66.8 F
Watsonville
July 21, 2025

Group preserving local Filipino history gains momentum

The Tobera Project, a local initiative aiming to preserve, honor and celebrate the Filipino immigrant experience in the Pajaro Valley, is continuing to grow in scope. From the ongoing “Watsonville is in the Heart” exhibit and subsequent calendar chronicling the history of local Filipino-American heritage,...

Crash damages power pole, snarls traffic

WATSONVILLE—A pickup truck driver sheared a utility pole on South Green Valley Road at Main Street Wednesday, causing a major traffic jam and power outages. Watsonville Police Department Sgt. Donny Thul said the male driver of a white pickup, towing a large soil disking tool,...

Watsonville City Council appoints Tamara Vides as interim city manager

Tamara Vides
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...

Watsonville man arrested in fatal hit-and-run crash

sirens
WATSONVILLE—A Watsonville man was arrested Saturday after fatally striking a man on a bicycle with his vehicle and fleeing the scene, California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Courtney said. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Juan Diaz, 25. Steven Kay, 55, was charged...

METRO hosts Stuff the Bus donation site

stuff the bus
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) and Toys For Tots will host METRO’s first Stuff the Bus donation site on Dec. 11 at Target in Watsonville. METRO and Toys For Tots are teaming up to collect donations of new and unwrapped toys...

Watsonville Community Hospital faces closure if not purchased by Jan. 28

Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Community Hospital will either be sold to a new buyer or—if that fails—close by Jan. 28, CEO Steven Salyer announced Monday.  In a letter sent to employees, Salyer states that the hospital is facing “significant financial challenges,” which have been compounded by decreased revenue...

Man killed in double rollover crash on Riverside Drive

Watsonville crash
WATSONVILLE—A Marina man was killed in a head-on collision on Riverside Drive at Harvest Drive Monday morning. California Highway Patrol Sgt. Jason Ivey said that the drivers of a dump truck and a red Toyota Tacoma pickup engaged in some form of road rage dispute...

Watsonville assistant city manager to be appointed interim chief executive

Tamara Vides
The Watsonville City Council has recommended Tamara Vides to serve as the interim city manager, upon Matt Huffaker’s departure and until a permanent replacement can be found. The appointment will come before the City Council in a special meeting set for Nov. 30.  Vides has worked...

PVUSD looks to redraw trustee area boundaries

pvusd trustees
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Nov. 17 began the process of redrawing the boundaries of the district’s trustee areas, a required decennial undertaking that follows the census. During redistricting—which occurs in counties, cities and other jurisdictions nationwide—officials redraw their boundaries...

Holiday drive-thru lights up fairgrounds

Watsonville Holiday Lights
WATSONVILLE—The second annual Holiday Lights drive-thru light show at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds is now fully lit up and open to visitors. Holiday Lights will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday through November, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December through Dec. 26. Presented...
7,695FansLike
4,949FollowersFollow
2,895FollowersFollow

Female Athlete of the Year: Aptos’ Izzy Graff brought excellence to...

Aptos graduate Izzy Graff was on the verge of joining the cross country team going into her junior year in 2023 so she could...