Sheriff’s deputy, security guard thwart inmate escape
A Santa Cruz County Jail inmate was recaptured Monday during an attempted escape on a visit to Dominican Hospital
Watsonville businesses embrace outdoor operations
WATSONVILLE—As many shelter-in-place restrictions remain in place due to Covid-19, state, county and city officials have looked for ways to allow businesses to open safely.
This has included moving outdoors—onto sidewalks, into parking lots and even streets. Watsonville businesses have slowly been making the move,...
Victims in Saturday night Watsonville shootings identified
WATSONVILLE—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office released the names of the two men who were shot and killed on Saturday in Watsonville in separate shooting incidents.
The first victim, who was shot near Marchant and E. Front streets around 5:30pm, has been identified as Rafael Salcedo,...
Premiere Raspberries closing, laying off hundreds
WATSONVILLE—While some will be celebrating the birthday of activist and labor leader Cesar Chavez on March 31, a major raspberry grower in Watsonville will close its doors, and hundreds of employees will be laid off.
A representative at Premiere Raspberries, LLC confirmed the closure Thursday...
County pilot program aims for unified approach to homelessness
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a project designed to integrate clinical, mental health and housing services to help the county’s population of homeless people with mental illness and substance use disorders
The Mental Health Services Act Innovation Plan is...
Santa Cruz woman dies in DUI crash
BOULDER CREEK—A 24-year-old Santa Cruz woman died late Thursday night in a solo-vehicle DUI crash in Boulder Creek.
California Highway Patrol officer Sam Courtney said Chyanne Pilgreen, 21, of Ben Lomond was driving a 2004 Nissan Xterra northbound on Highway 9 north of Boulder Creek...
Watsonville Hospital workers among first to receive Covid-19 vaccine
WATSONVILLE—Working as an Environmental Services Aide at Watsonville Community Hospital, Benjamin Lamsen cleans rooms in the Emergency Department and the Intensive Care Unit. That work has been challenging, he says, since the Covid-19 pandemic began its spread across the globe. In addition to increased...
PHOTO: Aptos community celebrates tree lighting
Santa Claus greets Tricia and Oliver Potts of Watsonville (center) and others Saturday during the Aptos Holiday Craft Fair and Tree Lighting in Aptos Village.
Patricia Solano dies
Patricia Gospodnetich Solano, a lifelong Watsonville resident who raised five children and variously worked as a teacher, a telephone operator and a legal secretary, died Monday after an illness. She was 78.
Man arrested for agriculture-related crimes
A Prunedale man was arrested Nov. 26 on suspicion of a lengthy list of agriculture-related crimes including theft of a tractor.
On Oct. 22, deputies...




















