News

WATSONVILLE—Two brothers were arrested Monday and Tuesday—about 30 hours apart—after two dramatic chases involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Daniel and Thomas Smith face multiple felony charges, and are being held in Santa Cruz County Jail without bail after running from officers. The first chase began early...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police on Thursday arrested a Watsonville man for a stabbing in late November that they say left his victim in critical condition. Angel Fernandez, 24, was charged with attempted second-degree murder. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail,...

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 native Richard Gurnee, who revolutionized the field of scientific taxidermy by pioneering a freeze-drying technique still employed worldwide, died in October after a brief illness. He was 87. Gurnee graduated from Watsonville High School in 1954, and then studied zoology at Humboldt State University. But...

WATSONVILLE—About 200 people disembarked three large charter buses on Green Valley Road in Watsonville early Wednesday morning as part of the EcoFarm Bus Tour, a kickoff to the EcoFarm Conference in Pacific Grove this week.  The tour was visiting Strong Agronomy, a management company that...

WATSONVILLE—The newly constructed roundabout at the intersection of Highway 129 (Riverside Road) and Lakeview Road opened on Dec. 3 to through traffic. Final roadway striping and a variety of construction details will be completed over the next few weeks, but the roadway and roundabout are...

Todd Guild Freedom Meat Lockers One of my favorite things to do for lunch in Watsonville is head over to Freedom Meat Lockers, which in addition to its high-quality selection of carnivores’ delights, also offers a deli counter. Normally when I hear the word ‘deli’ I cringe,...

Editor's note: Three new candidates have tossed their hats in the ring for seats on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees districts 2, 3 and 6. Those seats are currently filled by Georgia Acosta, Oscar Soto and Adam Scow, respectively. None of...

Watsonville city officials on Monday began clearing a sprawling unsanctioned homeless encampment along the Pajaro River that runs from Sakata Lane to Loughead Avenue. The work, which includes mowing tall grasses and removing some trees, is expected to last through Aug. 2, Watsonville City spokeswoman...

Marcia Hashimoto was 16 years old in 1963 when her Buddhist youth group asked 28-year-old Mas Hashimoto to present a slide show of his recent cross-country road trip. Mas was president of the Young Buddhist Association, and was respected throughout that community. His presentation had...