News

APTOS—Highway 1 from Rio Del Mar Boulevard to State Park Drive will be closed overnight on Jan. 18-20 to repair the railroad bridge at the South Aptos Undercrossing. Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission spokesperson Shannon Munz said the work includes repair of the bridge...

Watsonville Fire Chief Pablo Barreto has accepted a position with the Salinas Fire Department, and will continue his position here through March 15.

WATSONVILLE—A man and a woman from Hollister died in a crash involving their motorcycle Saturday afternoon on Hecker Pass Road. They were identified Tuesday as Timothy Chisholm, 43, and Casey Lea Stephens, 41, by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Ashley Keehn. California Highway Patrol spokesperson...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The 2020 Crop Report for the County of Santa Cruz has been released, detailing the region’s agricultural commodities during one of the most challenging years on record. The Crop Report is presented each year by Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo through the Department of...

A man was killed in Boulder Creek after a tree crashed into his home, as winds pounded Santa Cruz County after several heavy rainstorms on Sunday. Santa Cruz County Sheriff's spokeswoman Ashley Keehn identified the man as as 45-year-old Robert Brainard III. Deputies and firefighters responded...

Tarmo Hannula Last week fellow reporter, Johanna Miller and I drove out along San Andreas Road to get a few photos and a feel of the current agricultural scene. The strawberry fields were abuzz with harvesters. From what I could see everyone was wearing a...

WATSONVILLE—For the past six years, Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WWW) has invited high schoolers to work alongside professionals to experience a range of environmental-based careers. The organization’s Green Careers Institute aimed to give students an understanding of the impacts of climate change and a window...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) will provide free local transit rides county-wide, including the Hwy-17 Express, on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  In a press release, the transportation agency stated: “METRO would like to express our gratitude to all essential...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Outdoor amusement parks in California counties in the red tier of the state’s Covid-19 reopening plan will be allowed to welcome back customers next month, the California Department of Public Health announced Friday afternoon. Live outdoor sporting events and performances will, too, be...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council appointed Tamara Vides to serve as the interim city manager in a special meeting on Tuesday night. Vides, an employee of the city of Watsonville for 23 years, will step into the role on Dec. 15, the day after outgoing City...