Local News

APTOS—A local church kickstarted an initiative recently which has raised enough money to fund more than a million meals for Santa Cruz County residents. Citing “rising anger in our society,” Twin Lakes Church in Aptos decided to launch its “Acts of Kindness” initiative. The project...

WATSONVILLE—Santa Claus will be making an early appearance in Watsonville this week, visiting neighborhoods to spread some holiday cheer. The second annual Santa Tour, which began last year during the height of the pandemic, kicks off tonight and will make its way through more neighborhoods...

Watsonville Police Master Officer Charles Bailey deals with an armed robbery at Rite Aid on Freedom Boulevard Tuesday morning. Bailey said a man wearing a mask and armed with a handgun entered the store around 10:20am and robbed the front desk cashier of an...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Recycling is an idea that has become deeply embedded in modern culture, so much so that many don’t think twice before placing cans, bottles and cardboard into the appropriate bins. Beginning this year, a new law will let California residents do the same...

APTOS—Last fall, Cabrillo Gallery opened its doors to the public for the first time in 17 months. The annual “12x12: An Open Invitational” exhibit was a return to in-person viewing after a string of virtual shows. But with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 surging and...

What are the most important qualities and skills that a City Manager should have? The City of Watsonville wants to know what you think and will host a community forum as it searches for its next City Manager. The virtual forum is scheduled for...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Police Department is asking for help identifying a man who was caught on camera breaking into a warehouse and stealing computer equipment. According to WPD spokeswoman Michelle Pulido, the unidentified suspect was seen dragging a ladder to the front of a building on...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Arts’ (PVA) gallery on Sudden Street came alive Wednesday as the organization’s 9th annual fundraising exhibit opened to the public. “Take Aways: Art to Go!” features a variety of work by 73 artists, most of them locals from Watsonville and surrounding areas. Everything...

WATSONVILLE—The Central California Alliance for Health has provided a $3 million grant to Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project (PVHDP) to help purchase Watsonville Community Hospital. The grant is made available through the Alliance’s Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program. “Watsonville Community Hospital is a critical provider of needed...

SANTA CRUZ—A total of 55 inmates and seven guards at Santa Cruz County Main Jail have tested positive for Covid-19, Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn announced Thursday. None of the cases have resulted in serious illness or hospitalizations, and a majority are asymptomatic or are experiencing...