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Watsonville
March 7, 2026

Hecker Pass pursuit leads to DUI arrest

california highway patrol arrest hecker pass highway watsonville road
A 30-year-old Lemoore man was arrested Oct. 6 after he reportedly tried to evade police. California Highway Patrol officer Israel Murillo said CHP officers observed a BMW M4 fail to stop at a stop sign near East Lake Avenue at Casserly Road on the evening...

Watsonville fatal crash victim ID’d

WATSONVILLE—The 29-year-old woman who died after she was struck by a car on Jan. 6 in Watsonville has been identified as Aubrey Newell, said Ashley Keehn, spokeswoman for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff/Coroner’s Office. Newell was walking across Main Street near Rodriguez Street in a...

Freedom Meat Lockers is a delight | Try This

Todd Guild Freedom Meat Lockers One of my favorite things to do for lunch in Watsonville is head over to Freedom Meat Lockers, which in addition to its high-quality selection of carnivores’ delights, also offers a deli counter. Normally when I hear the word ‘deli’ I cringe,...

Officers balancing enforcement, education of COVID-19 orders

COVID-19 orders
Additional reporting by Todd Guild SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—With the onset of warmer, sunny days, droves of people have been showing up at area beaches and parks, especially on weekends, even as the shelter-in-place order has hit day 41.  And beginning April 25, Santa Cruz County also...

Pajaro Valley’s Congressional representation will change

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville residents will have a new representative at the federal level after the June primary following a massive political shift in the recent decennial redistricting process completed last month. Formerly included in the 20th Congressional District with the rest of the Central Coast, Watsonville will...

Big rig driver arrested following reported hit-and-run, highway pursuit

sirens
MOSS LANDING—A big rig driver was arrested Thursday night after leading officers on a multi-county chase down Highway 1, following a hit-and-run collision in Santa Cruz. Alyssa Gutierrez of the California Highway Patrol said Santa Cruz police initially tried to pull over a white tractor-trailer...

Cat declawing, book censorship among new 2026 laws

Every year,  lawmakers in Sacramento introduce a flurry of bills, most of which are eviscerated during the legislative process and end up on the Assembly or Senate trash heap. A select few make it to the governor’s desk, and assuming they dodge the veto...

Local company to offer free Wi-Fi in plaza

People who spend time in Watsonville Plaza eating their lunch, talking to friends or just relaxing in the sun can now engage in a new activity: surfing the internet.

‘Dire’ deadline approaching for hospital purchase

Watsonville Community Hospital
WATSONVILLE—The organization formed earlier this year to operate and oversee Watsonville Community Hospital is nearing its July 1 deadline to raise enough to make the purchase, but is still $16 million short. If Pajaro Valley Healthcare District (PVHD) is unable to raise the funds, it...

Massive bike ride brings community together

Around 400 bicyclists filled Capitola and Santa Cruz Saturday as part of a nationwide cycling event to bring bicyclists together to show off their skills and simply bring the community together.
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RTC looks to federal, state government to fill rail funding gap

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will seek funding from the state and federal government to support construction planning for a passenger...