Local News

APTOS—Beth McCullough and her son Journey Legen came to the emergency shelter at Cabrillo College in Aptos on Thursday night when the shelter in which they were hoping to stay in Santa Cruz filled up. Originally from Bakersfield, both are homeless. They were among 10...

SOQUEL—More than 1,000 Soquel residents are trapped in their neighborhood after raging waters tore away a huge chunk of Main Street early Thursday morning. According to Santa Cruz County spokesman Jason Hoppin, the damage began around 3am, as Bates Creek, which flows under North Main...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville officials issued expanded evacuation warnings late Thursday night as floodwaters have shut down numerous streets in the city. The expanded evacuation warnings include E. Front and White streets south of Riverside Drive, and near the intersection of Green Valley and Holohan roads. The City of...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The light rain that fell all day Thursday was “just the very, very top-tip of the iceberg” of a storm system expected to dump several inches of rain through Friday, says National Weather Service Meteorologist Brian Garcia. “We still have a lot to...

WATSONVILLE—After Pajaro Valley Unified School District Chief Business Officer Clint Rucker gave the Board of Trustees a budget update Wednesday night showing a positive certification—an indication the District can pay its bills for the next three years—the Board found itself at odds, sparring over...

WATSONVILLE—In the latest chapter in the drawn-out saga at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, a local group has created an online petition to remove Board President Don Dietrich. The petitioners say that Dietrich has shown a lack of leadership, and that he put the needs...

County Fair seeks theme The Santa Cruz County Fair announced the return of the annual fair theme contest. The fair invites the community to submit theme ideas that would reflect the spirit of the County Fair in a few words. The theme should reflect the spirit...

WATSONVILLE—Around 240 people attended an art reception and walk Sunday in downtown Watsonville to view the works of San Francisco artist Juan R. Fuentes.  The tour stemmed off a reception at PV Arts in the Porter Building, where the current exhibit features more than 50...

Guests line up for the annual Crab Feed dinner at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. After operating as a drive-thru due to the pandemic, Saturday marked the first in-person sit-down dinner, combined with a silent and live auction, in two years. Auctioneer and former...

WATSONVILLE—Santa Cruz County officials late Wednesday warned residents to be prepared for a high possibility of flooding, as the Watsonville Police Department issued evacuation warnings for the neighborhoods west of Corralitos Creek, the same areas that flooded during the series of storms that hit...