Rookie lifeguard who rescued 10-year-old boy to be honored at White House
A 16-year-old rookie California State Parks lifeguard who helped rescue a 10-year-old boy swept under by a wave at Seabright State Beach on July 25, has been invited to the White house to be honored.
In a post on X, President Donald Trump praised Ryder...
Aztecas Youth Soccer Club unveils new clubhouse
Christian Chavez was struggling with anxiety while attending Pajaro Valley High School and frequently refused to go.
“I was just staying home,” he said.
Christian, 15, was eventually placed at Sequoia High School, a smaller campus tailored for students struggling academically and emotionally.
He also joined Aztecas...
Community briefs
Hed: Free STEM camp offered for Watsonville youth
Children of the Fields, a local nonprofit focused on expanding educational opportunities for underserved youth, will host a free two-day STEM camp for children ages 6-12 on Aug. 3-4 at the Watsonville Community Center, 275 Main St.
The...
Teens step in to summer art project
A new of the long-running “Moveable Mural Project” is in the works by Santa Cruz County high school students in the Teen Artes Summer Program. Under the umbrella of Pajaro Valley Arts, 18 students from eight schools started painting the large wood panels Monday...
Aztecas to celebrate clubhouse with community barbecue
The Aztecas Youth Soccer Club and Santa Cruz County Probation will celebrate the grand opening of the club’s new clubhouse with a community barbecue and open house on July 28 in Watsonville.
The event will run from noon-1:30pm at 200 Prospect St. and is open...
Teen Kitchen Project looks to expand its recipe for community care
When Angela Farley founded Teen Kitchen Project more than a decade ago, the idea was born from one of the most difficult chapters of her life.
As her 5-year-old son underwent chemotherapy, Farley found herself facing an everyday challenge familiar to countless caregivers: after spending...
Obon Festival draws hundreds
The annual Obon Festival unfolded at the Watsonville Buddhist Temple Sunday with hundreds of people delving into Japanese culture.
The free event included entertainment, a vendor’s market, children’s games, an array of traditional foods, a Farmers Market, arts and crafts and a raffle. After a...
Homemade bomb shuts down Freedom Boulevard
A lengthy stretch of Freedom Boulevard was shut down Tuesday evening after Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies discovered a pipe bomb in a car.
The incident started around 4pm when deputies conducted a traffic stop near the 2600 block of Freedom Boulevard. The deputy’s K9...
Wharf to Wharf returns Sunday; includes road closures
The 54th annual Wharf to Wharf Race returns Sunday, bringing thousands of runners and spectators to Santa Cruz County's coastline—and with them, significant traffic delays and road closures.
The popular 6-mile race begins at 8am Sunday, July 26. For the second consecutive year, the start...
Woman stabbed to death at Capitola Mall
A woman was stabbed to death Monday afternoon outside the Capitola Mall near the entrance to Macy's and the mall's food court.
Tyler Leibelt, 19, of Santa Cruz, was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on murder charges later that day, where he was being...
Victor E. Rugh III
Feb. 28, 1942 - July 28, 2026Watsonville, CAVictor E. Rugh III, age 84, of Elgin, Illinois, passed on to his eternal home on July...



















