year.