Local News

TARMO HANNULA: We are now in the final hours of 2019. If you’ve ever had the tremendous delight of seeing the Broadway musical “Rent," you'll remember how the characters deal with the idea of what a year is in their song, “Seasons of Love”:  “Five...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Planning Commission on Tuesday will make recommendations for possible changes to the city’s cannabis ordinance. The Planning Commission’s agenda was not made available before press time, but a public hearing notice published in this newspaper stated the body would be making recommendations on...

SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz Police arrested a 41-year-old man who allegedly kidnapped his 18-month-old daughter on Friday morning, ending an hours-long search and standoff in the Beach Flats area of Santa Cruz. Brian Sellen, of Hollister, allegedly kicked in the door of the hotel where his...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police on Tuesday arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy. Matthew Jimenez was charged with sodomy on a minor and oral copulation on a person under 16, both felonies. He was also charged with annoying or molesting a child, a...

WATSONVILLE—When Bike Santa Cruz County approached South County officials to start up a monthly community bike ride, Watsonville Cyclery owner Julian “Jules” Mandujano was eager to get involved. Every last Friday of the month, Mandujano offers up his business at 25 East 5th St. as...

WATSONVILLE—Work to modernize early day underground sewer lines on Freedom Boulevard and water lines on Green Valley Road is still in high gear, with some of it taking place at night. Patrice Theriot, principal engineer for the City of Watsonville, said the upgrades call for...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees in an emergency meeting Saturday unanimously approved a plan to close all district schools for two weeks, and allow most employees to work from home.  Essential staff will provide services such as food, custodial and technology,...

SCOTTS VALLEY—A 55-year-old Santa Cruz woman was found dead Tuesday inside a home on the 800 block of Graham Hill Road, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Ashley Kheen said.  Detectives are investigating the incident as a homicide and are searching for the suspect(s). At 11:30 a.m. deputies responded to...

APTOS—As businesses and services remain closed during the shelter-in-place order – and as Personal Protective Equipment becomes harder to find – a Cabrillo College instructor is staying on the job to make more. Art Studio Instructor Payson McNett, who runs the college’s Digital Fabrication department...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel told county leaders Tuesday that she plans to open the parks and beaches that were closed April 8 as part of several sweeping measures meant to slow the spread of coronavirus. Newel also said that...