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Watsonville
February 21, 2026

County announces 211th Covid death | News Briefs

An unvaccinated man in his 40s with underlying health conditions died this week from Covid-19, Santa Cruz County spokesman Jason Hoppin announced. The death was the county’s 211th Covid-related death. The County Public Health Department encourages everyone who is eligible for a free Covid-19 vaccine to...

Bay Area region inches closer to stay-at-home order’s ‘trigger’

Watsonville coronavirus
CENTRAL COAST—The Bay Area region designated in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s regional stay-at-home order is expected to fall below its baseline Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity sometime this weekend, meaning several industries will face more restrictions put in place to curb the spread of...

Harvest season continues | About Town

I passed through miles of Watsonville’s agricultural fields today under gray, overcast skies. The strawberry harvest seemed to be going full blast, with loaded up flatbed trucks packing the fruit off to warehouses. Scores of workers dotted the fields on either side of San...

American Legion welcomes new commander, officers | News Briefs

Felipe Hernandez
The American Legion Post 121 welcomed eight new Post Officers for 2022, including its new Post Commander Felipe Hernandez. Hernandez, who was voted in by members at the previous meeting, will be filling the spot left by Rick Sanchez, who served two consecutive terms, including...

Man, woman found dead in apparent murder-suicide, police say

watsonville murder-suicide
WATSONVILLE—A man and woman were found dead in a home in Pajaro Village on Christmas Eve in what police believe to be a murder-suicide. Watsonville Police Department Sgt. Mike Ridgway said officers were led to the man and woman by a relative. The Santa Cruz County...

A blaze of glory: longtime fire reservist dies

John R. Walker Jr., a major fixture in Watsonville’s landscape of firefighting, parades and labor task force, died Jan. 27 of pancreatic cancer. He was 84. Walker  served as a Watsonville Reserve Firefighter for three decades, and left that post as Reserve Lt. Co. No....

Fitness Evolution agrees to settle fraud case

Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell announced Thursday that Fitness Evolution has agreed to a settlement paying approximately $1.8 million in penalties, restitution and costs.

Two die hours apart in separate Hwy 17 crashes

SCOTTS VALLEY—Two people, including a 28-year-old Santa Cruz man, died in separate Highway 17 crashes mere hours apart. Around 10pm on Friday night, the Santa Cruz resident involved in a two-vehicle crash near Scotts Valley was ejected from his 2016 Toyota Tacoma after the truck...

Mountain lion seen on Main Street

Watsonville police warned Wednesday that a mountain lion was seen behind 1075 Main Street heading toward Harkins Slough Road.  The department said that residents should remain alert, especially when walking in open or rural areas. Animal control and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife...

Photo: Man caught after foot chase

Watsonville Police lead a man to a patrol car after he reportedly fled from them on foot on the 1800 block of Main Street Tuesday. California Highway Patrol officer Alyssa Gutierrez said Loren Green Silveira, 33, evaded the CHP on June 8 in a...
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Egg drop tests amateur engineers

Area youths tested their engineering skills Friday in downtown Watsonville at the 2026 Egg Drop Challenge.  The 23rd annual contest celebrates National Engineers Week, which...

Medina ban was right call