Local News

The Watsonville Strawberry Festival kicked off Friday downtown for its three-day run. The annual event continues Sunday from 11am to 7pm, featuring strawberry-infused treats, live music, a carnival and more.

A man was killed Friday morning when he was shot multiple times on the 800 block of McKenzie Avenue. According to Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido, dispatchers received multiple 911 calls about gunshots being heard in the neighborhood at about 10am.    Officers responded and found a...

Pajaro Valley Unified School District officials have replaced Watsonville High Principal Clara Fernandez, three years after she took the helm of the school. In her place, Chrissy MacLean will step in as interim principal, says interim Superintendent Murry Schekman. “MacLean was a teacher and Assistant Principal...

As students across the state prepare to return to the classroom from their summer break, school districts are faced with a vexing problem: declining enrollment and chronic absenteeism—both of which have been growing every year—are combining to take a bite out of annual revenues,...

Santa Cruz Supervisor and current Board Chair Zach Friend announced Friday that he will not seek a fourth term on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.  Friend was first elected in 2012, and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2016 and 2020. His current term ends...

A Watsonville man with an extensive criminal record was arrested Monday after he allegedly exposed himself to several women in a laundromat. Joel Navarro, 27, was charged with assault with intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy, oral copulation, sexual battery, attempted sexual battery and indecent...

Michael Rozen said Aug. 1 he would rather be playing sports with his friends than attending the weeklong Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy offered by Graniterock.  While Michael stopped short of admitting an affinity for math, the 13-year-old admits the experience will prepare him for...

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk plans on bringing back an iconic attraction, but it first must seek approval from the city’s planning commission. Five years after the park removed its Ferris wheel due to age, plans are in the works to construct a new, 68-foot...

Neighborhoods throughout Watsonville celebrated National Night Out on Tuesday, an event meant to allow the public and law enforcement to interact in a positive environment. 

María Olvide Lozano’s 2-year-old daughter stomps around as her mother sits in the lobby of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program at Community Bridges in Watsonville. It's 5pm on a Tuesday and the pair are the only clients here as staff wraps up...