News

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday heard a grim budget report which, while it shows that the district can cover its expenses for the next three years, it also predicts that declining enrollment will severely drain its general fund. PVUSD...

WATSONVILLE—Rachel Clark clearly remembers the day she was invited to join the United Presbyterian Church (UPC) of Watsonville more than 40 years ago. Clark had recently moved to the area and was searching for a place of worship. It was at a community picnic where...

WATSONVILLE—Students from Ann Soldo Elementary School have been displaying a series of art projects at Cafe Ella on East Lake Avenue since late November. Art teacher Cami Shaeffer said the idea formed after chatting with Cafe Ella owners Jennifer DeVault and Erika Conrad, who took...

Tarmo Hannula: Genaro Garcia Luna, Mexico’s former public security secretary, the very man who brazenly took on Mexico’s chief drug traffickers, has now been arrested and charged with taking millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel, the New York Times reported. His...

SANTA CRUZ—A man was shot late Tuesday night in the Beach Flats area of Santa Cruz near the Beach Boardwalk. At least two shots were reported by multiple witnesses around Third Street at Kaye Street at 9:14 p.m. Joyce Blaschke of the Santa Cruz Police...

Tony Nuñez: On a tear-filled night, Watsonville councilwomen Rebecca Garcia and Trina Coffman-Gomez were sworn in as mayor and vice-mayor, respectivley, Tuesday. Garcia, a Watsonville native who has more than 30 years of experience in politics, replaced Francisco "Paco" Estrada. Estrada will continue on the council...

WATSONVILLE—Five years after Michael Escobar gunned down a rival gang member, and killed a young girl when one of his bullets went astray, a jury convicted him of two counts of first-degree murder and several special allegations. Escobar, now 36, will likely be sentenced to...

WATSONVILLE—Rebecca Garcia could not wait to start her mayorship. Days before the longtime public servant was sworn in at the tail end of Tuesday night’s Watsonville City Council meeting, she had already had multiple meetings with City Manager Matt Huffaker and asked him to prepare...

United Presbyterian Church to close Tarmo Hannula: The United Presbyterian Church on East Beach Street is slated to have its last service Jan. 5 before they close. The congregation has been around Watsonville since 1860. Our reporter Johanna Miller will have an article with more...

WATSONVILLE—Two boys were seriously injured early Tuesday morning when a car struck them as they crossed Walker Street. Watsonville Police Sgt. Donny Thul said the boys, ages 11 and 12, were using a crosswalk to cross Walker Street from east to west at West Lake...