73.1 F
Watsonville
March 23, 2026

County Supervisors green-light SHIELD ordinance

Santa Cruz County’s immigrant population received an additional measure of protection Tuesday when the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance which, if adopted March 24, would prohibit federal immigration officials from using county property or facilities for immigration-related enforcement...

Lito’s Lounge in Corralitos to amp up evening hours

The owners of the three-year-old Lito’s Lounge, housed in the historic Five Mile House in Corralitos, have always envisioned a place where people could gather, socialize and listen to live music into the evening hours.  That vision got closer to reality recently when the business...

Bobeda reflects on a life in Watsonville

Betty Bobeda poses in front of the balloons she received for her 90th birthday
Betty Bobeda was born and raised in Watsonville and sat on the City Council from 1991 to 2002, including two stints as mayor. That, coupled with a career in local agriculture that spanned more than four decades, drove her to support Measure U in 2002...

Photo story: Two teens arrested after e-bike chase

A tow operator lifts one of two electric dirt bikes onto a flatbed truck after being stopped by Watsonville Police
A tow operator lifts one of two electric dirt bikes onto a flatbed truck after being stopped by Watsonville Police on Bridge Street Tuesday afternoon. Sgt. Jarrod Pisturino said WPD has received numerous complaints about youths speeding through and around the Vista Montaña housing...

Man dies in Capitola blaze

A man died when a home caught fire late Monday night in Capitola Village.  Central Fire crews responded to the two-alarm fire at 9:50pm at 204 Monterey Ave. to flames lashing out the side of a building from the first and second floors of a...

Seaside man arrested after entering girls’ bedroom, removing his pants

A Seaside man was arrested in Pajaro on Saturday after he reportedly entered the open door of a residence, walked into a bedroom occupied by two young girls, began mumbling and proceeded to remove his pants. The girls, ages 6 and 9, screamed, and their...

RTC looks to federal, state government to fill rail funding gap

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will seek funding from the state and federal government to support construction planning for a passenger rail line spanning the length of the county.  In a Thursday meeting, the commission voted unanimously to request $15 million to...

Freedom man arrested for child sex crimes

Morgan Hill Police on Thursday arrested a Freedom man after he allegedly traveled to Morgan Hill to sexually assault a 12-year-old girl. Alexis Javier Mendez-Gallardo, 21, was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of felony charges including rape of a child under 14;...

Pilots Association prevails on airport land use case

A Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Watsonville violated state law when it approved housing development near the Watsonville Municipal Airport without first adopting required airport safety standards. In a 24-page decision issued Feb. 3, Judge Timothy Schmal sided...

Man arrested after wild chase

This story has been corrected from an earlier version. The chase did not go through Pajaro Middle School. A search for a wanted man with multiple outstanding warrants ended with his arrest after a chase that started in Pajaro and made its way into the...
7,695FansLike
4,949FollowersFollow
2,895FollowersFollow
downtown watsonville main beach street intersection

City Council to consider utility rate increases

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday will consider a series of utility rate increases over the next five years to fund infrastructure upgrades they...