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Watsonville
March 28, 2026

Sex offender arrested for stalking, touching girl

Watsonville Police on Tuesday arrested a registered sex offender after he allegedly followed and inappropriately touched a 17-year-old girl. Kenneth Wilder, 31, has been charged with assault with intent to commit rape, stalking, annoying or molesting a minor and sexual battery.  As a registered sex offender,...

Paying respects | About Town

Bagpiper Kasie Talbot set the tone for the start of an annual ceremony in Aptos Friday to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S.  Personnel, staff, family and friends from Aptos/La Selva Fire, Watsonville Fire, Central Fire, Capitola Police...

Organizers launch drone event

Alongside a little-known grass landing strip at Monterey Bay Academy Thursday, a group of drone companies gathered for what organizers hope will be an annual event, and will draw participants to learn about the burgeoning industry.

Second Harvest names Padilla-Chavez new CEO

WATSONVILLE—Second Harvest Food Bank has a new leader. The organization on Thursday announced that Erica Padilla-Chavez will take the helm as CEO in July after Willy Elliot-McCrea retires, and as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary. In accepting the position, Padilla-Chavez will leave her post as...

Man who reportedly shot at family on Highway 1 arrested

Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Lt. Ian Patrick
A Hayward man has been arrested for taking multiple shots at a vehicle on Highway 1 in May, injuring a 3-year-old child and the male driver. Raphael Abduh-Salam, 33, is in custody in Contra Costa Jail. He will soon be transferred to Santa Cruz County...

PHOTO: Aptos community celebrates tree lighting

Santa Claus greets Tricia and Oliver Potts of Watsonville (center) and others Saturday during the Aptos Holiday Craft Fair and Tree Lighting in Aptos Village.

Event focuses on farmworker safety

dolores huerta mello center
About 700 people packed the Mello Center in Watsonville Saturday afternoon for Harvesting Equity, an event where safety, living wage contracts, housing and immigration reform for farmworkers took center stage. At the podium were Mireya Gómez-Contreras, Ann Lopez and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta. To launch...

Dolores Huerta to speak at Mello Center

Dolores Huerta
Civil rights activist Dolores Huerta will speak at the Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts in Watsonville on Aug. 12 at 4pm.  She'll be joined on stage by local activists Mireya Gómez-Contreras, co-leader of Esperanza Community Farms, and Ann López, executive director of...

On the highway of life: Local musician releases new solo album

Keith Rayburn’s musical journey began when his older brother, Craig Rayburn, first picked up a guitar and learned to play.

Watsonville City Council to decide Porter Building’s fate

Porter Building watsonville
WATSONVILLE—An art studio and performance center for Pajaro Valley Arts, or an Italian restaurant, boutique hotel and creative office space for the Pajaronian?  The Watsonville City Council is expected to decide the fate of the historic Porter Building during the closed session of its virtual...
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Walgreen to pay $6 million in price scanner and expired products...

Walgreens has agreed to pay $6 million to settle allegations it overcharged customers and sold expired products in California, including violations identified in Santa...
A crew from Granite Construction works on Reach 6 of the Pajaro River at Watsonville Project along Corralitos Creek. (

Levee work underway