News

A Watsonville man was sentenced to 25 years and 8 months in state prison for human trafficking, sexual assault and drug crimes, Santa Cruz County District Attorney, Jeffrey Rosell announced Monday. Luis Alberto Salas pleaded no contest on Aug. 29 to multiple counts of human...

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday are scheduled to appoint an interim leader to fill the vacancy when current Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez leaves on June 30. Clint Rucker, who currently serves as the district’s Chief Business Officer, will take the...

SACRAMENTO—A bill that would increase protections for California’s farmworkers during hazardous smoky conditions created by seasonal wildfires is making its way through the state legislature. Assembly Bill 73, also known as the Farmworker Wildfire Smoke Protections Act, recently passed the Assembly Committee on Labor and...

WATSONVILLE—All major City of Watsonville events have been canceled through the end of the year, City Manager Matt Huffaker said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. That includes the annual Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July Parade, the Watsonville Strawberry Festival and the Wine, Beer and...

I noticed a crew from Northwest Signs taking down the long-standing sign on Wendy's on Freedom Boulevard Monday to make way for an updated sign. While CEO Emil Brolick said the existing logo had served the company well for the past three decades, he...

Arturo Rosas was strolling across the campus of Watsonville High School on Wednesday, greeting students and getting acquainted with his new position as school resource officer (SRO). A SRO is tasked with providing a measure of security for schools, but is also there to serve...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday approved an additional $207,445 charge from Harris & Associates, Inc. for design services on the Rail Trail Lee Road to Walker Street Project. In total, the city will now pay the Concord-based company $329,110 to design its stretch of...

The 24-year-old Watsonville man who died early Sunday morning in a solo-vehicle crash on the 800 block of Walker Street when his car plowed into a large utility pole was identified by his family as Jerry Lee, Jr. “He was a good kid,” said his...

WATSONVILLE—A 31-year-old Bakersfield man suspected of shooting a 24-year-old Watsonville man multiple times earlier this year was arrested on April 24. Watsonville Police believe Edgar Patino on Feb. 28 shot a Watsonville resident in the parking lot of the Stone Creek Apartments on 300 Bree...

The Federal Highway Administration recently agreed to reinstate time extensions allowing dozens of emergency winter storm road repair projects in the unincorporated parts of the county to move forward. This time extensions mean projects will remain eligible to receive federal emergency relief funds previously committed...