News

PRUNEDALE—The California Highway Patrol is seeking the public’s help in locating the person, or persons, responsible for several reported incidents of objects striking vehicles traveling on highways 156 and 101 in the Prunedale area. Since February the CHP has 38 confirmed cases where vehicles have...

Watsonville firefighters tear into a wall at the rear of a home on the 600 block of Lincoln Street Tuesday where a fire broke out. Division Chief Corey Schaefer said the fire erupted just past noon inside the wood walls of an older single-story...

WATSONVILLE—Since 2018, Watsonville-based nonprofit Digital NEST has hosted NEST Flight, a career development conference aiming to inspire young professionals and propel their careers. The event features speakers, workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities and more for people ages 17-24. During the conference, attendees have the opportunity...

A 19-year-old Watsonville man has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting an underage girl.  Christopher Medina Amezquita was arrested in Capitola with help from Capitola Police, the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into Santa Cruz...

The half-trillion-dollar loan program advertised as a lifesaver for the country’s struggling small businesses is again under fire after the Small Business Administration on Monday released a list containing hundreds of recipients of the program, revealing that several private equity-backed chains owned by members...

If cuts to food assistance programs proposed under President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” are approved by the U.S. Senate, it would cripple the food distribution system that local organizations have spent decades building, and upon which thousands Santa Cruz County residents rely. That was...

APTOS—Cabrillo College classes started Aug. 29, and with it came the first exhibition of the year at the school’s on-campus art gallery. Connections: Cabrillo Art, Photography & Art History Faculty & Staff Exhibition is now open and will run through Sept. 23. The annual show...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Though the Disaster Recovery Center at Ramsay Park in Watsonville closed up shop Feb. 10, services are now offered at Watsonville City Hall. Starting Thursday, Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Watsonville and Felton were extended to continue providing recovery services to residents impacted...

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...

On the steps of the dilapidated jailhouse in which Cesar Chavez was held 47 years ago, a group of pesticide activists held a rally Friday to both celebrate his birthday and to draw attention to an issue that was close to the labor leader’s heart.