Woman accused of selling tobacco products, alcohol to minors
SANTA CRUZ—A Santa Cruz woman was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of using social media to sell vape products and alcohol to minors.
Martha Espinoza, 41, was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail, but was not in custody on Thursday morning, jail records showed.
The Santa Cruz...
Two arrested in Fentanyl bust
WATSONVILLE—Two people were arrested after a lengthy probe from Watsonville Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit helped seize more than three dozen Fentanyl pills that officers believe were being sold throughout the region.
WPD spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said members from the agency’s SIU and neighboring law...
Doctors warn of death cap mushroom poisoning
Poisonous death cap mushrooms have sickened people in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, according to a statewide list of areas reporting severe illnesses.
A group of California doctors warned Wednesday that foraging for wild mushrooms can be deadly, after an unusually high number of people...
Highway fight leads to arrest
Emergency officials try to untangle the circumstances in a crash on southbound Highway 1 Friday.
Riverside encampments a concern as winter approaches
Edward Lovell Jr. steps out of a small homeless encampment on Airport Boulevard in Watsonville one hot and sunny day with his friendly, frisky mutt Cotton on a leash.
Lovell, 43, estimates he is one of about 20 people who stay in the unsanctioned encampment,...
PHOTOS: Santa Claus lands in Watsonville
Melissa Arana, 3, pays visit to Santa Monday at Ramsay Park in Watsonville after Santa and one of his helpers landed in a helicopter. More than 100 people lined up to watch the landing in a soccer field and then stepped up to greet...
Man wounded in Santa Cruz shooting
Santa Cruz police are looking for a suspect who shot a man in the area of Encinal Drive and Highway 9 in Santa Cruz on Sunday afternoon.
Second Harvest Food Bank facing financial strain
WATSONVILLE—Gov. Gavin Newsom announced increased funding for the Farm to Family Program on April 29. The program directly connects farmers and ranchers to food banks to feed Californians around the state. The state intends to seed a $15 million campaign with $3.64 million to...
Honoring MLK: Hundreds attend annual march in Santa Cruz
Before hundreds of people began a march Monday morning in downtown Santa Cruz to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a solemn hush fell over the crowd as political chanting briefly ceased and the good-natured whooping died down.
“Finally,” 6-year-old Brianna Hodgkins said, sitting astride...
Prison in Paradise; Santa Cruz County Jail criticized in annual Grand Jury review
By Alesandro Manzella
Many people who are arrested and booked into Santa Cruz County Jail not only lose their freedom, but also access to health care and mental health services.
That's according to a report released June 11 by the Santa Cruz County Grand Jury.
Lack of...
Walgreen to pay $6 million in price scanner and expired products...
Walgreens has agreed to pay $6 million to settle allegations it overcharged customers and sold expired products in California, including violations identified in Santa...




















