‘Embarrassing’: Planning commissioners accuse staff of ‘counting votes’
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...
Hearing begins in Pleasure Point kidnapping, murder case
SANTA CRUZ—The four men who investigators say kidnapped and murdered a Pleasure Point man two years ago appeared in court Tuesday for the first day of their preliminary hearing.
Stephen Lindsay, 28, Joshua Camps, 25, and brothers Kaleb and Kurtis Charters, 20 and 23, respectively,...
Are you ready for Mother’s Day?
Freedom Meat Lockers Manager Will Panise said the family-run business is offering a handful of specials for Mother's Day.
Donors large and small support Second Harvest this holiday season
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Second Harvest Food Bank has been facing an unprecedented amount of need throughout the county since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in March. They have more than doubled their weekly donations, averaging about 1.2 million pounds per month in distribution.
The Holiday Food...
Suspects arrested on weapons, drugs, child endangerment charges
SANTA CRUZ—A man and a woman were arrested Friday for a host of charges, from possession of a stolen firearm and probation violation to child endangerment.
George Rivera, commander of the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team’s Gang Task Force, with the assistance of Santa Cruz...
Mid-County fire agency consolidation plan advances
MID-COUNTY—A plan to consolidate two Mid-County fire districts took a step forward Wednesday when nobody from the community registered a complaint.
Efforts to consolidate Aptos-La Selva Fire Protection District and Central Fire Protection District began in 2019. Fire officials say the move will help departments...
Freedom Boulevard sewer work progresses
WATSONVILLE—Work is slated to wrap up this week on an underground sewer line on Freedom Boulevard on the north side of the city.
The project, which got underway last week near the intersection of Buena Vista Drive and Compton Terrace at Freedom Boulevard, calls for...
LEO’s Haven set to open | What’s Going On
Special events
8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival (Jan. 18-Feb. 9)
The annual 10-minute play festival celebrates its 25th anniversary as the longest-running and most respected short play festival in the U.S. Sixteen awarded-winning short plays, from the annual international playwriting contest, are performed and...
PV girls’ basketball hosts first annual toy drive event on campus
A little more than 100 Pajaro Valley Unified School District students received an early Christmas present at Pajaro Valley High’s first annual toy drive...
