43.1 F
Watsonville
January 12, 2026

Moss Landing woman killed in DUI crash near Watsonville

WATSONVILLE—A Moss Landing woman was killed early Sunday in a head-on DUI collision near the Airport Boulevard exit on Highway 1. Johanna Mayapuga, 22, of Santa Cruz, was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and driving the wrong way on Southbound Highway 1 in her...

Break with a book

Yesterday I walked past a man reading a book on the sidewalk in downtown Watsonville. Curious, I stopped and asked him what he was reading. Annoyed, he looked up and yelled a bunch of things at me in a foreign language and then showed...

City pens official apology to Filipino community for 1930 race riots

WATSONVILLE—In a historic move at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the City of Watsonville officially apologized to the local Filipino community for the 1930 anti-Filipino race riots, which ended in the death of one man and ignited unrest across California.  It did so in a resolution...

PETA offering reward for help in finding Watsonville cat shooter

PETA Cat shooter
WATSONVILLE—Mary Hall was working the afternoon shift on Jan. 6 when Horchata strolled into the office. The cat was a frequent and beloved visitor of the residential facility in Watsonville, where there was always someone to give him food and love.  As Hall was combing...

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk unveils new main entrance

In 1909, employees of the recently-opened Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk gathered at its entrance to capture a moment that has been enjoyed by future generations.

More high-density housing could be in Watsonville’s future

Editor’s note: This is the second entry in a multi-part series concerning housing in the Pajaro Valley. For the first part see the Sept. 13 edition of The Pajaronian or click here.   WATSONVILLE—Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why Watsonville struggles to keep up with its growing...

Report: Police, Fire spending Measure G funds wisely

Watsonville
WATSONVILLE—What will happen if Measure Y does not pass in next month’s election? That question is difficult to answer, as Watsonville Administrative Services Director Cindy Czerwin said at Wednesday afternoon’s Measure G Oversight Committee meeting. When pressed by committee Chair Rick Danna on the matter, Czerwin...

Grant will allow expanded immigrant services

The Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County announced Friday that it has been awarded a $731,000 grant that will allow the organization to expand its services to immigrant communities in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties.

One flower, one day, huge crowds: Corpse flower blooms

corpse flower
SANTA CRUZ—Thousands of curious folks had a one-day window Tuesday to view and smell a blooming corpse flower at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden. The 4-foot tall flower, sheltered beneath a tent and kept warm with a space heater while being gently...

Santa Cruz museum launches new virtual exhibit

santa cruz lgbt history
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) has launched its first-ever virtual exhibition. “Queer Santa Cruz: Stories of the LGBTQ+ Community in Santa Cruz County” was created with local organization Diversity Center Santa Cruz County. It includes photographs, videos, early queer...
7,695FansLike
4,949FollowersFollow
2,895FollowersFollow

Watsonville City Council to mull plastic bag, oversize vehicle parking ordinances

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday is set to consider two ordinances aimed at reducing plastic waste at retail checkouts and tightening rules on...

Teen arrested after chase