News

WATSONVILLE—A 19-year-old Watsonville man, armed with a loaded handgun, was arrested Wednesday following a brief but dramatic foot chase. The incident unfolded on Dawson Street near Marchant Street and the Pajaro River Levee around 1:30pm, Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said. Gabriel Villanueva was...

Every January, the new year brings with it dozens of new laws that impact day-to-day life in many different ways. Here we bring you a few we find notable, from criminal justice reform to animal welfare to workplace rules. From inmate to firefighter During the massive...

The year 2020 will go down as one of the most challenging in modern history. The pandemic affected everyone in one way or another; some of us lost loved ones, and everyone dealt with isolation and stress. Racial unrest tore through the country following the...

It was a year dominated by news of the Covid-19 pandemic, since the news began to roll in on March 12. The crisis has hit businesses, schools, neighborhoods and people everywhere in the world. There are few vestiges of life that have not yet...

I started working for the Pajaronian in February 1997. As a news gatherer, that translates to a lot of blank pages being filled over the years with news and photos of what’s going on. Of those 23 years as a journalist, 2020 most assuredly...

It is nearly impossible to talk about 2020 and not mention Covid-19, as the pesky novel coronavirus overtook our lives in March and has not yet loosened its grip. However, there were other stories, events and tragedies that managed to wholly affect our community even...

Xipetotec Galindo helps his daughter, Coral Gonzalez, 3, apply paint to a large outdoor mural on the walls of La Manzana on West Lake Avenue in Watsonville. Watsonville artist Yermo Aranda, who originally created the mural, has been working with community members in restoring the mural. The...

I recently visited Farley's Christmas Wonderland at 108 Seaview Ave. in Santa Cruz to witness, by far, the most amazing residential Christmas display. For years it has been a major draw for the public with more than 30 fully decorated Christmas trees, miniature snowy...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) will provide free local transit rides county-wide, including the Hwy-17 Express, on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  In a press release, the transportation agency stated: “METRO would like to express our gratitude to all essential...

WATSONVILLE—Two weeks ago, a group of nurses from Watsonville Community Hospital held a roadside demonstration in an attempt to stop hospital officials from increasing nurse-to-patient ratios. They were expected to be back Wednesday, starting at 3:30pm, for a second similar demonstration on Airport Boulevard. Their...