Local News

WATSONVILLE—It has been three decades since Gabino Torres and Anna Martinez opened a small Mexican seafood restaurant on Main Street, a business they launched as a way to pair their love of their native cuisine with a drive to support their family. La Perla del...

WATSONVILLE—A Watsonville man was arrested Dec. 9 after a man he punched during a fight died one week later. Jose Figueroa Gonzalez, 30, is facing manslaughter charges for the Dec. 2 fight outside the Burger King restaurant on Main Street at Riverside Drive. That night, officers...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—An Aptos man has been arrested after a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Special Enforcement Team (SET) serving a search warrant found more than 12 pounds of heroin, 1 pound of methamphetamine and a loaded handgun in his residence. The arrest came after...

Artist Judy Gittelsohn fondly remembers her first experience at an artist’s retreat. Working for the company Golden Paints, she was able to go to a place where she could work without distractions or responsibilities. “It really nourished my development,” Gittelsohn said. “I did my best...

SANTA CRUZ—A rare winged visitor has landed in Santa Cruz County. A small white wagtail, which typically breeds in Alaska and Asia, including Eastern Russia, has somehow gotten blown off course or is on an exploratory mission to this county, including the San Lorenzo...

I swung through Aptos today and got some photos of Alina Mitchell, 5, lending Santa a hand in opening letters to Santa. Due to the pandemic, a special mailbox was built just for Santa's mail, thanks to the folks at the Aptos Chamber of...

I recently visited Farley's Christmas Wonderland at 108 Seaview Ave. in Santa Cruz to witness, by far, the most amazing residential Christmas display. For years it has been a major draw for the public with more than 30 fully decorated Christmas trees, miniature snowy...

WATSONVILLE—The LGBTQ Pride flag will fly in place of the city of Watsonville flag at the Civic Plaza in June after the Watsonville City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution put forth by Mayor Jimmy Dutra, the city’s first openly gay person to hold...

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.

Police from multiple agencies surround a home at Freedom Mobile Home Park in Watsonville Wednesday as they serve an arrest warrant for a suspect. Police called over a loudspeaker several times for a man to come out around 1pm. Special Agent Casey Rettig of...