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Watsonville
September 28, 2026

Pajaro man pleads no contest to child sex charges, faces 15 years

Arturo Murguia Rodriguez pajaro child sex crimes
MONTEREY COUNTY—A Pajaro man has pleaded no contest to rape of a minor under 14, lewd acts with a child under 14 and assault with the intent to commit a lewd act. Arturo Murguia Rodriguez, 21, is facing 15 years in prison when he is...

Fired PVUSD chief: Board president used unofficial Zoom account for private meeting

Michelle Rodriguez PVUSD
Before Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board President Georgia Acosta called for a vote to oust Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez, she sent a non-district authorized Zoom link to her fellow board members for the closed-session meeting.

Four juveniles arrested in suspected Santa Cruz drive-by

Santa Cruz drive-by
SANTA CRUZ—Four juveniles were charged with attempted murder Friday for allegedly shooting a man as he walked in a neighborhood on Hagemann Avenue in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills said the victim was walking on the 100 block of Hagemann Avenue just...

Large crowds gather for annual Lumberjack Breakfast

The 59th annual Lumberjack Breakfast was held this morning at the Corralitos Community Center.

Touring the west by bike

As a slight sprinkle started to dampen the streets of Watsonville Friday afternoon, Felix Hindahl rolled into Watsonville Plaza on a bicycle laden with panniers, handlebar bags, electronics and other gear. That—and the 20-year-old Hanover, Germany native’s bicycling attire—spoke of someone serious about long road...

Two dead, one injured in Corralitos crash

corralitos crash
Two people died in a two-car crash in Corralitos Sunday night and a woman was left in serious condition.

Two arrested after high-speed chase ends in Watsonville

Two men are in custody after a high-speed car chase that reached 150 miles per hour Wednesday in Watsonville.  The incident began on Highway 1 at Freedom Boulevard when police attempted to stop a white Buick Envista for traffic code violations. The driver fled, triggering a...

Renaissance High community worries over possible forced move

In the half-century since its inception, Renaissance High School has offered students a small, specialized serene environment for students who need to make up missing credits, and for those with difficulty fitting into a traditional school.  The remote location and small class sizes help many...

Smoke drift triggers air quality advisory

Smoke from wildfires burning in northern California and southern Oregon drifted over the Monterey Bay Area Tuesday and has degraded air quality in parts of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties.  The Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) said concentration of smoke has reached...

Biden administration establishes AI guidelines, following county’s lead

santa cruz county seal logo
President Joe Biden on Oct. 30 issued an Executive Order—a new framework of safety, security and privacy standards governing artificial intelligence (AI) designed to manage the fledgling technology. The executive order came after Santa Cruz County in September became one of the first jurisdictions in...
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Driver pleads not guilty to killing bicyclist in Soquel crash

A Santa Cruz man pleaded not guilty Monday to felony vehicular manslaughter, impaired driving and suspended license charges for a recent fatal collision involving...