News

WATSONVILLE—After 41 years on the job, Robert “Rolo” Leonardich drove away from the Watsonville Police Department for the last time Friday in his pristine 1978 Pontiac Firebird, the very car he drove to work on his first day on the job. A festive farewell party,...

WATSONVILLE—In the span of less than a week, Dignity Health-Dominican Hospital was able to set up a mass Covid-19 vaccination clinic on the outskirts of Watsonville to inoculate 1,000 people in the agriculture industry. Dignity Health’s parent corporation, CommonSpirit, said it would have 2,000 extra...

A Watsonville man with an extensive criminal record was arrested Monday after he allegedly exposed himself to several women in a laundromat. Joel Navarro, 27, was charged with assault with intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy, oral copulation, sexual battery, attempted sexual battery and indecent...

WATSONVILLE—After decades of efforts by local, state and federal officials, plans to rebuild the Pajaro River Levee can now move forward after voters in Watsonville approved an assessment on their annual property tax bills that will pay for the maintenance and operations costs. The Pajaro...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—President Joe Biden on Saturday declared a disaster exists in the storm-damaged parts of California, freeing up federal aid to help state and local recovery efforts in Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz counties. Biden’s declaration came hours after Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High senior Josh Rocha stood on the sidelines with 40 seconds left in the game, watching every second tick away until the scoreboard read all zeros.  “I was just soaking it in, this is my last time I’m ever going to put on this...

WATSONVILLE—Mary Hall was working the afternoon shift on Jan. 6 when Horchata strolled into the office. The cat was a frequent and beloved visitor of the residential facility in Watsonville, where there was always someone to give him food and love.  As Hall was combing...

UPDATE: Suspect turns himself in to Watsonville Police Department. ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Two people were killed and two were injured in a shooting at a Pajaro bar early Tuesday morning. According to Monterey County Undersheriff Keith Boyd, deputies responded to El Torero Bar at 540 Salinas Road just...

WATSONVILLE—A 60-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after leading officers on a brief car chase and then crashing into several parked dilapidated vehicles at Watsonville Fire Station 2 on Airport Boulevard. Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said officers around 1pm got reports of a hit-and-run crash...