News

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has at its disposal several pieces of military-grade equipment to use during the myriad emergency incidents that occur throughout the year. This ranges from armored vehicles to pepper-ball launchers to drones. And now, all of that equipment is...

Several dozen Pajaro Valley Unified School District teachers and staff were joined by community supporters early Tuesday morning at The Towers in Watsonville to rally against teacher layoffs that were approved on Dec. 11. PVUSD administrators declined to comment.  School districts typically cannot comment about ongoing...

Continued decreases in case and positivity rates have Santa Cruz County on track to enter a less restrictive tier of the state’s Covid-19 reopening plan on March 31, County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said at Thursday’s weekly virtual press conference. According to data released...

WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville is asking the City Council to deem a troubled housing development off Ohlone Parkway a public nuisance at its July 6 meeting. Pacific Sunshine Garden at 1773 Santa Victoria Ave. has for more than three years failed to make various corrections...

Watsonville Police investigate a two-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon on East Lake Avenue. WPD said a Pajaro man was driving west on Eastlake Avenue just after 5 PM in a Toyota Camry east of Tuttle Avenue. At one point, he slammed into a parked Toyota...

Kim Steinhardt loves sea otters. For anyone who grew up on the Northern California coast, this declaration might not be that surprising — but Steinhardt is pretty certain most don’t reach his level of fixation.

On Saturday, Santa Cruz Naturals will herald in its second location in Pajaro with a grand opening celebration that includes food, music and visits by elected officials.

A Watsonville man was arrested on the night of Feb. 26 after he tried to outrun Watsonville Police during a traffic stop. When WPD made a traffic stop on East Lake Avenue, 31-year-old Jose Alberto Sanchez leapt from the car and fled on foot, WPD...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville city officials on Friday closed the City Hall building for a deep cleaning after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, City Manager Matt Huffaker confirmed. The employee is now self-isolating and under medical care, Huffaker said.  All employees that were in direct contact with the...

WATSONVILLE — Watsonville police on Oct. 18 arrested a man suspected of stealing a wheelchair ramp used by a young girl to enter and exit her home. The Santa Cruz County Auto Theft Reductions and Enforcement Task Force (S.C.A.R.E.) arrested Pedro Villanueva, 27. He has been...