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Watsonville
December 9, 2025

Prunedale man dies in Hwy 129 crash

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WATSONVILLE—A 44-year-old Prunedale man died Oct. 1 in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 129 (Riverside Road) at Old Chittenden Road. California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Courtney said a 30-year-old man from Firebaugh—a small town some 30 miles southeast of Los Banos—was driving a 2019 Dodge...

Homeless advocates plan to sue Santa Cruz

A group of homeless advocates plan to sue the City of Santa Cruz after a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit stemming from the May 3 closure of the Ross Camp.

A profile in public service: Lowell Hurst

By DREW ROGERS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PAJARONIAN Purely by happenstance after moving here in 2018, I met Lowell Hurst during his last month as Watsonville’s mayor (his third stint). Affable with a booming, cheery voice landing truth bombs and jokes equally, his Midwest openness and disdain...

Willie Yahiro honored

Longtime school board member, coach, mentor and businessman in the Pajaro Valley Willie Yahiro was remembered by close to 250 people Saturday at the Henry J. Mello Center. The event included prayer and homily by Rev. Dan Hoffman, scripture read by  Brooke Uchida, opening hymn...

CHP searching for 1,000 recruits

SACRAMENTO—The California Highway Patrol is embarking on a multiyear recruiting campaign to fill 1,000 vacant officer positions.  The “Join the CHP 1,000” campaign is an attempt to appeal to a wide array  of applicants “who may not be aware of the life-changing opportunity that awaits...

Cabrillo receives $5M HSI grant for STEM education

Cabrillo college name change
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Cabrillo College has been awarded a five-year, $5 Million U.S. Department of Education Title III grant, meant for STEM programs at federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). To receive the HSI designation, at least a quarter of a college’s student body must be Hispanic....

Pajaro Valley Public Cemetery District running out of space

Pajaro Valley cemetery
WATSONVILLE—Major work is underway at the Valley Public Cemetery to make way for hundreds of garden crypts. The move is part of the Pajaro Valley Public Cemetery District’s needed expansion to create more land for burials, said Bob Tanner, Pajaro Valley Public Cemetery District Board...

Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre los incendios de la Costa Central

CZU August Lightning Complex
Varios incendios están ardiendo en la Costa Central, forzando evacuaciones masivas en los condados de Santa Cruz, San Mateo y Monterey. ¿Dónde están? Hay tres grandes incendios en nuestra región: el CZU August Lightning Complex, el River Fire y el Carmel Fire. CZU August Lightning Complex Estos incendios...

Shots fired on Lincoln and W. Beach streets

Watsonville shooting
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police are investigating a burst of gunfire that rattled a neighborhood Monday on the 700 block of Lincoln Street. WPD Master Officer Charles Bailey said police responded to multiple calls regarding shots fired around 5:45pm. When officers arrived they found around 20 shell casings...

Police: Suspects robbed multiple businesses at gunpoint

Santa Cruz armed robberies
SANTA CRUZ—A man and a woman were arrested Thursday on suspicion of carrying out a series of armed robberies around Santa Cruz. Manuel Alejandro Montoya, 21, and 28-year-old Leilani Marie Allen, both of Santa Cruz, were taken into custody on a host of charges, said...
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K9 helps nab suspect, find drugs, cash, gun

A man was arrested Dec. 4 after Monterey County Sheriff's deputies found drugs, cash and a loaded gun in a vehicle. Around 3:15pm, detectives with...

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