News

WATSONVILLE—A Gilroy woman died and two other people were seriously injured in a three-car crash on Highway 129 west of Old Chittenden Road Wednesday. California Highway Patrol officer Alyssa Gutierrez said that around 4:20pm Henry Dalrymple, 28, of Watsonville, was driving a 2014 Honda Odyssey...

WATSONVILLE—In a bizarre ending to a Tuesday night public meeting that puzzled and agitated a majority of the Watsonville Planning Commission, the body gave no recommendation on whether a Watsonville charter school should be allowed to continue to operate in an industrial zone on...

Marin Alsop grew up dreaming of being a conductor.  From a young age, she aspired to lead a group of talented classical musicians, performing for audiences and spreading her love of music—despite the fact there were very few women in such a position. Alsop is now...

In 2007 local fashion designer Sindy Hernandez opened Queen’s Shoes & More, a small boutique featuring a mix of her own and other designers’ clothing and accessories.  Hernandez gradually gained a loyal following of customers. And 15 years later, many of them remain, some becoming...

WATSONVILLE—About 15 people sat quietly in rows of chairs facing an altar of votive candles, flowers, photographs and memorabilia in a carport near downtown Watsonville on Sunday. Just hours prior, an 18-year-old man who, family says, had moved to the U.S. from Oaxaca, Mexico a...

WATSONVILLE—In 2020, Arts Council Santa Cruz County formed the Watsonville Stewardship Committee for the Arts to bring resources, build spaces and improve access to the arts for South County residents. That group of artists, teachers, political leaders and city of Watsonville staff spearheaded the creation...

MICHOACÁN, MEXICO—A Watsonville mother of four was killed—and her sister critically injured—in a mass shooting in Michoacán, Mexico on March 28. Melissa Silva was 36. She leaves behind four children, 20, 17, 12 and 10, two of whom attend Calabasas Elementary School. Her 16-year-old sister...

Spring is here, and with it comes warmer temperatures, more outdoor activities and a surge in home gardening.  But with unpredictable weather patterns increasing, as well as the ongoing drought in California, there is plenty more to think about now when choosing what to plant...

WATSONVILLE—Some California renters facing eviction at the end of March got a reprieve Thursday when Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis signed legislation that extends statewide protections tied to a state-run rental assistance program. Assembly Bill 2179 extends eviction protections through June 30 for Californians who signed...

WATSONVILLE—Since February, a small group of women has been hard at work, learning the detailed world of the beauty industry in Watsonville’s new—and Santa Cruz County’s only—cosmetology program. The new program began with just six students, although Watsonville/Aptos/Santa Cruz Adult Education Director Nancy Bilicich expects...