News

WATSONVILLE—Scores of kids were treated to a free visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus Wednesday during the first of a three-day Santa Tour. “It felt so good to see Santa,” said Maria Navarro of Watsonville who showed up with her son, Christian Ramos. “This is...

In 2020, the CZU fires ravaged the Santa Cruz Mountains, destroying 1,490 structures and an untold number of trees. A little more than two years later, many of those downed trees washed down streams into the ocean and, during the storms in January and February,...

MOSS LANDING—A big rig driver was arrested Thursday night after leading officers on a multi-county chase down Highway 1, following a hit-and-run collision in Santa Cruz. Alyssa Gutierrez of the California Highway Patrol said Santa Cruz police initially tried to pull over a white tractor-trailer...

WATSONVILLE—David Schartow was a retired ironworker living in Paradise with his young daughter when the 2018 Camp Fire destroyed the entire town, including his home. Now homeless, Schartow, 64, has since bounced through several temporary shelters, including his current accommodations, the Comfort Inn in Watsonville....

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police on Thursday arrested a Salinas woman accused of embezzling more than $75,000 from a Watsonville business located on Hangar Way. Julie Brooks, 50, faces felony grand theft charges. She was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on $100,000 bail, but was not in...

Event is the nonprofit organization's biggest fundraiser of the year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday issued long-awaited guidance to Americans fully vaccinated against Covid-19, freeing them to take some liberties that the unvaccinated should not, including gathering indoors with others who are fully vaccinated without precautions while still adhering to...

The County of Monterey has ended its Non-Congregate Shelter (NCS) program, which has supported Pajaro flooding victims since March. Families in need will still have access to housing services, but County officials have moved the program closer to its homeless services providers.  Under the program—estimated to...

SAN BENITO COUNTY—A Watsonville native was sworn in as the 16th sheriff for San Benito County Friday under mild, sunny conditions in the front courtyard of the Veterans Memorial Building. Eric Taylor, a 1992 Watsonville High School graduate, accepted the position in the presence of...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—In response to the state’s declaration of a State of Emergency as a result of the threat of COVID-19, and other recent federal, state and county guidance, Santa Cruz (METRO) announced sweeping changes set for Monday. On Thursday Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered California’s...