Photo story: Firefighters battle car fire
Watsonville firefighters battle flames erupting from a car in Pajaro Wednesday evening. Capt. Thomas Outzen of North Monterey County Fire said there were no apparent injuries, and that the gas tank appeared to have ruptured in the small sedan, leading to a stubborn and...
Jim Barsi—owner of Barsi’s Liquor Store—dies
James Joseph “Jim” Barsi, who ran his eponymous liquor store on East Lake Avenue for a half-century before selling the business and retiring in 2019, died on Jan. 26. He was 83.
Eddie Casillas said he began working for Barsi when he was 16, and...
Watsonville Airport prepares for Super Bowl arrivals
Though Super Bowl 60 will take place Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, Watsonville will roll out its own red carpet at Watsonville Municipal Airport this week.
Shaz Roth, CEO of the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, said preparations are under way to welcome...
Watsonville Plaza project moves ahead
A crew from Community Tree Service removed several large trees and trimmed back several others Monday and Tuesday at Watsonville Plaza as part of phase 1 of the ongoing Plaza Revitalization Project.
Bob Berry of Watsonville Public Works and Utilities, said the removal of some...
Elias Gonzales to challenge Hernandez for supervisor seat
Lifelong Watsonville resident and community advocate Elias Gonzalez announced Monday that he is running for 4th District supervisor. He is up against incumbent Felipe Hernandez, who has served on the board of supervisors since 2022.
Gonzalez has a long career history in community organizing, working...
County officials vow to oppose immigration officials
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Chris Clark told reporters Thursday that local law enforcement will not cooperate with federal officials if they come to the Central Coast as part of the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policy.
Clark spoke at a press conference led by Rep. Jimmy...
STUDENTS SHOW THEIR STRENGTH
Thousands of young people walked out of school Friday, filling the streets of Watsonville and Santa Cruz to protest recent violent incidents involving federal immigration officials.
The walkouts were part of similar protests throughout the United States, a largely student-led movement opposing the hardline immigration...
Santa Cruz, Monterey counties to test wireless emergency system Thursday
Officials in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties will conduct a test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system on Thursday, sending emergency messages to mobile phones in flood inundation zones near the Pajaro River.
The test is scheduled for about 3pm and is part of ongoing...
Teen leads police on destructive chase
A teen male driving a stolen vehicle Sunday led officers from three law enforcement agencies on a chase that left a trail of destruction including a damaged fire hydrant, a traffic sign and a parked vehicle before crashing into a house on Arthur Road.
Four...
Santa Cruz County Fair theme announced
The folks at the Santa Cruz County Fair have chosen a theme for the 2026 fair: “Apple Pies and Starry Skies!”
“This winning theme for...
